City of Portsmouth, Virginia - Emergency Preparedness

City of Portsmouth Emergency Shelter Information

The information contained on this page may be changed based on the type and intensity of an impending emergency.

Please check for updates in the event of an impending or ongoing emergency situation.

Download a copy of Portsmouth Emergency Shelter Locations and General Shelter Rules, (pdf file)

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In the event of a natural or man-made disaster, emergency shelters will be opened as needed and in coordination with the local school system, the American Red Cross, and the local government. Red Cross and other emergency shelters are intended to provide temporary mass housing for persons displaced due to disaster. The shelters selected will be those most appropriate depending on the impending or occurring event.

The intent is to return evacuees to their normal living arrangements as soon as possible.

Primary Hurricane Shelters

All facilities utilized as Red Cross pre-landfall hurricane shelters must meet certain guidelines. The four Red Cross approved, pre-landfall, hurricane shelters (those meeting the Red Cross criteria to include, but not limited to, protection from wind and flooding for Category 4 hurricanes) are listed below as primary shelters with the capacities for each.

Location	Address	Capacity
Churchland Academy	4061 River Shore Rd., 23703	200
Churchland Primary	5700 Hedgerow Lane, 23703	230
Churchland Middle	4051 River Shore Road, 23703	250
Lakeview Elementary	1300 Horne Avenue, 23701	250

Secondary Shelters

Secondary hurricane shelters are those school facilities that do not meet the pre-landfall guidelines for the Red Cross, but could be opened depending on the unique circumstances of the hurricane or other emergency/disaster.

Location	Address	Capacity
Churchland High	4301 Cedar Lane, 23703	400
Hodges Manor Elem.	1201 Cherokee Road, 23701	150
Olive Branch Elem.	415 Mimosa Road, 23701	150
William Waters Middle	600 Roosevelt Blvd., 23701	250
Woodrow Wilson High	1401 Elmhurst Lane, 23701	840

General Shelter Rules

The following are general Shelter Rules that will be enforced to protect all evacuees.

Please check at your shelter for additional rules that may apply.

Evacuees are required to sign in before being officially admitted to any shelter.
Evacuees are responsible for their belongings.
Valuables should be locked in cars, or kept with the evacuees at all times.
The shelter is not responsible for lost, stolen or damaged items.
No weapons are permitted in the shelter except those that may be carried by security personnel.
No alcohol or illegal drugs are permitted in the shelter.
Parents are responsible for controlling the actions and whereabouts of their children.
- Children cannot be left unattended.
Noise levels should be kept to a minimum during all hours of the day.
Quiet hours are observed between 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m.
“Shelter Hopping” is not permitted.
Please notify the shelter registrar for referral to the paramedic for any medical condition or medications.
Assistance in keeping the shelter neat and orderly will be greatly appreciated.

Portsmouth Evacuation Information.

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