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SUMMER2018 15 It sounds like a long process, but Jodi says, "We're usually able to do that within probably a day or a day and a half after the guests leave." The evacuation this time ran from Tuesday to Friday, and the facility was back in business on Saturday. Jodi says one time, however, an event had shelters running in both facilities for 27 days! Making Ends Meet On the business side, the evacuation center is treated as a rental, and contracts lay out the terms. "We charge them for the exclusive facility rental while they're in evacuation mode, and we also have a rate for the time we're shut down for storage, cleaning, and inspection – however long it takes to get that done," says Jodi. Everything is included, from the cleaning crews to supplies and other equipment that is needed to support the evacuation, including such as breaker panels and power cords for the increased loads. Large dumpsters are brought in, and those are also charged to the Red Cross. A committee meets throughout the year to plan for potential events, and improvements are made to the process. At first, the storage containers were kept offsite until they were needed, but in time it was decided to keep them at the facility throughout the summer to facilitate the conversion process. The province has also paid for facility upgrades. "For example, they put in a cell phone booster at a pretty significant cost a few years ago because it was of great benefit to both the people running the evacuation center and to the guests that were living there," says Jodi. Because of that, they get to enjoy the benefit year-round. Community Reputation Jodi's advice to anyone wanting to use their facility as a shelter during natural disasters is "developing a really good relationship with your local Red Cross about what their needs might be, what they would be looking for, what times of year they might be looking for access, and just having a good line of communication." Jodi says their reputation in the community has been boosted by housing evacuees. "There's a lot of media coverage when these types of events happen. We get a lot of notes back from people within the communities that were evacuated, but also from members of our own Saskatoon community that are thanking us for providing this role and providing a home for these people." "We respect very much that our facility becomes their home for the duration of the evacuation," says Jodi. "Putting yourself in their shoes, how would you feel if you didn't know if you'd have a home to go back to or where the rest of your family is? We try to be understanding."