Recommend approval to authorize the City Manager to execute Memorandums of Understanding with Benedictine Military School, Evans County School District, and Vidalia City School District to provide emergency shelter facilities for Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police.

It is essential for the public safety of our citizens to ensure first responders are adequately prepared for a hurricane. This preparation includes shelters for SCMPD officers.

In the event of a Category 1 or 2 Hurricane in the Savannah area, SCMPD will shelter in place in the Chatham County area. Benedictine Military School will house 200 SCMPD personnel on the school property. The campus layout provides separate areas for each precinct and has space for male and female facilities. The facility sits above the flood plain and has few exterior windows which will protect personnel during a storm. The remaining officers will be sheltered at local hospitals, Armstrong State University and the Emergency Communications Center.

In the event of a Category 3 Hurricane or higher, SCMPD would evacuate a majority of officers outside the county. Vidalia City Schools will house 250 SCMPD personnel at the JR Trippe Middle School and Evans County Schools will house 450 SCMPD personnel at several schools in the Claxton area. This will provide dedicated shelters for all evacuated officers outside of the county. The officers who remain in the county will shelter at the local hospitals and the Critical Workforce Shelter.

Approval