Give Me Shelter From The Storm

“Shelter From The Storm"

I was in another lifetime one of toil and blood
When blackness was a virtue and the road was full of mud
I came in from the wilderness a creature void of form
"Come in" she said
"I'll give you shelter from the storm".
Bob Dylan

I’m prepared for hurricane Irene; I bought a bottle of rum and a carton of coke!
All kidding aside, I am making a much ice that I can to fill the freezer,
I got batteries and blubs for the flashing lights,
I got batteries for my radio,
I got mantles for the propane lantern, filled the gas grill propane tank,
I have oil for the oil lamps,
I got canned food and dry food (pastas to make tuna fish or crabmeat salad, etc.),
I filled my prescriptions that were low,
I have city water and they have backup generators, but if worst case happens, I have a 40gal hot water tank,
I charged up my cell phone,
I filled the car gas tank,
I bought a 12vdc to 110vac inverter that plugs in the car cigarette lighter so I can charge my laptop (need to be able play games).
I got a new book.
And most important, I took a hot shower; it might be my last for a several days.

This might be my last blog entry for a while, since Hurricane Irene is supposed to make land fall tonight as a category 1 hurricane. I don’t know if we will have power when I wake-up in the morning and I imagine it is going to be a sleepless night with the heavy rain and wind starting around 3:00am.

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While most people are worrying about hurricane Irene, trans-people have their own worry…

National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE) Press Release
Increasing reports show that Hurricane Irene is gaining strength as it heads to North Carolina's Outer Banks and up the East Coast. As residents prepare for Irene's landfall, NCTE emphasizes care for transgender people displaced by the storm. In the past, transgender people have faced disrespect and discrimination when seeking resources or accessing homeless and emergency shelters.

Read our Hurricane Preparedness Kit and pass it on to friends and loved ones who may be impacted by the storm.

Hurricane Preparedness Kit Download

If you are experiencing disrespect or discrimination in a relief shelter or emergency service, please call a Lambda Legal National Help Desk for assistance:
Toll free: (866) 542-8336
New York: (212) 809-8585
Atlanta: (404) 897-1880

We strongly recommend bringing the Hurricane Preparedness Kit with you if you evacuate so that you will have all of the resource numbers in case you encounter a problem.

NTCE Hurricane Preparedness Kit

Hurricane season is underway, and NCTE wants you to stay safe—both from Mother Nature and from any unique problems transgender people may face during an evacuation. It is important for transgender people living in coastal regions to be prepared for obstacles both during and after a hurricane hits. NCTE urges everyone to put together a preparedness kit that not only takes into account basic survival needs, but also your specific health and legal needs as a transgender person.
INFORMATION FOR TRANSGENDER PEOPLE ON PREPARING FOR A STORM
EMERGENCY CONTACT INFORMATION FOR TRANS DISCRIMINATION
IN RELIEF SHELTERS & SERVICES
Lambda Legal National Help Desks:
Toll free: (866) 542-8336
Dallas: (214) 219-8585
Atlanta: (404) 897-1880
National Center for Transgender Equality: (202) 903-0112, NCTE@nctequality.org
Hurricane season can be a difficult and dangerous time for all residents of coastal states. For transgender people it can be especially difficult to access emergency services and shelters because of discrimination. As you may recall, during the wake of Hurricane Katrina many transgender people were victims of harassment based on their gender identity and/or expression. A few were even arrested and jailed for using gender-appropriate showers in shelter facilities. Some forgot important items, such as hormones and cosmetics.

In light of these negative experiences, and considering the often problematic treatment of transgender people within homeless and other emergency shelters, NCTE encourages community members in hurricane-prone regions to prepare in advance. You can do this by developing a Disaster Plan, building a Hurricane Preparedness Kit, gathering transgender medical, documentation items, making sure important legal and advocacy contact information is easily accessible, and cosmetic items as needed.

OTHER RESOURCES
Making Shelters Safe for Transgender Evacuees:
http://www.nctequality.org/Resources/evacuationShelters.pdf
Transitioning Our Shelters: A Guide to Making Homeless Shelters for Transgender People
http://thetaskforce.org/downloads/reports/reports/TransitioningOurShelters.pdf
National Weather Service: http://www.weather.gov/os/hurricane/index.shtml

EMERGENCY
KITS FOR
EVERYONE

The National Weather Service recommends that everyone have the following items in an emergency kit:
▪▪ Water & Food (enough for 3-7 days)
▪▪ Blankets, pillows, etc.
▪▪ Clothing (rain gear/ sturdy shoes)
▪▪ First Aid Kit , medicines, prescription drugs
▪▪ Special Items (for babies and the elderly)
▪▪ Toiletries, hygiene items, moisture wipes
▪▪ Flashlight and batteries
▪▪ Battery operated radio
▪▪ Telephones (fully charged cell phone with extra battery and a traditional-not cordless-telephone set)
▪▪ Cash (with some small bills) and credit cards
▪▪ Keys
▪▪ Toys, books and games
▪▪ Important documents (in a waterproof container or watertight resealable plastic
bag, such as insurance, medical records, bank account numbers, Social
Security card, etc.)
▪▪ Tools (keep a set with you during the storm)
▪▪ Vehicle fuel tanks (filled)
▪▪ Pet care items
For more information about disaster planning

TRANSGENDER
SPECIFIC
SUPPLIES
In addition to the standard emergency information, NCTE recommends that transgender people also have the following with them:
Medical
▪▪ Prescriptions
▪▪ Medications (hormones, etc.)
▪▪ Syringes, alcohol swabs, etc.
▪▪ Vaginal stints/dilators
▪▪ Other medical devices/supplies Legal
▪▪ Phone numbers for Lambda Legal’s help desks and for the NCTE (below)
▪▪ Proof of name change
▪▪ Court orders
▪▪ Identification, including passport
▪▪ Doctors letters regarding gender identity from therapist & surgeon
Appearance
▪▪ Razors
▪▪ Cosmetics
▪▪ Binding, Packing Equipment (e.g. ace bandages, gaffs, “packies”)
We strongly recommend that you take this document with you if you evacuate so that you will have all of the resource numbers with you in case you encounter a problem.

I leave you with Bob Dylan’s “Shelter From The Storm”


Be safe!