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Shelter intake script

Call before you burn the last dry hour. If they cannot answer these, you do not have a bed.

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Have the address they gave you in writing. Read it back. Harvey-era names (George R. Brown, NRG) are history unless a live official page says they opened again.

Ask this, in this order

Are you taking overnight intakes tonight, right now?
How many people can you still take, and do you have a second official site if you are full?
Do you have accessible beds, space for oxygen, a crib, or a quiet area for someone with sensory needs?
Are pets allowed? Do they stay with us or go to a partner kennel? Service animals are not optional.
What ID do you want, and what happens if we only have a phone and a name?
Is the feeder or frontage still ponded? Which entrance is actually open?
Can someone without a car get there (METRO, high-water shuttle), or is this drive-only?

Have ready

Names and ages in the group
Meds list and devices (CPAP, oxygen, dialysis schedule)
Pet crates, leashes, and any shot records you can grab in two minutes
One out-of-town contact who knows where you are going

Confirm the site is real and open

Status, maps, and claim portals change by the hour. Open the org site. Do not trust a screenshot from last night.

Red Cross open-shelter finder VERIFY LIVE only. Open or closed changes the same day. Harvey-era shelter names are not this finder.
Harris County shelter status dashboard Check the timestamp. A green pin from this morning can be full by lunch.
Ready Harris Harris County OEM notices, alerts, and shelter posts. Recheck before you drive.
211 Texas Shelter, food, utility, and recovery referrals. Dial 211 if the sites lag.
Red Cross Texas Gulf Coast Local chapter. Call 1-800-RED-CROSS and ask them to confirm.

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