"The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has updated its texting feature to help Americans find open shelters during disasters.

The agency announced Tuesday that a person will be able to text “shelter” and their ZIP code to 43362, and a list of shelters within 200 miles of their location will be sent to them.

A person with a phone that has a standard map feature will also be able to click on a shelter’s address from the text and have directions pop up.

“Disasters frequently disrupt communications systems which can leave survivors feeling overwhelmed and helpless when they are trying to locate shelters,” FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell said."

Lexi Lonas reports for The Hill February 8, 2022. [2]