Feds Put Evacuee Program on Standby; Nebraska Prepared If Needed
Feds Put Evacuee Program on Standby; Nebraska Prepared If Needed
Gov. Dave Heineman and Lt. Gov. Rick Sheehy, working with state, local and private relief agencies to prepare Nebraska for the potential receipt of storm evacuees, learned today from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) that federal officials are placing the relocation of victims of Hurricane Katrina on hold.
Nebraska agencies and private relief organizations had been preparing for the possibility of accepting evacuees since receiving word from federal officials last week that Nebraska could be asked to provide temporary housing for storm evacuees.
"We have been advised that further evacuations are on hold, and this morning we put our mass sheltering efforts on standby," Gov. Heineman said. "I appreciate all the work that has gone into preparing these shelters, and I know Nebraskans are ready to help."
The American Red Cross has been working closely with the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and other entities to prepare several locations to serve as potential shelters. As of Wednesday, two shelters were ready to receive evacuees - including Omaha's Civic Auditorium, which could accommodate up to 500 people and Lincoln's St. Mark's United Methodist Church, which could house up to 200 evacuees. Other Nebraska communities have volunteered to host evacuees if the need arises.
"I personally visited the shelters in Omaha and Lincoln, and I can say without a doubt their level of preparation is impressive," Gov. Heineman said. "Everything from phones for calls to loved ones to medical arrangements has been prepared, and that is reflective of the level of coordination and cooperation that we have achieved in Nebraska."
The American Red Cross estimates that at least 200 people from the Gulf Coast region have relocated to Nebraska voluntarily. More information on storm relief efforts is available online at http://www.nebraska.gov, including help for storm victims seeking federal aid.
http://gov.nol.org/news/2005_09/07_evacuees_standby.html