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Carrollton hosts nearly 100 hurricane evacuees
By Senitra Horbrook, Staff Writer
Nearly 100 people from Louisiana and the Texas coastal region took up residence at the Rosemeade Recreation Center this week while fleeing Hurricane Gustav.
At the request of State Emergency Operations Center, the city opened an evacuee shelter for the first time.
“We had been put on notice for Katrina and Rita, but the shelter was never opened,” said Gary Nesbitt, Carrollton Fire Department assistant chief. “It went really smooth being the first time to truly activate the shelter.”
Many guests were sent to Carrollton after checking in at the primary checkpoint in Mesquite, which was the state’s plan. Others found different ways to the shelter and were not turned away.
“There was a group who went to one of the other shelters in Lewisville and it had not opened, so they were referred to Carrollton,” Nesbitt said. “Another group saw shelters listed alphabetically in a newspaper and Carrollton was first, so that’s where they came.”
At the peak of shelter operations there were 94 guests at the recreation center. Guests were provided with cots, blankets, shower facilities, meals and had access to some of the recreation center activities.
Several guests from the Texas coastal region were preparing to return home Tuesday morning. Many parishes in Louisiana were not expected to allow residents back home until sometime Wednesday.
Rosemeade Recreation Center will remain closed to the public until the shelter is deactivated. Anyone wishing to make donations should coordinate their contributions through either the American Red Cross at 214-678-4800 or Metrocrest Social Services at 972-446-2100. The city will not be accepting donations directly, and is not allowed to accept donations at the shelter location (Rosemeade Recreation Center) per Red Cross regulations.
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