Home » News » Press Releases » 2005 » Plano Extends Sheltering Efforts to Hurricane Evacuees

For Immediate Release: September 24, 2005 For Information Contact: Mr. Don Wendell Phone: 972-208-8087 Plano Extends Sheltering Efforts to Coastal Hurricane Evacuees Continuing on-going efforts to shelter and house over 1,800 City of Plano registered Hurricane Katrina evacuees, the City has again stepped up to the plate, preparing its Carpenter Recreation Center facility to house evacuees escaping Texas coastal regions from the wrath of Hurricane Rita. By Saturday morning, September 24, 394 evacuees had found refuge at the Center. “ We have closely monitored the trajectory of Rita since its entry into the Gulf Coast,” said Fire Chief William Peterson who is heading the City’s emergency operations efforts. “When it became apparent an exodus from our coastal areas would extend into North Texas we immediately began pre-planning to have sheltering up and running for our coastal neighbors in need.” Carpenter Recreation Center, 6701 Coit Road, suspended recreational operations Friday morning, converted into full-service sheltering by mid-afternoon. Utilizing supplies from the City’s Hurricane Katrina sheltering, supplemented with a generous donation of bedding from the International Church of Richardson, coastal evacuees referred by the Red Cross, found a safe haven awaiting them as they trickled in by car and bus throughout Friday night and early Saturday morning. Recognizing the emotional ties of owners to their pets, the City took an innovative and compassionate stance by establishing a separate animal shelter at the Center to house pets accompanying their owners. It is anticipated the majority of the evacuees, from the Houston-Beaumont-Port Arthur area, will begin the return to their homes over the next two days. In other Rita-related activity, Plano deployed fire and ambulance service to Love Field on Friday to accept and transport evacuated coastal medical patients to local hospitals. An informational website, focusing on Hurricane Rita and local preparations, was also established by the City, posted well in advance of the storm’s landfall. A Hurricane Rita Planning Team was established mid-week to prepare for damage from any local weather events. It is anticipated Carpenter Park Recreation Center will resume normal recreational services by mid-week, at the latest. Plano will continue its successful efforts in placing Hurricane Katrina evacuees into permanent housing over the next two weeks.