THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
OKLAHOMA CITY — Timmy Harris gazed across the concrete floor of the cavernous shelter where he and more than 1,700 other Hurricane Gustav evacuees are temporarily living and summed up the mood of most everyone inside.
“I’m ready to get back home,” Harris, of Abbeville, La., said Tuesday less than 48 hours after arriving at the temporary shelter set up inside the old Lucent Technologies plant in far western Oklahoma City.
Harris fled his home in southern Louisiana following warnings that Gustav, which came ashore along coastal Louisiana Monday morning, could rival the horrific destruction and death toll caused by Hurricane Katrina three years ago. But Gustav’s impact was minimal, and Harris said he wants to get on with his life.
“We called and found out it ain’t that bad. The roads are all open,” Harris said. He said his home is still without power and he stands to lose all of the perishable food in his refrigerator and freezer unless someone puts it on ice.
Others at the Oklahoma City Evacuees Support Shelter echoed Harris’ sentiment.
“I just want to get back to see what’s happening,” said Candace Williams of Kaplan, La. “I have a dog that I miss.”
“It’s kind of upsetting because I don’t have many things to do around here,” said Dillon Constantine, 13, also of Kaplan.
“I’m just ready to get back to see what I have,” said Joe Williams, a retired custodian from Kaplan. “We just put everything in God’s hands.”
Barry Green of New Orleans expressed frustration with being taken so far from his home when there were areas closer that would have made it easier to return.
“It’s a lot of hassle,” Green said. “I don’t want to come this far.
“Our government should have done better than this.”
Harris said the area where he lives sustained heavy damage in 2005 when Hurricane Rita struck the area. But he said he’ll think twice about evacuating again following his experience with Gustav.
“I’m going to stick it out next time,” he said.
Evacuees from across Louisiana began arriving in about 40 buses late Sunday. A total of 1,701 are being housed at the Oklahoma City shelter, and officials do not know whether to expect more.
“We’re not exactly sure,” said Sgt. Paco Balderrama, spokesman for the Oklahoma City Police Department. But Balderrama said Louisiana officials are already developing plans to allow residents to return possibly by the end of the week, making it unlikely that additional evacuees will be bused to Oklahoma City.
“Those arrangements are being made,” he said. “The storm is just about over. People want to go home.”
“There’s a lot of them that do want to go home,” said Vince Hernandez, spokesman for the American Red Cross. “There are people who are absolutely in distress. They’re in distress about their jobs.”
Local conditions may require some evacuees to remain in the shelter longer than others, officials said.
“Some areas are still under water,” said Michelann Ooten, spokeswoman for the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management. Other areas, including large portions of New Orleans and surrounding communities, have no power.
“There’s community challenges,” she said.
No one is required to remain in the shelter and many evacuees were seen coming and going by cab or by bus to visit area restaurants or department stores. Others walked to nearby fast food eateries.
“We need to go into town. Where is town?” said Angus Carter, a disabled Lake Charles, La., resident who said he evacuated with only a few dollars in cash. Carter said he needed to visit a local Social Security Administration office to arrange to have his monthly check delivered.
“We don’t even have bus tokens. We don’t have transportation to go nowhere,” Carter said.
Other evacuees expressed gratitude that they were allowed to bring their pets, which are being cared for in facilities adjacent to the evacuation shelter. Officials said the shelter is caring for 30 animals including dogs, cats, a hamster, a gerbil, a cockatiel and two fish.
“We wouldn’t have left our dogs,” Cai Cornish of New Orleans said as she and other family members cared for their dogs Koko, a Chihuahua, and Spanky, a bichon frise.
“I wouldn’t have, no way,” Cornish’s mother, Marie, said as Koko greeted passers-by with robust barks.
“He’s more bark than bite,” she said.
Still, it’s hard on everyone not to be back in their own home, where they can interact more freely with their dogs, Marie Cornish said. She said Koko sleeps with her at home but is not allowed to at the shelter.
“He has separation anxiety. He’s not eating like he should,” she said.
THE DETAILS
What you need to know
The Oklahoma Highway Patrol and the Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office are sending lawmen to Louisiana Tuesday to assist following Hurricane Gustav. The OHP is sending more than 30 troopers, including 20 from the emergency response team to Gonzales, La., to help with general law enforcement.
Another 11 troopers from the lake patrol will leave from McAlester and will go to Baton Rouge to help with rescue and recovery efforts.
Twenty full-time and reserve deputies also will go to Louisiana for up to two weeks in response to that state’s request for law enforcement officers to assist in the wake of Gustav.
While assisting in the sheltering of evacuees from Hurricane Gustav, the Oklahoma City-County Health Department will have reduced staff at all locations. Due to this reduced staffing, there possibly could be longer than normal waiting times for walk-up services which include: Immunizations, STD Clinic, Medical Records, TB skin tests and pregnancy testing. This reduced staffing will continue for an undetermined amount of time because of shelter operations.
Maternity and Family Planning as well as WIC services may have limited appointment times. It is recommended that people call ahead to check availability of services.
Call 427-8651, for the TB Center, call 419-4000 and for Maternity and Family Planning, 419-4150.
THE DETAILS
How can Oklahoma help?
Monetary donations are best. A number of the disaster relief agencies Oklahomans always depend on in disaster times are already working to assist those affected by Gustav.
Oklahomans are urged to give to the disaster relief agency of their choice, including the American Red Cross, the Salvation Army and other faith-based organizations.
Go to www.okvoad.org for a list of disaster relief organizations.
