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   25,000 Hurricane Victims Coming To Dallas

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Topic: 25,000 Hurricane Victims Coming To Dallas (Read 570 times)

luci
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25,000 Hurricane Victims Coming To Dallas
« on: Sep 2^nd, 2005, 8:27am »

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Dallas to house 25,000 refugees

Dallas gathering resources to house 25,000 refugees
By DAVE LEVINTHAL and TERRENCE STUTZ /
The Dallas Morning News

Dallas will now become a city for people without one.

At least 25,000 Hurricane Katrina refugees from Louisiana will begin relocating here Saturday, state and local officials confirmed Thursday evening.

City and county leaders scrambled to find suitable shelter for such an influx of storm victims, who they expected to arrive primarily by bus and plane.

Reunion Arena and a 200,000-square-foot portion of the Dallas Convention Center, both downtown, could house as many as 12,000 people, City Manager Mary Suhm said.

But Dallas County Judge Margaret Keliher said she's asking leaders of neighboring counties to help shelter refugees, as Ms. Suhm acknowledged Dallas probably will need help to absorb a population equal to that of University Park or Farmers Branch.

"We don't have all the answers yet, but we're going to be ready," Judge Keliher said.

After agreeing to house 25,000 refugees at the Astrodome and other Houston locations Wednesday, Gov. Rick Perry was asked by Louisiana officials Thursday morning to take 25,000 more, and then a few hours later an additional 25,000 for a total of 75,000 displaced residents who will move to Texas.

"We were asked this morning to take 25,000 more, and we said yes we would. San Antonio was our first choice because of the I-10 corridor, making it easier to transport people there," said Robert Black, a spokesman for the governor.

"Then they contacted us again this afternoon and asked us to take another 25,000. The next logical place in the state was Dallas. Both San Antonio and Dallas made sense because of their infrastructure and because they have the personnel to handle an emergency situation such as this," he said.

"We believe they have the necessary resources to draw upon."

Karen Rayzer, director of the city's Department of Environmental and Health Services, said: "We're pulling out every resource we've got. Yes, it's going to be a lot of long nights."

Mr. Black said Mr. Perry discussed the refugee relocation with Ms. Keliher and Mayor Laura Miller on Thursday afternoon so they could begin planning for the influx of Louisiana residents. Many logistics must still be worked out, he acknowledged.

Juan Ortiz, emergency management coordinator for Fort Worth and Tarrant County, said he hasn't heard from the state or the city of Dallas about a specific number of refugees North Texas is expected to handle.

Taking care of 25,000 people, however, would have to be a regional effort, he said.

"We're assuming that no one city could do that alone, not Dallas and not Fort Worth" Mr. Ortiz said.

He said Tarrant County shelters and a few motels were housing 541 refugees by early Thursday night. He wasn't sure how many evacuees Tarrant County could handle on its own.

By Wednesday, Dallas had established Reunion as its primary shelter, serving 550 registered refugees that night. But city officials had planned for only several thousand storm victims to arrive, setting aside a 50,000-square-foot portion of the convention center as a backup shelter.

Those plans quickly changed.

"The world is changing as I speak," Ms. Suhm said.

Wal-Mart, which is conducting a convention this week at Dallas' convention center, offered to relocate part of its activities to accommodate the refugees, Ms. Suhm said.

Mr. Black said state and local officials expect to be reimbursed for all expenses in housing the refugees from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

The Dallas Police Department will do "whatever is necessary to make it safe, both for the refugees and the current city population," Chief David Kunkle said.

Dallas needs to be prepared for "tens of thousands of people maybe 100,000 added to our population, many of whom may become permanent," he said. "This is going to change the face of Dallas."

The Police Department will provide around-the-clock coverage concentrated at Reunion and the West End and along Industrial Avenue, Chief Kunkle said. Other deployments will be made as necessary, he said. The chief and other top city officials will meet at 9 a.m. today to plan their next moves.

"We've got a big department, lots of resources," he said. "We're also strained. And it may mean bringing people in overtime to meet normal responsibilities as well as provide additional security."

Dallas Area Rapid Transit will begin distributing 1,000 two-week system passes to the refugees beginning today. Dallas has built a makeshift animal shelter in a Reunion parking garage, complete with food, water and veterinarian care for dozens of displaced pets, said Ade Williams, assistant director of Dallas' Department of Code Compliance.

The city also began passing out identification bracelets Thursday to distinguish storm victims, volunteers and emergency personnel in an attempt to make the situation at Reunion more orderly.

"For now, this is the people's house," Ms. Suhm said, "and they need some privacy to maintain their dignity."

Staff writers Emily Ramshaw and Jeff Mosier contributed to this report.
*********************************************
NOTE: 16 preemie babies have been transported to Medical City & Presbyterian Hospitals in Dallas, Texas.
They are trying to locate all the parents of these babies at this time.

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luci
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Re: 25,000 Hurricane Victims Coming To Dallas
« Reply #1 on: Sep 2^nd, 2005, 9:02am »

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A FREE Garage Sale is being held at one of the hotels.
People are being so generous taking boxes of clothing
and items for them.

Others are holding Garage Sales this weekend
and donating the money to them.

It is difficult to see this devastation on the news
and know it's happening in our country. Cry

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yesteach
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Re: 25,000 Hurricane Victims Coming To Dallas
« Reply #2 on: Sep 2^nd, 2005, 11:05am »

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This morning they said another 50,000 will be coming this way also.. I'm wondering why they'd not utilized the convention centers (Dallas, Arlington and Ft. Worth)? Will Rogers Coliseum? Some of those places. I know they have kitchens and shower facilities. American Airlines Arena - that place is HUGE. The Dallas Fort Worth area have soooo many venues that could hold some of these people.

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luci
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Re: 25,000 Hurricane Victims Coming To Dallas
« Reply #3 on: Sep 2^nd, 2005, 11:27am »

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I did hear Ft. Worth mentioned on the news, but not
sure just what they are doing to help at this time.

The Houston Astrodome wouldn't hold 24,00 as they had anticipated. Some are being housed in the Arena next to the dome.

25,000 went to San Antonio.

I've just now talked with our Church and they've already
put a family in a house in our town. The only thing
needed for this family now is beds. I'm surprised it was
put together so fast, but then again I'm not!

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luci
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Re: 25,000 Hurricane Victims Coming To Dallas
« Reply #4 on: Sep 2^nd, 2005, 6:38pm »

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At this time at Reunion Arena in Dallas, it's a bit of chaos!
Sad, sad time in these people's lives.

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Pocket
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Re: 25,000 Hurricane Victims Coming To Dallas
« Reply #5 on: Sep 2^nd, 2005, 7:19pm »

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It was the same in the Astrodome last night. The people who are helping are doing the best they can for the refugees. It's a bit better today, and will improve as time passes. The people ar just grateful to be away from the hell that NO is now. Nobody has dealt with a disaster like this EVER in this country.

There are 40 families in the motel here, plus others staying with friends and relatives. We are a tiny community, but we're pulling together to help. The problem is going to be how long we'll have to do it.

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Rhune
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Re: 25,000 Hurricane Victims Coming To Dallas
« Reply #6 on: Sep 3^rd, 2005, 3:02pm »

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My understanding is they are trying to keep them as close as possible to where they lived.

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luci
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Re: 25,000 Hurricane Victims Coming To Dallas
« Reply #7 on: Sep 3^rd, 2005, 3:08pm »

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An empty building in our hometown now houses 100,
with another 50 in the Armory!

Donations are being taken along with names
that have clothing and other items they will need.

I can already say that some of the oldtimers are not thrilled about this at all. They feel they will have to support them forever. Plus, worrying about how many are pedophiles, theives, rapists and just not willing to help themselves.

Instead of complaining about how slow
their supplies were, they should be very grateful.

Our neighborhood knows had this been us,
two years ago when 3 fronts of extremely damaging
hail hit, no one would be so helpful to any of us.

What we would have heard is, "they live in
nice homes, have insurance, they can rebuild".

I do not mind helping and these people being
helped one iota, just really tired of hearing them complain!

Do any of them realize just how long it takes to locate
trucks, package up their supplies and get it to New Orleans?

Their Govenor should have called for buses
and gotten them away before it hit and the Levee broke, as they knew this was a very strong possibility!

I say, "be thankful you got suppliest"!
....and got away from NOLA!

« Last Edit: Sep 3^rd, 2005, 3:11pm by luci »

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yesteach
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Re: 25,000 Hurricane Victims Coming To Dallas
« Reply #8 on: Sep 4^th, 2005, 12:29pm »

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There are evacuees in most every empty building in North Texas - churches, convention centers, meeting rooms of hotels - noticed last night they were moving some to Meacham Field, a small airport in north Ft. Worth.

The cities in Texas were promised cots and supplies from FEMA/Federal gov't. None have arrived, so local and state governments are now having to provide them. Again, like luci said, not that I mind helping - just infuriates me that the federal government is taking so long to do what needs to be done.

Watch McLaughlin Group this morning on PBS - they were discussing how Bush went right on with his "agenda" off to Arizona, the California doing "PR" stuff before he bothered to go to Louisiana. Things are not looking good for Mr. Bush's popularity at this point...

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Rhune
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Re: 25,000 Hurricane Victims Coming To Dallas
« Reply #9 on: Sep 4^th, 2005, 12:44pm »

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He went to other places doing PR first? I didn't realize....I understand he's not personally responsible for getting cots and things set up, or for stabilizing the city, but for better or for worse he is the public face of America and especially American Government. He should not have taken so long to go to New Orleans.

« Last Edit: Sep 4^th, 2005, 12:45pm by Rhune »

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yesteach
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Re: 25,000 Hurricane Victims Coming To Dallas
« Reply #10 on: Sep 4^th, 2005, 3:25pm »

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The report I saw this morning, on PBS, said that he had scheduled functions in Arizona and California, which he went to BEFORE he went to NO. They referred to them as PR type functions, and that they should have been put on hold immediately and NO have been his primary focus.

I'll see if I can find out exactly where and what
- it was on the McLaughlin Group this morning on PBS. If anyone else saw it, they might remember. I checked their website, but nothing about today's show.

« Last Edit: Sep 4^th, 2005, 3:28pm by yesteach »

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Rhune
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Re: 25,000 Hurricane Victims Coming To Dallas
« Reply #11 on: Sep 4^th, 2005, 3:26pm »

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I am just dumbfounded....I hope it isn't true. :no:

« Last Edit: Sep 4^th, 2005, 3:26pm by Rhune »

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yesteach
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Re: 25,000 Hurricane Victims Coming To Dallas
« Reply #12 on: Sep 4^th, 2005, 3:37pm »

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Monday he was in Arizona for Senator McCains birthday and spoke to a group on Medicare. And on Tuesday he was in California for the 60th anniversary of VJ-Day. On Wednesday he flew back to Washington, and asked his pilot to fly over the gulf coast area so they could see the damage (I'm guessing this was what precipitate the mayor's comment about doing more than flying his plane over). Wednesday he called the cabinet together and discussed what to do, and finally addressed the issue in the press on Wednesday evening just after 5:00 p.m.

OH, and he actually WENT to New Orleans on Friday. There are those who are criticizing his talks with the press on Friday in shirt sleeves as too casual in light of the disaster - said he looked like the company foreman, rather than the President of the United States.

« Last Edit: Sep 4^th, 2005, 3:41pm by yesteach »

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luci
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Re: 25,000 Hurricane Victims Coming To Dallas
« Reply #13 on: Sep 4^th, 2005, 3:47pm »

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The hurricane victims that came to our hometown
were processed and had showers yesterday
at the middle school.

In Church this morning, the Mayor said it couldn't
have gone smoother and other cities are checking
out just how our town made it run so smooth.

They are in the Armory where there are plenty of
restrooms and showers.

They all had ID bracelets and are getting 3 meals a day.

Several of them were in Church this morning and
were very grateful for all the citizens are doing
to give them aid.

One of the men, who is a Teacher and a Minister's Son,
gave the Benediction.
His prayer made tears come to our eyes.

I'm glad our Community could help this much,
and will as the days, weeks, months, go by!
Whatever it takes to get them on their feet!

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Rhune
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Re: 25,000 Hurricane Victims Coming To Dallas
« Reply #14 on: Sep 4^th, 2005, 5:29pm »

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