Here's how the shelter was set up and run. It worked well.

As soon as news of the disaster hit, Mayor Ted Reynolds called a countywide meeting of city and county officials, emergency management people, helping hands organizations, churches, school and hospital people. At that point it was not known that Cleburne would get Evacuees.

Questions arose as to the best way to help the evacuees, where to send money and supplies, whether volunteers should go to New Orleans, which agencies were responsible for coordinating relief efforts, etc.

It was learned that the Red Cross in Johnson County was not active in placing people in shelters, as visitors from Fort Worth assumed. However, the Salvation Army was. Sgt. Major Nancy Holt reported that the Salvation Army had already placed about 80 Evacuees in homes and given food and clothing. She said that when you have people standing in front of you who need help, you don't have time to check with a coordinating agency, you just give aid.

Someone pointed out that resources would be needed right here in Johnson County to deal with the Evacuees. It was suggested that money donated to the Salvation Army and Red Cross be marked "Johnson County Hurricane Relief" so it would be used locally. Food and clothing would also be needed locally.

It was pointed out that the Evacuees could not go home for several months, and that many of the Evacuees would want to stay permanently. The Evacuees would need jobs and housing, as well as money, food and clothing.

No resolutions were passed or votes taken, but the meeting helped people to grasp the situation and start thinking of solutions.

The next morning the mayor got a call from FEMA telling him to expect 200 people on Sunday. Saturday afternoon about 4:30 p.m. FEMA called and said to expect 80 Evacuees in an hour.

City officials got trusties from the jail to set up cots in the Senior Citizen Center, which was already a FEMA approved shelter. It was next to the Civic Center, which could house more Evacuees.

Within an hour the City was ready for the Evacuees.

When they arrived, they had been in the Superdome for several days, and then on the bus for two days. They had gone to three other shelters and been rejected before they got to Cleburne. They were sick, tired, dirty, hungry and thirsty.

TO be continued ...

 

Cleburne had a FEMA-approved building, the Senior Citizens Center.