...The number of shelters in the Birmingham area for Hurricane Katrina evacuees was doubled Saturday from two to four to house an expected increase of those displaced by the storm....
The arrival of more than 150 medical evacuees from New Orleans and other coastal areas early Saturday by plane at the Birmingham International Airport. They were later taken to Birmingham area hospitals and Red Cross shelters...
Scheduled delivery of at least 4,500 cots and blankets for shelters after it was learned more were needed for the anticipated influx of evacuees.
A run on RVs as Louisiana and Mississippi residents looked for alternate housing. Fifty people took refuge at Oak Mountain State Park....
There were over 300 evacuees staying at the Birmingham Jefferson Convention Complex and 22 more at the Bessemer Auditorium Saturday night. Officials decided to open two more shelters at Hunter Street Baptist Church in Hoover and Shades Mountain Baptist Church in Vestavia after more than 150 medical evacuees arrived at the airport Saturday between 12:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.
Patients were taken to area hospitals and Red Cross shelters, and a few were taken to a special needs shelter operated by the Jefferson County Department of Health at the Alabama State Fairgrounds.
After officials learned that there was a shortage of cots for the expected influx of evacuees at Red Cross shelters, more cots were requested. FEMA was expected to deliver 4,500 cots late Saturday at the request of Jefferson County EMA and elected officials.
Ike Pigott, spokesman for the Red Cross in Birmingham, said the agency has a capacity for 4,000 shelter evacuees within its six-county jurisdiction, and that about half of that capacity was open Saturday. He said that other shelters are on standby to be opened if needed.
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