Local Officials Prepare For Influx Of Hurricane Gustav Evacuees

By Lisa Crane
Traffic anchor / reporter
Published: August 28, 2008

Even if Alabama doesn’t take a direct hit from Hurricane Gustav, officials in central Alabama are preparing for the storm.

Jefferson County commissioners say there’s a good chance residents along the Gulf Coast who are evacuated will end up here in the Birmingham area.

A pre-commission meeting was held on Thursday morning, where Commissioner Bobby Humphreys asked for the approval of $6000 that would go to the Emergency Management Agency.

That money would be used for supplies and to prepare for a possible influx of evacuees.

Fair Park Arena will be used for medical services and cots would be brought into the BJCC and the Bessemer Civic Center. Those facilities would be used as shelters.

According to the Convention and Visitors Bureau, all hotel rooms in Bessemer are sold out. That can be attributed to people coming up from the coast anticipating the hurricane.

Representatives at The Sheraton in downtown Birmingham say they expect to be sold out on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday as well.

Officials say they expect a similar situation to the influx of evacuees that came to Birmingham during Katrina in 2005.