Posted on 09/09/2017 12:30:05 AM PDT by nickcarraway
Long lines snaked the entrance of several shelters in Miami-Dade Friday as people sought a safer place to ride out Hurricane Irma. As of Friday evening, 44 shelters opened, but at least seven of those quickly filled to capacity.
Frustration and confusion mounted for evacuees who arrived at shelters with no vacancy. Many families had to go to other shelters, some of which were not yet opened. However, a number of those shelters were listed as open on the county’s website. Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez said a glitch on the website caused the confusion. The mayor addressed the issue during a press conference Friday night.
“Somehow, a list got out and people were showing up at shelters when we weren’t ready to do so,” Gimenez explained.
Evacuees who arrived at full shelters were transported by bus to vacant shelters in the county. The mayor said despite some of the shelters quickly filling up, the county could accommodate many more evacuees. “We have the capacity to house 100,000 people and we’re at 23,000,” said Mayor Gimenez.
Some evacuees told NBC 6 the shelters were disorganized. Gimenez said due to high demand, some of the shelters were staffed with personnel filling in for National Guardsmen, who were set to arrive late Friday. The mayor emphasized the only shelters that experienced a few hiccups were the ones staffed with fill-in volunteers.
There was a lack of communication between the shelters which contributed to the confusion, the mayor said. He admitted that it was a learning experience.
“We now have a process in place, where that’s not gonna happen again,” explained Gimenez.
The mayor also apologized to evacuees who were inconvenienced during the process.
The shelters are staffed by school officials, school employees, county volunteers, the Red Cross and the National Guard.
For a list of open and vacant shelters in South Florida, click here.
I don't see a real problem and I don't think the hurricane has hit yet. Maybe I'm wrong.
They were expecting room service?
Until TB or some lung flu spreads all over shelters... I think understand why the old man wants none of it. Maybe buy some
greyhound tickets
Yep. What do you mean my room isn’t ready? What kind of room service is this?
There’s no way to know.
Yep. What do you mean my room isn’t ready? What kind of room service is this?
Well the guy said they have room for about 77,000 more, and they only have 23k so far.
Don’t blame the volunteers/workers for the folks who didn’t plan according to the predictions....lots of victims compound their own problems.
——They were expecting room service?-——
Yes they were, in my job I interact with many low income minorities....
I assume many of these people are since this is Miami after all...
Not all but many of them feel they are entitled to the upmost respect and being catered to their every need and whim...
Staffed by school officials and the Red Cross, what could possibly go wrong?
In times of panic and shelter instruction, I recall the opening of George Romero’s 1978 Dawn of the Dead where tv is still on the air (and some of the background crew are planning to duck out themselves), and the reports are sending people to shelters that are closed/overrun, etc. A production manager says they are putting out that information since it’s all they have. Talking heads on camera pontificating about the looming event...
Evidently. I never understood the mindset. If I was in such a situation where I needed shelter from a hurricane, I’d be grateful just to be under a roof. I’d stake out my space on the floor and I’d go fetch my own water, food, blankets, etc., that is, if I did not already bring them with me - I wouldn’t show up empty-handed, expecting others to provide.
They need to develop a shelter app like that gas buddy app, something that updates in a timely fashion to show which shelters are open where.
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