More than 100 people had gathered at Porter High School shelter
Maria Limon is terrified of natural disasters—“hurricanes, tornadoes, you name it,” she says in Spanish.
She was living in Houston when Hurricane Dolly made landfall near South Padre Island in 2008, and when Hurricane Ike edged its way to the Galveston area a few months later, she moved her family to Brownsville.
But this year she just did not have a way to leave the city before Hurricane Allen was set to strike south of city. So she went to the next safest place she could think— a shelter.
“I’m mortified because my older children were too stubborn to come. I’m staying here until it’s all over,” said 60-year-old Limon, who was among the first to arrive at Porter High School Tuesday night.
The school is the first to open as a designated city shelter and has the capacity to accommodate 800 people, said Lt. Jamey Cooper, public information officer with the Texas State Guard. More than 80 people had arrived at the building by noon today and operations were running smoothly, shelter officials and volunteers said.
Pace High School and Rivera High School are next in line to open as city shelters. All schools will remain open through Thursday and until needed.
Texas State Guard troops are registering residents at the schools, and the Brownsville Independent School District is providing breakfast and lunch.
People heading to a shelter should bring a form of identification and their own bedding and linen, medication, first aid kits, books, magazines, toys and radios.
Non-perishable food and snacks and bottled water will be allowed. No pets, alcohol, tobacco products, candles and weapons will be permitted.
Porter High School cannot accommodate all people with special needs but shelter officials can help transfer those who do not meet medical clearance to other county shelters.
The American Red Cross has provided about 60 cots for residents at Porter High School. About 10 foam mats donated by Academy Sports store also were delivered to the school by the city, said Christopher Patterson, recreational services director for the City of Brownsville.
Another state agency is expected to deliver more cots, he said.
“This is the most organized (shelter operations) have been,” Patterson said. “The school district and the superintendent have really stepped it up. There have been no obstacles.”
Cameron County designated shelters:
Port Isabel Community Center - 213 Yturria - Port Isabel
Porter High School - 3500 International Blvd., Brownsville
Barrera Elementary - 2001 Santa Rosa Blvd., Santa Rosa
Harlingen South High School - 1701 Dixieland Road, Harlingen
C.E. Vail Elementary - 209 W. Jessamine Ave., La Feria
Rio Hondo City Hall - 121 N. Arroyo, Rio Hondo
