As reported by WKRG News, Mobile Mayor, Sandy Stimpson, held a press conference earlier today laying out preparations the city is taking to handle the influx of hurricane Irma evacuees it expects in the coming days.
With the Public Safety Director and Fire Chief by his side, Mayor Stimpson asked that all evacuees entering Mobile to call 211 on their phone. This will provide them with the information they need to access the resources the city is providing.
Hurricane Irma is one of the most powerful storms ever recorded, and it’s expected to cause catastrophic damage wherever it makes land fall. The current scientific consensus points to the storm turning East, hitting close to Miami, but anything is possible at this point.
In his press conference, Mayor Stimpson said, “ We will feel the impact of Irma no matter where it goes. If you think of those evacuating from Florida, where will they go? One of the things pointed out in the meeting; they’ll get on Interstate-10 and go westward.”
Mobile Public Safety Director, James Barber, made it clear that Mobile is working with organizations like the Red Cross to ensure that the city has backup resources should it become overwhelmed by large numbers of refugees.
Irma isn’t expected to impact the U.S. mainland until sometime late Sunday. However, necessities like food and water are already disappearing from shelves in Florida.
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