Re: [PyrNet-L] Floyd Update

["Judith Stroh Miller" <jsmiller@newmex.com>]

On 16 Sep 99, at 13:47, Barb Bowes, Bo, Molly, Chelsea & Flopsy wrote:

> It's not too bad here although the worst is yet to come. Still
> shouldn't be too bad as the storm will hit at dead low tide. Storm
> surge should be minimal. How about the Pyrneters in Virginia and
> Maryland?

The following report came through on another list, gives us an idea 
of what the HS is doing down your way.

-----Original Message-----
From: Laura Bevan

Hurricane Floyd is bearing down on the South Carolina / North 
Carolina
border right now, but the good news is that it has weakened 
substanitally
today.  It has dropped down to 115 mph, a Category 3 hurricane. It is
still a serious situation, but so much better than the almost 
Category 5
hurricane we were facing a short time ago.  Here are some of the 
goings on
in Georgia and South Carolina, as well as some reports I am receiving 
from
some of the Florida efforts:

NORTH CAROLINA:  North Carolina may get a hard hit from Floyd.  At 
last
report, the storm was expected to make landfall around the NC/SC line 
and
hit Wilmington hard.  It should be noted that the NC coast has barely
picked up the pieces from being hit by Hurricane Dennis twice just a 
few
weeks ago. The area was already getting massive rains all through 
today
and much more is expected, so flooding is certainly a concern. A pet
friendly shelter was set up in New Hanover County (Wilmington) and 
was
filled with 200 people plus pets.

SOUTH CAROLINA:  This is the hot spot right now. South Carolina has a
state plan under the direction of Dr. Venaye Reece of Clemson 
University.
She is manning the ESF-17 desk at the State emergency operations 
center
(EOC). The Humane Society of the United States response team will be 
in
Columbia shortly.  American Humane Association's Animal Planet truck 
is
also on its way from Augusta, GA, to Columbia, SC. Code 3 is staging 
in
Rock Hill, the northern part of the state, to assist in that area or 
to
move into North Carolina if needed.  Dr. Reece will be deploying the 
teams
in the morning based on the situation at that time.  While it appears 
that
SC will be spared the brunt of the storm, it is too early to discount 
any
serious animal impact. Teams will be sent along the coastal areas to 
check
on animal shelters in vulnerable areas and to assess the overall 
damage.

I did receive reports that there was a pet friendly shelter set up in 
the
North Charleston Coliseum, but it was quickly filled.

GEORGIA:  Georgia is breathing easier tonight.  The pet friendly 
shelter
at the Centroplex in Macon was up and running today. No final count 
on
animals and people housed yet.  The Ag center in Perry was open to 
house
animals also.  Atlanta Humane was sending down creates and cages and
PetSmart Charities was donated food and other supplies.  No reports 
on any
animal impacts on the coast right now.

FLORIDA:  We were doing damage assessment today in Florida - licking 
our
wounds and being thankful for the near miss. The Tallahassee / Leon 
County
Animal Services Center ended up sheltering some people who arrived in 
town
with pets, but couldn't get into the local shelter.  One woman had 14
ferrets!  The shelter here is very interested in developing pet 
friendly
facilities, as I am sure alot of communities throughout the Southeast 
will
be after this.

We have called as many shelters as we can along the Florida east 
coast and
found no damage or needs.


Everyone is working hard for the animals here in the Southeast.  It 
is a
tremendous effort, but it is paying off.  Everyone is doing a great 
job!
We are also learning alot and will be making our local and state 
animal
disaster plans even better.....

Laura Bevan
The Humane Society of the United States / Southeast Regional Office