Local Headlines
(2008-09-01)
By Sunday night, nearly 2,000 people, most from the New Orleans area, had been processed and were relaxing in air-conditioned barracks at Fort Chaffee in west Arkansas. The last two planes of evacuees had landed since the government operation began the previous day, but more buses were to arrive at intervals into Monday, Maj. Keith Moore said.
Gov. Mike Beebe planned to visit the old army post Monday morning, weather permitting.
Fort Chaffee expected to house as many as 4,000 evacuees by the end of the operation, and could accommodate another 2,000 although those would not have the luxury of air conditioning, Capt. Chris Heathscott of the Arkansas National Guard said.
By Sunday evening, 974 people were off the roads and in shelters in Arkansas after driving long hours in bumper-to-bumper interstate traffic. Trying to make the most of it, they shared meals and space with strangers while they awaited Gustav to strike. Forecasters expected the storm to hit Monday.
The state emergency center in North Little Rock was operating at its highest level, spokesman Tommy Jackson of the Arkansas Department of Emergency Management said. Two 12-hour shifts of 35 workers each addressed requests coming in from around the state for cots, food, water or medical care.
A patient needing kidney dialysis, an expectant mother, and others needing critical care who were moved from Louisiana hospitals all needed attention when they arrived. The center set up a hotline to help people locate family members brought to Arkansas hospitals.
St. Vincent hospitals in Little Rock and Sherwood admitted 14 patients, including two pregnant women, hospital spokeswoman Margaret Preston said.
Weather forecasters said southern Arkansas also should catch some heavy rains from Gustav. They predicted rainfall of six to 12 inches through Wednesday morning, and said as much as 20 inches in isolated places was possible.
On the heels of Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Rita was the last tropical storm to bring significant rain to the state - some three to six inches - after the storm made landfall near the Texas and Louisiana border Sept. 24, 2005.
At Fort Chaffee, the Salvation Army provided hot meals, starting with breakfast at 6 a.m., and residents had hot showers and a safe, clean place to stay.
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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