Mo. offers aid to Gustav refugees

The State of Missouri is extending help to people in the path of Hurricane Gustav, and has tapped Cape Girardeau County for aid.

The hurricane was upgraded to a Category 4 storm as mandatory evacuation orders went into effect Saturday for those living in Gulf Coast communities. The storm is headed for New Orleans, where the post-Katrina population rebounded to more than 300,000.

Two shelters have been set up to take as many as 200 refugees. According to county emergency management director Dick Knaup, the county is working with the American Red Cross, Salvation Army, the city of Cape Girardeau and the county health department. Knaup said he's participating in emergency readiness conference calls twice a day related to Hurricane Gustav.

The initial evacuees are scheduled to fly into Cape Girardeau Regional Airport and be taken to one of two shelters: an American Red Cross site at Lynwood Baptist Church, 2935 Lynwood Hills Drive and the Salvation Army building at 701 Good Hope St.

Any evacuees must contact the American Red Cross for assistance at 335-9471. The Red Cross will direct evacuees.

Gov. Matt Blunt dispatched more than 500 Missouri National Guard troops to Louisiana, along with 20-member 7th civil support team and 12-member aviation maintenance team, to help with recovery efforts. The teams could leave as early as this morning.

"As the men and women of our National Guard have shown time and again, they are ready to help and prepared to act and assist with Louisiana's hurricane response efforts," Blunt said.

Blunt mobilized the force under the Emergency Management Assistance Compact, an interstate mutual aid agreement.

"The long-term -- and when I say long-term ones, I mean four to five days -- will be at Lynwood and the short-term, one to two days, will be at the Salvation Army," Knaup said. "We've got our ducks in a row."

But Knaup said the Red Cross, which has already dispatched volunteers to areas affected by the storm, is "stretched thin."

Knaup said as many as 3,000 evacuees could be sheltered throughout the state, though some Missouri communities are still recovering from recent floods and are unable to help.

Cape Girardeau County was tapped to help because Interstate 55 is a natural evacuation route.

People with pets will also be helped by the Red Cross, which is working with the Humane Society of Southeast Missouri. Pet-related donations, such as animal kennels, carriers or food can be dropped off at the Humane Society's office, 2536 Boutin Drive in Cape Girardeau.

pmcnichol@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 127

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