School's buildings to act as shelters in emergencies

If a disaster, man-made or natural, occurs in Southeast Missouri, the buildings within the Jackson School District will be used by the American Red Cross for emergency shelter.

When Ron MacCubbin, director of emergency services for the Southeast Missouri Chapter of the Red Cross, asked Jackson School District superintendent Ron Anderson to consider the use of his district's buildings for shelter Anderson knew all he had to do was ask his board to approve the idea. So Tuesday night he asked the board to approve the use of the buildings in times of emergency, and the members said yes.

"I think we should feel proud to offer the community our space," board member Mark Baker said. "We need to be there when the people in this community need us."