Harrison County High Schools may be used as emergency shelters

Published 3:46 pm Tuesday, July 3, 2007

Harrison County Emergency Management Agency deputy director Rupert Lacy said he will seek approval from the Board of Supervisors Monday to use two high schools as emergency shelters.

Lacy wants to use West Harrison High School and the new D’Iberville High School as temporary emergency structures. The buildings have been preapproved by FEMA and MEMA to withstand 200-mph winds. County supervisors first must approve the measure before the buildings can be used.

Supervisors have also identified additional structures that can be used as emergency shelters.

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Long Beach Mayor Billy Skellie and Supervisor Marlin Ladner have said the Long Beach Senior Citizens Center could serve as an emergency shelter. Using the structure would require an interlace agreement.

Once the emergency shelter locations have been identified, Lacy can seek federal funding through FEMA and MEMA to bring the structures’ building codes up to emergency standards.