OLYMPIA – As Washington residents open their wallets and their communities to the victims of Hurricane Katrina, Gov. Christine Gregoire said Friday the state and its 39 counties are assembling a fresh inventory of housing to use should Washington have its own disaster or terrorist attack.
State and federal officials are helping an estimated 1,200 evacuees settle into temporary homes. The state has opened a welcome center in Tumwater and is trying to reunite scattered families and sign up evacuees for a variety of services.
Gregoire said one man at the Tumwater site said, “Now, this truly is Southern hospitality.”
The state has sent crews of government officials, doctors and nurses and National Guardsmen to the Gulf Coast. The state Air National Guard is spearheading aviation efforts in the Gulf region.
Gregoire presented Red Cross officials with a $600,000 check. The money was raised by Washington Cares, a hastily organized relief effort sponsored by the governor’s office, Seattle-based Washington Mutual Inc. and the Retired Public Employees Council.
Money is still rolling in, the governor noted.
“I’m proud that our state is doing all we can to make a difference,” Gregoire said. Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco called with effusive praise for Washington’s help, she said.
Gregoire said one of the big benefits is an up-to-date inventory of places where large numbers of evacuees can be housed if a disaster hits Washington, Oregon or Idaho.
Authorities will make sure each county disaster preparedness plan includes a comprehensive list, she said. The inventory will include large sites – such as arenas, military bases and schools – as well as smaller facilities, she said.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
