Astrodome Too Full to Accept More Evacuees

By PAM EASTON and MATT CURRYAssociated Press Writers
September 2, 2005, 3:26 AM EDT

HOUSTON -- After accepting more than 11,000 Hurricane Katrina evacuees, officials said the Astrodome was full and at least temporarily halted the flow of evacuees into the shelter Thursday night. "We've actually reached capacity for the safety and comfort of the people inside there," American Red Cross spokeswoman Dana Allen said shortly before midnight. She said people were "packed pretty tight" on the floor of the Astrodome.

Instead of sending arriving buses away to other shelters, however, officials decided early Friday to process the refugees there and begin housing people in the adjacent Reliant Center, where the Houston Texans play football, said Houston press secretary Patrick Trahan.

It wasn't immediately clear if others would be housed at the Astrodome.

At least 20 buses were lined up in three directions outside the Astrodome early Friday. Dozens of frustrated and angry people milled about outside. Some were handed bottles of cold water, their first in days.

Before we left New Orleans they said everybody will be in the Astrodome," said Patricia Profit, who stood outside one of the buses while some of her relatives were inside the Astrodome. "'Don't panic, don't worry, you'll still be with your family.' That's what they told us. Now we can't be with our family."

Houston's fire marshal had made the decision that the stadium was full, said police Sgt. Nathan McDuell.

"It would be unfortunate if we were to bring these individuals from a desperate situation and create another desperate situation here," McDuell said.

He later said the situation had been reassessed and more people could be processed.

"It's a very fluid situation and we have to deal with the situations as they arrive," McDuell said. "Our main goal and main interest is to make sure everybody is safe."

The total of 11,375 inside the Astrodome when the initial decision on capacity was made was less than half the estimated 23,000 people who were expected to arrive by bus from New Orleans in Houston.

Those refugees who arrived earlier, weary from days in the sweltering, miserable conditions at the Superdome, were happy to get a shower, a hot meal and a cool place to sleep.

Thirty deputies working on overtime provided security and searched refugees for weapons. A few people were arrested, although Sheriff Tommy Thomas didn't have an exact count. He said some men were arrested for going into the female showers. Others were arrested for fighting over cots.

"These bunks are going to be territorial. Somebody gets up and then somebody's going to take their bunk," Thomas said.

Police officers also have confiscated 30 guns, most of which have been voluntarily surrendered, McDuell said.

Doctors and nurses set up a clinic to help people with high blood pressure, diabetes and other health problems. Ambulances waited in the parking lots for those needing hospital care, said Dr. Herminia Polacio, a Harris County public health official.

"Many of them have been in situations in the Superdome where they have been under quite a bit of duress, such as several days without medication," she said.

Organizers spent the past two days setting up cots that covered the Astrodome's cement floor. They provided phones and a message board so refugees could contact loved ones, and gathered supplies such as bottled water, soap, toothbrushes and diapers.

Outside the Astrodome, trucks delivered sandwiches and paramedics assessed new arrivals for health problems under tents in a makeshift triage center.

Evacuees, most who hadn't bathed since the hurricane hit Monday, showered in one of four locker rooms once used by the Houston Astros and the Houston Oilers. Those teams now play in new stadiums, one within walking distance of the aging Astrodome.


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