Sussex County announces fourth shelter opening

1600 Hours, Saturday, Aug. 27, 2011: The Sussex County Emergency Operations Center announces a fourth shelter will open this afternoon for those evacuating their homes and flood-prone areas as Hurricane Irene advances along the Delmarva coast.

Sussex Technical High School, on US 9 west of Georgetown, will open to the public at 5:30 p.m. today. The shelter will be pet-friendly. County emergency planners have designated the fourth shelter to add capacity, as well as give residents on the western side of the county a sheltering option.

As capacity is limited, these shelters should be used as a means of last resort. Residents and visitors evacuating from at-risk areas are encouraged to first seek refuge with family or friends, if possible. The shelters are:

Beacon Middle School
19482 John J. Williams Hwy.
Lewes, DE
(NO PETS)

Indian River H. S.
29772 Armory Road
Dagsboro, DE
(Pets Accepted)

Milford High School
1019 N. Walnut St.
Milford, DE
(Pets Accepted)

Sussex Tech H. S.
17099 County Seat Hwy.
Georgetown, DE
(Pets Accepted)

Those visiting a shelter should take adequate clothing, medications, sleeping materials, and food and drinks for themselves, their families and/or their pets (where accepted). Shelters will be staffed by the American Red Cross of the Delmarva Peninsula.

The Sussex County EOC encourages residents and visitors to continue monitoring the tropics and conditions as they deteriorate. For updates, stay tuned to local media, the Sussex County EOC website at sussexcountyde.gov/emergency-preparedness, and the County’s Twitter feeds at twitter.com/sussexde_govt and twitter.com/sussexctyde_eoc.

The public should also monitor the National Weather Service at https://www.weather.gov/phi/, and the Delaware Department of Transportation at www.deldot.gov for the latest updates.

For questions about the storm, sheltering or other concerns, the public should call the Sussex County EOC’s storm line at (302) 856-7366.

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Media calls should be directed to EOC media contacts Chip Guy at (302) 858-0505, or Joe Hopple or Bob Powell at (302) 856-3059.