Mobile County Shelters Open Friday for Hurricane Isaias: Locations, Rides, Pets and What to Bring

MOBILE, Ala. — Mobile County shelters were set to open at 8 a.m. Friday, Oct. 9, giving residents a safe place to ride out Hurricane Isaias, which forecasters and county officials say could bring dangerous winds, life-threatening storm surge, flooding and widespread power outages to coastal Alabama beginning Friday afternoon or evening.

Three public schools will serve as the county’s public shelters: Theodore High School, Baker High School and Collins-Rhodes Elementary School in Eight Mile. In a late change, county officials said Cranford Burns Middle School, which had originally been announced as the county’s medical needs shelter, cannot serve in that role “due to unforeseen circumstances.” Theodore High School will now double as both a general shelter and the medical needs shelter.

Mobile County is under hurricane and storm surge warnings. County officials are encouraging residents to have a plan to voluntarily evacuate to a safe location, and they stress that the public shelters are meant for people who do not have a safer place to go.

Where the Mobile County shelters are

Beginning at 8 a.m. Friday, these Mobile County Public Schools buildings are serving as public shelters, according to the county’s most recent announcement:

• Theodore High School, 6201 Swedetown Road North, Theodore, AL 36582 — general shelter and the county’s medical needs shelter
• Baker High School, 8901 Airport Blvd., Mobile, AL 36608 — general shelter
• Collins-Rhodes Elementary School, 5110 St. Stephens Road, Eight Mile, AL 36613 — general shelter

Residents who saw earlier announcements should take note of the change. An initial county release issued Thursday listed Cranford Burns Middle School on Girby Road as the third shelter and said it would operate as the medical needs shelter, with Mobile County Health Department personnel on site. A later announcement removed Burns from the list, added Collins-Rhodes Elementary as a general shelter and moved the medical needs shelter to Theodore High School. Anyone who planned to go to Burns Middle School should go to Theodore High School instead.

The three locations are spread across the county. Theodore High sits in south Mobile County, Baker High is on Airport Boulevard in west Mobile, and Collins-Rhodes Elementary serves the Eight Mile community in the northern part of the county.

What a medical needs shelter is for

Medical needs shelters are generally intended for people whose health conditions require some assistance or monitoring during an emergency but who do not need to be in a hospital. They are not hospitals and cannot provide the full range of hospital care. Residents who depend on medical equipment, need help with daily care or have conditions that could worsen without support during a power outage should plan ahead and bring their own medications, supplies and any equipment they use at home.

Anyone who is unsure whether they or a family member should go to the medical needs shelter at Theodore High School can call 2-1-1 for guidance before setting out. People with serious medical emergencies should call 911.

How to get a ride to a shelter

Residents who need transportation to a shelter should call 2-1-1, the free information and referral line that connects callers to local services.

Second Line Transit is also providing rides to the shelters on Friday for those who need them. According to the county, people needing a ride can board Second Line Transit vehicles at the Shoppes of Bel-Air, the former Bel Air Mall at Airport Boulevard and the Interstate 65 area, and must be there by 9:30 a.m.

A few things to know before boarding:

• Passengers are responsible for bringing valid identification.
• Riders must meet the shelter’s entry requirements.
• The shelters are not pet friendly, but if someone in need brings a pet, the Mobile County Animal Shelter will assist.
• If shelter pick-ups are needed on Sunday, the county said more information will come from Second Line Transit leadership.

Residents who need another kind of transportation arrangement should call 2-1-1.

Pets and service animals

Only trained service animals are allowed inside the shelters. That rule is common at public shelters, where people with allergies, small children and medically fragile residents may share close quarters for an extended period.

Pet owners will not have to leave their animals behind, however. Mobile County Animal Shelter will have vehicles stationed at each shelter location to accept household pets. The animals will be taken to the county’s animal shelter on Howells Ferry Road, “where they will be cared for while their owners are sheltering,” according to the county.

Owners can make the handoff smoother by bringing pets in a carrier or on a leash, along with any medications and a supply of food. It also helps to have current vaccination records and a recent photo of the animal, and to make sure it is wearing a collar with identification. Those are standard recommendations from animal welfare and emergency management groups for any evacuation with pets.

What to bring to the shelter

County officials say residents should arrive prepared to meet their own basic needs. Shelter space and amenities are limited, and residents should not expect the same accommodations they have at home. The county recommends bringing:

• Prescription medications and essential medical supplies
• Baby formula, diapers and other special dietary items
• Food, water and personal necessities for up to 72 hours
• Bedding, blankets, pillows and personal hygiene items
• Cleaning items such as soap, hand sanitizer, disinfecting wipes or general household cleaning supplies to disinfect surfaces

General preparedness guidance from the American Red Cross and the Federal Emergency Management Agency also suggests packing a phone charger and backup battery, a flashlight with extra batteries, a change of clothes, copies of important documents such as identification and insurance information kept in a waterproof bag, and a list of emergency contacts and medications. Books, cards or small games can help children and adults pass long hours. Valuables are best left at home or kept on your person.

Shelter for men at Waterfront Rescue Mission

In downtown Mobile, Waterfront Rescue Mission is providing emergency shelter for men without children as Isaias approaches. The mission, at 279 N. Washington Ave., is welcoming men who need a safe place to stay during the storm, and the American Red Cross is delivering additional beds so it can take in more people.

Women, families with children and other residents who need shelter are directed to the county’s three public shelters. Waterfront Mission is also offering shelter for men and women without children at its Pensacola location, 348 W. Herman St.

For help at the Mobile mission, call 251-433-1847.

Who should leave, and when

County officials say dangerous conditions are expected to begin Friday afternoon or evening. The threats include hurricane-force winds, heavy rainfall, life-threatening storm surge, coastal and urban flooding, significant river flooding and power outages.

Residents who live in storm surge and flood-prone areas, in manufactured homes or in other structures that may not withstand hurricane-force winds are strongly urged to relocate to safer locations before conditions deteriorate. Officials encourage people to stay with family or friends in a safer area if they can, and to use the public shelters if they cannot.

Timing matters. Once tropical storm-force winds arrive, driving becomes dangerous, bridges and causeways may close, and emergency crews may be unable to respond to calls in the worst-hit areas. Emergency managers generally advise people who plan to leave to do so while conditions are still calm enough to travel safely, and never to drive through flooded roads. As the National Weather Service puts it, “Turn Around, Don’t Drown.”

Storm surge is often the deadliest part of a hurricane along the coast. It is the abnormal rise of water pushed ashore by a storm’s winds, and around Mobile Bay it can flood low-lying neighborhoods quickly. Residents who live near the bay, the Mobile River and the area’s bayous and creeks should take surge warnings seriously even if their home did not flood in a previous storm, because every storm’s track, size and timing is different.

Tips for a smoother stay

Public shelters are safe places to wait out the storm, but they are not hotels. A few practical steps can make the experience easier for everyone:

• Eat before you arrive if you can, and bring snacks and drinks that do not need refrigeration.
• Label medications, chargers and personal items with your name.
• Bring comfortable clothing and a light jacket or blanket, since large rooms can be cool.
• Follow instructions from shelter staff and volunteers, who are working long hours under difficult conditions.
• Let a relative or friend outside the storm area know where you are going so they can reach you if phone service is spotty.
• Do not leave the shelter during the storm, including during any lull, until officials say it is safe.

How to stay informed

Conditions and official guidance may change as Hurricane Isaias approaches, and county officials have already changed one shelter location. Residents should monitor Mobile County Emergency Management Agency social media and download the free Mobile County EMA app for updates.

For the latest forecasts, residents can follow the National Hurricane Center and the National Weather Service office in Mobile. Weather alerts on mobile phones, a battery-powered weather radio and local television and radio broadcasts provide additional ways to receive warnings if power or internet service goes out.

Key numbers and resources to keep handy:

• Shelter transportation and information: 2-1-1
• Emergencies: 911
• Waterfront Rescue Mission (Mobile): 251-433-1847
• Updates: Mobile County EMA app and social media

Residents of Baldwin County should check with Baldwin County EMA for shelter locations on the Eastern Shore and in south Baldwin, which are announced separately.