Hurricane Evacuees
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Updated: 8:48 PM Sep 9, 2005
Hurricane Evacuees
Topeka officials remain ready even though the city likely won't get big numbers of evacuees.
Posted: 6:13 PM Sep 9, 2005
Reporter: Mike Marusarz
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Hurricane evacuees continue to find shelter throughout the country. Many are taking off on their own, while others are being taken in big numbers to cities willing to give them a place to stay. Topeka will likely not house any large numbers of hurricane evacuees anytime soon.
While the big numbers likely won't come the possibility is there so the state remains ready.

Emergency agencies took part in a drill Friday afternoon that let help agencies go through the motions.

"We're ready to accept evacuees on a moments notice because they could pull up to our door step and we could begin the process," said Shawnee County Emergency Management Director Gary Middleton.

While 120 victims came on their own and are currently staying in Topeka hotels, Wichita is getting the next 500 plane load coming to Kansas.

"They're not only looking at whether we're currently going to accept but they're looking at long tern effects of sending us evacuees," explained Middleton.

The drill let workers see what it would be like, work so many volunteers have been anxious to do.
"All of us feel a bit of frustration because we've been preparing," said Middleton.

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