Gustav Evacuees Wait Out Storm in Expo Center

Nearly 1500 Gulf Coast evacuees are sharing the Center’s sprawling south wing, sleeping on Red Cross cots and eating donated food.  Many gather around the televisions, watching images of New Orleans and surrounding parishes slosh with storm water.  Louisville’s Red Cross chapter CEO Brian Quail says that the current plan is to host evacuees for 7 to 10 days.  But plans could change.“Depending upon the storm and what will happen to the infrastructure in the community there, we will adjust our plans accordingly and work with our partners on both the state, federal, and local level to develop those plans if need be," Quail says.Quail says that, after Hurricane Katrina, several thousand people fled to Louisville.  And nearly 200 decided to stay.  He says he’s heard many evacuees tell volunteers that they want to stay because they can’t go through another storm like Katrina, or Gustav.