Hurricane Irma: Alpharetta Opens Shelter For Evacuees

ALPHARETTA, GA -- The city of Alpharetta is coming to the aid of residents who are having to flee their homes due to Hurricane Irma making its way towards South Florida and, ultimately, Georgia. The city will open its Wills Park Community Center as a "limited service shelter" to serve evacuees, it said.

The facility, which is at 175 Roswell Street, will begin shelter operations at 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 9 and will be staffed by a police officer, paramedic, emergency medical technician and a facility manager at all times.

“Those fleeing from this powerful storm are facing some of the worst moments of their lives,” said Alpharetta Mayor David Belle Isle. “Many have been forced to begin this exodus with no firm destination or housing confirmed, so it is important that we provide aid and comfort in their time of need.”

The city has also opened its Equestrian Center at the park to allow evacuees with horses to house their animals there. Operations at that facility, said Assistant City Administrator James Drinkard, are "running smoothly."

As of Saturday morning, there were about 50 horses, with more on the way, he noted. There are 150 slots available for evacuees, and organizers expect more than half to fill up by the end of Saturday (SIGN UP: Get Patch's Daily Newsletter and Real Time News Alerts. Or, if you have an iPhone, download the free Patch app).

"It is unlikely that the center will fill up due to the state opening its facilities at the fairgrounds in Perry," Drinkard added. "They can handle over 600 horses, and it is a much shorter drive for evacuees in the traffic they are dealing with. Conyers also has their facility open."

Residents should note that the Wills Park Community Center shelter will be a limited service facility, meaning no cots or bedding will be available. You should also be aware that due to the availability of restaurants in the area, Alpharetta does not plan to offer food services or cooking facilities for use. Of course, full bathroom and shower facilities will be available for evacuees to utilize.

Drinkard added the city has also made arrangements with Alpharetta’s Ed Isakson YMCA to serve as a secondary shelter if the Wills Park Community Center reaches capacity.

“We have a very strong partnership with the YMCA, and we are grateful for the way they enthusiastically answered the call to provide additional assistance if needed,” Mayor Belle Isle said. “They and others who have offered to help are showing the true spirit and hospitality that makes Alpharetta so special.”

The hurricane, which remains at a Category 4, is expected to pass through Florida this weekend, and some Georgia residents could begin feeling the effects of the storm as early as Sunday evening. Forecasters believe the story is expected to be downgraded to a tropical storm system by the time it reaches the Peach State.

The hurricane brought 180-mile-per-hour winds and sheets of rain as it moved past Puerto Rico on Thursday and hovered over Cuba Saturday morning, according to reports. When Irma reaches Georgia early next week, it will bring inches of rain, a risk of tornadoes and winds guaranteed to make the start of the work week a pain.

The National Weather Service says the storm will take shape by Monday in Atlanta with showers and possibly a thunderstorm after 8 a.m. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. Expect high temperatures to hover around 67 degrees. Of course, it will be windy, with a northeast wind 20 to 25 mph, with gusts as high as 35 mph. The chance of precipitation is 100 percent.

To view a full list of shelters open across the state, click here.

Image via National Weather Service