Buses being turned away??

[MBismyPlayground]

CNN Seems several bus loads of people have been turned away from the AstroDome. Reporter also said tomorrow is supposed to be the big day with many more buses. I missed part of it......can someone help me here?

[artist]

another thread was started on this - seems the building is at max capacity. Both Dallas and San Antonio are going to take in 25,000 refugee's each as well.

[TexasSam]

Your information is correct much to my shock.

[artist]

if they overload - could you imagine the new tragedy that would transpire if there were a fire??

[Eye10TX]

BREAKING NEWS: No more people can be accepted in the Astrodome. No one knows how many people are in there--the Red Cross lost count. Our City Fire Marshall's office has said it's overcrowded. One news report earlier tonight said that 4000 are in there--but a doctor on the inside said there are 10,000. Oh, no! And several DOZEN more busloads have arrived and are not being allowed to unload. Oh no! Volunteers inside are saying that all systems, everything had broken down once the refugees were there.

[Brent]

BREAKING NEWS: No more people can be accepted in the Astrodome. No one knows how many people are in there--the Red Cross lost count. Our City Fire Marshall's office has said it's overcrowded. One news report earlier tonight said that 4000 are in there--but a doctor on the inside said there are 10,000. Oh, no! And several DOZEN more busloads have arrived and are not being allowed to unload. Oh no! Volunteers inside are saying that all systems, everything had broken down once the refugees were there.

*shakes head*

This is beyond absurd.

[artist]

I heard earlier today that Dallas and San Antonio are alos goin to take in 25,000 each.

[Eye10TX]

I'm sorry, there wasn't any more on the Breaking News segment, except they said that the refugees had torn down all the dividers separating things like showers and private areas and it had become chaos.

[artist]

If this is true - it makes me very sick - and if so the few that did it are going to make all the others pay. Truly sad.

[Eye10TX]

MORE BREAKING: No one knows how many, but it's far below the 25,000. Fire Marshall is still saying they mustn't take any more. The Fire Marshall says he will comment tomorrow morning at a 10AM press conference. One unconfirmed DEATH there.

[blueeyes_austin]

I'm sorry, there wasn't any more on the Breaking News segment, except they said that the refugees had torn down all the dividers separating things like showers and private areas and it had become chaos.

You have GOT to be kidding me???

[Eye10TX]

MORE INFO: No more fresh towels were there, people couldn't shower. They ran out of solid food inside. (I see tons of empty cots.) The family partitions and single female/male partitions were torn down. Reportedly one death inside and one that was on a bus that arrived. More in a second ....

[Eye10TX]

MORE INFO: Red Cross volunteer named Price Hall inside Astrodome is saying there were not enough volunteers to take care of all the refugees who came in--he is blaming it all on that. He believes there are 5-7,000 people in there and 50 buses waiting to unload.

They served hot breakfast this morning, sandwiches during the day and there is still a lot of fruit, soda and water. But there will be no more food coming until tomorow. There was no more clothing available for the men, ran out of men's clothing very early. (My own comment: The Red Cross wouldn't let anybody donate clothing, for heaven's sake! Our own people were out there handing out their own clothes on the sidewalk to them!)

There is plenty more room, but not enough volunteers, he says. Volunteers were being turned away at the gate! This is mind-boggling. Cots were set up for seniors, families, single males, single females. More cots came, but it's not enough. The partitions were torn down immediately. (Note that I'm not sure who this guy is, because he is complaining about things that his own group, the Red Cross, was in charge of!)

News anchors are asking if there is civil unrest there--Hall says no, not anywhere near that. He doesn't know anything about the death(s) reported. There is a whole medical section and there are many doctors who have been working 24/7 with the refugees. He says 50% of the people coming in had some kind of medical problem. Now, Houston Police Dept is on phone--they are diverting the buses to other shelters. (Yikes, all of our shelters are already full and crowded to capacity!) (Newspeople mentioned Huntsville, possibly.) HPD person just said that and nothing else. Back to Hall, who is saying if nothing else, he's glad they did shut it down, just because the services are already taxed to the max and no one would be comfortable beyond this point.

Lots of food has been turned away--he's blaming it on Aramark (the County/Reliant Park concessionaire) -- (Me: but I understand that it's the Red Cross's requirement, not the County's).

~~~~
Edited to add "until" to "no more food UNTIL tomorrow"

[artist]

Unfortuanately because of the world we live in to day they cannot accept volunteers that have not been thoroughly screened. It is a shame there were not enough from the Red Cross. There are a lot of older Red Cross volunteers though and maybe they felt they could not handle this? i just don't know.

[Houstonia]

Lots of food has been turned away--he's blaming it on Aramark (the County/Reliant Park concessionaire) -- (Me: but I understand that it's the Red Cross's requirement, not the County's).

~~~~
Edited to add "until" to "no more food UNTIL tomorrow"

Yipes! ARAMARK?!? They are the crookedest, worst food provider I've ever had contact with!! They were the main contract with University of Houston, and I remember an incident involving boiled hotdogs at a BARBECUE.

They are a cheap stingy company.

Man, this whole Astrodome thing is bumming me out... this is an area the Red Cross should have had a handle on. There's no excuse - unless they felt like things were spinning out of control too quickly - perhaps security-wise...

I signed up for the Harris County Volunteer Corps yesterday and got nothing - no email, phone call, nothing.

[smashmode]

Armed man took over a bus, wont give up till they let him and his passengers into the Astrodome.

Fluid situation.

[Stormtrack]

Now they are reporting that some of the buses will be let in. Nobody seems to know how many or anything.

[Eye10TX]

MORE: Another reporter - situation is unraveling outside the Astrodome. Reporter says the stench of the people getting off the buses is terrible--he's not being mean, he's being compassionate about the people who have been through hell. He says there are many very small children and they have fevers and coughs; he's very worried about them.

Now the buses are being told they must go to Dallas or Huntsville, but the drivers say they can't drive that much more tonight, by law. Their stamina is gone, anyway. Reporter says one bus occupant told him the close quarters have made the people have love/hate relationships and they are fighting all the time. They have no water and are begging for bottled water. One bus rider got fed up and just walked off the bus and said he thinks he has an aunt here and he'll go find her. Ambulance just left the premises, siren blaring, no comment from reporter about it. Cameraman just showed it. The real mystery of all this is why they ever said they could take 25,000 people here for sleeping and living. The AP is reporting 11,375 are inside, but news crew says that number is suspect.

People on the rejected buses are being allowed to walk around a little now, just a few at a time. More from the reporter again ... the fire marshall is only counting the floor of the Astrodome as the capacity determination - not the seats, even though people are able to go up there and sit in them. Some of the people on the buses were in the hotel in NOLA that had been commandeered, then it flooded. They SWAM to the SuperDome. He's complaining about the MRE's they were given to eat. He says the bus trip was the most peaceful part of everything that has happened to him. (He has wife and children with him.) He says he has money, so he will find a hotel room here, but his wife needs medical attention--has glass in a cut in her foot. The guy is saying the people in the SuperDome were vicious, beating others. The Army people, he says, were "cool". The reported "brutality" in the SD was by the people themselves. Reporter asks children if they saw some bad things--one little girl, 11, says yes, mostly in the bathrooms.

A Red Cross spokesperson (official) just sent to AP a dispatch saying, "We have reached capacity for the safety and comfort" of the refugees. It also said for them to be patient and it will be made comfortable.

Now they're interviewing more fed-up people from the rejected buses, another one who is just getting off here and leaving. He is an artist and salvaged only a few of his art supplies when he lost his home. He walked through lots of water and debris to get on the bus. (He wasn't ever in the SuperDome.) All are waiting and praying.

Another reporter: at another gate - they are going to let one bus in right now! They're also letting some of the people in the Dome.

Now an HPD officer - all of the 30 buses now on the premises will now be processed quickly and allowed into the Dome.

More later ....

[Houstonia]

Dave Ward just chuckled and said, "they booted the fire captain out of there and I hope rightfully so..."

And they began to let the buses back in...

[Eye10TX]

Dozens and dozens of buses in queue now ....

~~~~~~~
HPD officer: Only 3 arrests today. The two who were fighting and one "minor assault."

MORE: Newsperson saying "Heck, I've slept in those seats up there before, when the Oilers were playing!" (My note: Me, too!) They're also saying that the fire marshall had not been counting the walkways and all the open areas inside the Dome on upper levels, where many more cots could be put--also closer to the restrooms. Now people from Houston are coming out to take some of the refugees home with them. (My note: Sorry, I'm crying now.)

Another reporter: Talking to a pastor who has come out to aid people. Never seen anything like this, even in 3rd world countries where he has traveled. Reporter asks how he can counsel these people who have lost so much. He says, "Keep hope alive." He says they have been coming in waves to his and other churches here in Houston. They have all been so grateful for Houston's hospitality, he says. Reporter is asking about the criminal element who are also coming. Pastor says we have to pray they are in the minority. All, we must keep law and order and the greatest law is LOVE. Over 100 Houston pastors are opening their churches and are holding clothing drives for all these people. He believes 250,000 people will eventually be in Houston from NOLA. He is saying "Jesus said I was a stranger and you took me in." He says to the refugees, to remember the parable of Job. This is a trial to keep hope alive.

Current estimate: 1800 waiting on premises - all will be processed and allowed in.

Medical triage tent very visible at bus drop-off point.

HPD officer says there is NOW plenty of food inside.

More later ...