Binghamton University becomes evacuation center.MUCH ATTENTION HAS BEEN focused on Louisiana and the Gulf Coast states as they prepare for another hurricane season Hurricane season refers to a period in a year when hurricanes usually form. For more information see: Tropical cyclone#Times of formation. For a lists of past seasons, see:
Hit by record rainfall in June that caused massive flooding, thousands of residents in Binghamton and 12 other counties were forced to evacuate e·vac·u·ate v. 1. To empty or remove the contents of. 2. To excrete or discharge waste matter, especially of the bowels. to higher ground. Within hours, Binghamton University's Event Center had become the largest shelter in the area. "Once it became apparent that the Binghamton area would be severely hit late Tuesday night, June 27, the Red Cross swung into gear, contacting the Broome County Emergency Services emergency services Emergency care '…services …necessary to prevent death or serious impairment of health and, because of the danger to life or health, require the use of the most accessible hospital available and equipped to furnish those services' , who then called us to ask if we would be willing to offer shelter to evacuees Resident or transient persons who have been ordered or authorized to move by competent authorities, and whose movement and accommodation are planned, organized and controlled by such authorities. ," says Gail Glover, director of media relations at the university. The school quickly activated its campus emergency response team, which began setting up the center. Shortly after midnight, evacuees began arriving. Glover says the team set up cots and prepared the building for flood victims. The university's food service vendor, Sodexho Campus Services, provided a constant supply of coffee, donuts donuts - (Obsolete) A collective noun for any set of memory bits. This usage is extremely archaic and may no longer be live jargon; it dates from the days of ferrite core memories in which each bit was implemented by a doughnut-shaped magnetic flip-flop. , bagels, and fruit. "They kept the food coming, serving hot breakfast, lunches, and dinners throughout the time the center served as a shelter--almost six days," says Glover. A student volunteer ambulance service worked with University Police and the Environmental Health and Safety staff to provide medical care. On Wednesday, the call went out on campus for volunteers. Within minutes, 45 staff and faculty members arrived to join the crew, which would grow to 250. At its peak, more than 1,800 evacuees registered with the Red Cross, making the Binghamton University Events Center BU Events Center is a multi-purpose arena in Binghamton, New York. The arena opened in 2004. It is home to the SUNY Binghamton Bearcats basketball team and can seat 5,322 fans for home games, and over 8,000 for other large scale events. the largest shelter ever in the Northeast. "The key to all this was that our university response team was able to play a major role in dealing with some of the most devastating dev·as·tate tr.v. dev·as·tat·ed, dev·as·tat·ing, dev·as·tates 1. To lay waste; destroy. 2. To overwhelm; confound; stun: was devastated by the rude remark. flooding our area has seen," says Glover. "A lot of folk will spend the next few months putting their lives together again, but we hope the smooth and calm atmosphere we were able to coordinate between our team and the Red Cross at the Events Center was able to offer flood victims a small bit of comfort." |
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