No evacuee arrivals Wednesday

No evacuee arrivals Wednesday

September 7, 2005

KNOXVILLE (WATE) -- After waiting for much of the day expecting up to four planeloads of evacuees from the Gulf Coast to arrive in Knoxville, local officials learned they won't be coming Wednesday.

The evacuees were to be taken to the Civic Coliseum and other shelters in the area when they arrived. The volunteers and staff at those sites were prepared and waiting for the displaced people to arrive, but now they must wait and wonder when the people will arrive.

In the meantime, they continue to prepare for what they believe will be an influx of people. The Coliseum can handle 350 temporary residents.

On the main floor, 350 cots are lined up with bedding and other items intended for the comfort and care of the displaced residents. Another 150 cots are ready in the gymnasium of the Family Life Center of Cedar Springs Presbyterian Church in west Knoxville.

Though the wait is uncertain, the volunteers say they will wait as long as it takes to give the evacuees what they need. "I just can't even imagine some of the things some of the people have gone through. We've never been through what we're about to go through," said Red Cross volunteer Sherry Johnson. "It will be difficult. It will be difficult, but on the other hand, I'm glad the people have made it to some place safe."

Some volunteers said they were grateful to have an extra day to prepare and tie up loose ends.

At Cedar Springs, several extra touches have been provided, including signs to welcome the evacuees.

"We want to sympathize with them. We want to love them," said shelter manager Kathy Smith. "We want them to understand that as best we can, we understand what they've been through. Of course we don't understand, we could never understand. But we certainly want to be sensitive to where they've been and what they've done."

Shelter managers say they will keep the shelters open as long as necessary, though city officials conceded the Civic Coliseum is booked for events in a few weeks.

Rothschild's Catering was scheduled to bring dinner for the evacuees, but so far, no one knows how many meals to prepare or when to begin.

Knoxville was not the only place confused about Katrina relief flights. Federal officials and the South Carolina governor's office cannot explain how a mis-communication happened there.

Dozens of medical professional scrambled twice Tuesday in Charleston, S.C. waiting for evacuees. But it turns out the planes were headed to Charleston, West Virginia, instead.

6 News reporters Catharyn Campbell and Tim Miller contributed to this report.