Shelter ready for evacuees if needed

The American Red Cross has set up a shelter for people displaced by the raging wildfires in the area at the new school complex in Coulee Dam.

Sue Wayland, Red Cross shelter manager, said that four workers from her unit set up about 35 cots in the elementary gym to accommodate those who could come to the facility as early as sometime Thursday.

The gym has some 35 cots set up and another 35 are available to be set up if needed.

Some residents of the Nespelem Convalescent Center will likely be transferred to the facility sometime Thursday.

The facility has a number of single showers and the local school kitchen will be used to feed those in the shelter. The Colville Tribes have supplied food for those who come down from the reservation.

The facility was made available by school Superintendent Dennis Carlson, who stated that it will be available as long as needed.

Wayland said people have dropped off donations of clothing, but the shelter is not set up to accept those and she was looking for another community facility to accept them. The Red Cross does not handle clothing donations.

American Red Cross shelter coordinator Sue Wayland, from the Snohomish County unit, was on hand Thursday to set up shelter accommodations for people displaced by area wildfires. The Red Cross has four personnel on hand and has set up 35 cots in the elementary gym. Shower and food accommodations are also set up at Lake Roosevelt School in the new elementary wing gym. The shelter is expected to receive people today.

School Superintendent Dennis Carlson is shown with cots set up in the elementary gym ready to accommodate any persons displaced by the wildfires in the area. Some residents of the Nespelem Convalescent Center are expected sometime Thursday.