Rumours lead evacuees to line up at evac centre for emergency funds
Scott Stevenson | CBC News | Posted: May 11, 2016 5:50 PM | Last Updated: May 11, 2016
'Fairly long' lineup of desperate evacuees began forming at 6 a.m. at Northlands evac centre
Many Fort McMurray evacuees desperate for emergency financial help showed up at the Edmonton evacuation centre early Wednesday when rumours spread the funds would be dispersed from there.
"People were under the impression, I think, that that was going to take place here today," said Gerry Clarke, acting manager of the emergency reception centre at Northlands. "There's a lot of speculation, a lot of rumours out there, I think, with the provincial handout, which hasn't been announced yet."
That provincial announcement came at 11 a.m., where evacuees learned the money will actually be handed out at the Butterdome on the University of Alberta campus.
Clarke said a "fairly long" lineup of evacuees began forming just after 6 a.m. at the centre.
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Clarke said evacuation officials will try to improve communications, and he understands why people are desperate.
"People need things, they've been away for eight days, and a lot of them with nothing. And when word comes that there might be the money coming down the pipeline, they jump on it."
About 800 additional evacuees have arrived at the centre since Tuesday morning.
"The number of people that have registered has gone up from 11,200 to 12,045, which is a good sign," Clarke said. "People are still coming down looking for assistance."
About 400 people stayed at the centre overnight on Tuesday, similar to the number who spent Monday night there.
'No connections, no nothing'
"Most of the people, I do believe here, don't really have anything, no connections, no nothing. And this is going to be their home for the next little while.
"The powers that be are going to do their best to make sure they get something in the near future."
Clarke could not say when that might happen, but said the centre is prepared to house evacuees for an extended period of time.
"I would imagine the city and the province have a long-range plan put into place that they can handle these people, maybe get them some affordable housing.
"As the numbers come down, so it's manageable, that will make it a little bit better. So hopefully in the near future something can be done. But right now we're planning, shall we say, long-term here, a week, a month maybe. Maybe even longer. Just as long as people need help, we'll be here."
The centre continues to deal with an outbreak of viral gastroenteritis, though the number of sick people is now dropping.
"We have three people that are being treated, which is a good sign," he said. "Again, you don't want to look too far ahead, because we still have that 48-hour incubation period. We have 32 people in that incubation area set aside."
Clarke said the centre has implemented measures to limit the spread of the virus.
"They've improved everything from food handling to sanitation," he said. "I think the awareness and just the actions that they've taken have made a big difference."
Arrangements have also been made for pets that belong to the evacuees at the centre.
"They want to move it over to their facility which is on the west end … if anybody out there has pets, that's where they're going to be located."