Two shelters opening in Macon-Bibb for Irma evacuees

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – With the county’s hotels booked, two shelters are opening in Macon-Bibb for Hurricane Irma evacuees.

The East Macon Recreation Center opens Thursday at 4 p.m. Theron Ussery Recreation Center (North Macon Recreation Center) will open Friday at 10 a.m.

The American Red Cross is working to house the evacuees and the Salvation Army is feeding the evacuees.

“We’re in the neighborhood of about 1,000 to 1,200 individuals we’ll be feeding every meal,” Major Andy Gilliam, Commanding Officer of the Salvation Army of Central Georgia said. “We’re all working in harmony together to make sure we’re covering all the needs of individuals that are coming up because there’s a possibility some of these individuals have lost everything.'”

The recreation centers are expecting a high number of people to take shelter from Hurricane Irma, more than last October, when around 500 people from Georgia’s coast came to Macon to avoid Hurricane Matthew.

“We’re now looking at the influx of individuals and families coming up from Florida as well so that number will probably be significantly higher,” Gilliam said.

According to Macon-Bibb Public Affairs, neither of the shelters are able to take in animals. A pet shelter will open at the Macon State Farmers Market at 2055 Eisenhower Parkway Thursday at 4 p.m.

All recreation activities at these centers are cancelled until the need for the shelter has passed.