RIVERVIEW, Fla. (WFLA) – Community members trickled into Hillsborough County’s only storm shelter throughout Tuesday afternoon, offering a first-of-its-kind shelter experience at the Riverview High School gymnasium.
“Honestly it’s uncharted territory for us but luckily there’s been plans in place and this has been a coordinated effort with everyone in the county,” said Riverview High School Principal Brian Spiro.
The site usually hosts a shelter for people with special needs and “medical complexities.”
That part of the shelter is staffed by nurses, people from the health department and is furnished with medical equipment, including oxygen machines.
For Tropical Storm Elsa, in addition to its medical unit, it is also offering a general public shelter and a pet shelter.
Pets are kept in a separate area, away from their owners.
“It’s just something that is really amazing to see, come in in less than twelve hours, really, turn a high school in between two different school years, and turn it into a well-functioning, well-oiled shelter,” said Spiro.
“I’d rather be safe than sorry,” said Melissa de Jesus, of Hillsborough County.
De Jesus’ and her three children, cat and dog were the first people to show up at the shelter Tuesday.
“Where we live at, the trailers really aren’t much, it’s just a couple of beams with some sheetrock. Here I feel like the kids will be more safe, in a concrete building,” she said.
There is also a quarantine area for anyone that shows up with symptoms or starts to feel sick during their stay.
“We do still have COVID protocols in place. There’ll be temperature checks, mask requirements. That’s still a requirement for all Hillsborough County facilities right now,” said Tim Dudley, Hillsborough County emergency management director.
The shelter has room for 450 evacuees.
“We’re going to be here for the long haul. As long as there’s folks here, we’re not going to leave,” said Spiro.
