By Amy L. Ashbridge
Staff Writer
ONEONTA — More than 225 people spent Wednesday in shelters throughout Otsego County, according to emergency officials.
About 125 people were at Littell Hall at the State University College at Oneonta on Wednesday night, with another 40 to 50 expected to arrive later from Oneonta’s Sixth Ward.
How many more come to the shelter depends on what happens over the next few days, said Toni Christensen, director of the American Red Cross in Otsego County.
"It depends on whether the evacuation for the Sixth Ward becomes mandatory," Christensen said Wednesday night.
Many of the people at the Littell Hall shelter had come from Messina’s Trailer Park, Red Cross disaster volunteer Darlene Clifford said.
There were shelters in Otsego County in Unatego and Oneonta, said Karen Liddle, public-information officer for the county. Liddle said about 100 people were at the Unatego shelter Wednesday.
It’s unknown how many more people will need to go to a shelter, Liddle said.
"If the water keeps rising, we’ll have more people," she said.
May Ogden said she came to the SUCO shelter Tuesday with her fiance and 9-month-old son.
"I didn’t really know where I was going to go, and where I was going to end up," Ogden said Wednesday.
Ogden said she wasn’t able to bring much from her trailer, but brought diapers and clothes for her son, as well as some toys.
"The hardest thing to do is sleep," said Ogden, who is also pregnant. "If you have a pet, it can be hard to sleep because you’re worried about it."
There are several things people need to remember to bring if they go to a shelter.
"If nothing else, please bring your medicines," Christensen said. "Medicine is No. 1."
Christensen said many medications may be a time-sensitive issue for people and may not be immediately available if people do not bring them to the shelter.
Maj. Mary Fitch, from the Salvation Army, said if people have time to prepare, they should also try to bring towels, bedding, toiletries and anything else that would make their stay in the shelters more comfortable. Those with children who wear diapers should bring diapers if they can.
Although people don’t need to bring personal identification with them to stay in a shelter, Christensen said, they should bring it if they have it.
People should also be prepared to fill out some paperwork, Liddle said, and have a contact name to give to shelter personnel.
Spaces are still available for shelter at Hartwick College, the Beaver Valley Campgrounds in Hartwick, the Clark Sports Center in Cooperstown, and the rail police station in Cooperstown.
Liddle said people should go to the American Red Cross shelters — at SUCO and Hartwick — when possible.
[an error occurred while processing this directive]Shelters will be open for as long as people need them — and the Red Cross will help people even after the shelters close.
"Some people don’t have anything to go home to," said Maj. Joy Blanchard with The Salvation Army.
There’s no shame in having to go to a shelter, Clifford said.
"It’s not an embarrassment to have to go to a shelter," she said. "We’re here to help."
