Stafford, Va. — When the power went out Saturday night at his home, Michael Campbell knew he had to go somewhere.
He lives on a back road in Stafford County in a wooded area with large trees. Add Hurricane Irene with wind gusts reaching up to 51 mph and soaking rains saturating the ground making the trees more likely to fall, Campbell decided to come to an emergency shelter at Brooke Point High School.
“I live on a back road surrounded by trees, and I was the only one there, and the power had been out for a couple hours, so I checked online with my phone and they said they wouldn’t start to get power back on until the morning so I figured I needed to do something,” he said.
Campbell was one of four people who took refuge at the Red Cross shelter Saturday. Equipped to hold 30 people and more if necessary, Stafford County officials said the shelter would be in place during the storm until noon Sunday.
“They get a cot, a blanket so they can sleep in, food that we’re supplying, and place to get out of the rain,” said Red Cross Shelter Manager David McGee.
As the storm continued and more people in the area lost power, more were expected to fill the shelter.
“You never know with people. Some might decide to come in and then some are too proud to come in,” added McGee.
The shelter was also equipped with a first aid kit and two paramedics.
“I think it’s nice what they’ve done here. You can’t control Mother Nature and we don’t go through this very often,” said Campbell.
