Shelter Opens in East Hampton

For residents of East Hampton who might need a place to stay as a result of the storm, the town has set up an emergency shelter at the high school.

The shelter went operational at 8 p.m. on Saturday and will remain open for the duration of the storm. Whether it remains open beyond Sunday has not been decided.

"We'll be here until they tell us they don't need us anymore," shelter manager Tammy Campanelli of the Red Cross said.

There are enough cots for the shelter to handle more than 100 people and Campanelli seemed confident there was enough supplies.

"Basic food, water, we have fruit, we have cereal, baby formula, crackers for now, we're making some sandwiches, have cereal for the morning," she said. "So we're good to go."

Besides shelter and food, there are others on hand to assist with whatever might arise.

"EMS is here, the police department is here, the whole time we are open they are here," Campanelli said. "And we have a nurse, mental health services, we have plenty of staff to help."

Staff are located in the front lobby and will be there around the clock to assist any arrivals.

The Red Cross Connecticut Region's web site also offers this tip.

If evacuating to a shelter, Red Cross spokesperson Paul Shipman said it is best to bring some bedding items to make the stay more comfortable.

“Evacuation shelters are designed to keep residents safe and dry; they will not have many creature comforts," he said. "Consider bringing a pillow, sleeping bag or some bedding.”

As of 9 p.m. Saturday, no one had sought the shelter out, but that could change Sunday.

If someone would like to support Red Cross disaster efforts, they can make a donation to American Red Cross Disaster Relief by visiting www.redcross.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS, texting the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation, or sending contributions to their local Red Cross chapter or to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013.