Gustav Evacuees Heading Home

By: Rod Carter | Alabama's13.com
Published: September 05, 2008

Evacuees from New Orleans are anxious and ready to get back home. But it will be early afternoon Friday, before they start the trip back home.
The evacuees have been calling Alabama home since forecasters predicated Hurricane Gustav would head their way Monday.

Statewide, Approximately 200 buses will be used to evacuees home.

Officials with the Alabama Emergency Management Agency said Friday evacuees at several shelters departed at about 6 a.m. In the City of Birmingham, evacuees were supposed to leave at 6 as well. Instead that time was pushed back to 1pm.
Friday.

About 8,300 Louisiana evacuees came to Alabama seeking shelter from the storm. The chartered buses taking them back home, will be escorted by state troopers through Alabama.

Meanwhile, for those people who stayed on hotels and not in shelter, The Federal Emergency Management Agency said it will cover the costs of their rooms.

Thursday, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said FEMA will reimburse people who had to stay in hotels because of Hurricane Gustav.
Also, FEMA officials say Hurricane Gustav evacuees who get back home and find their houses remain uninhabitable - because of power outages, damage or for other reasons related to the storm - can also have their hotel costs reimbursed.

David Garratt, a deputy assistant administrator for FEMA, said Thursday night that the aid won't be available for short-term evacuees who fled the storm, spent a few nights in a hotel, then returned home.

But people who have "extended stays" in hotels will be eligible.
As outlined by Garratt, the program will cover those still out of their homes as of Wednesday because their home is uninhabitable. It will reimburse their hotel costs as long as their home is considered uninhabitable for up to 30 days from that date.