CAMBRIDGE, Md. - Alex Lopez and his family are finding refuge at one of two community shelters in Dorchester County where the brunt of Sandy is expected to hit. "I'm scared about the hurricane - it might destroy our house. I'm scared we might lose power for ten days," he said.
Last year, the county housed more than 300 people in the wake of Hurricane Irene. "Fortunately, we were there one day, one night - people were able to head back home the very next day. I don't expect that this time," Kay Trice from the Dorchester County Department of Social Services said.
Gladys Bynum has lived in Cambridge her entire life and knows what a storm like this is capable of. "The rain covers the whole street in the back of me. And where I live, the water comes up in my yard," she said.
Volunteers from the health department, social services, the Red Cross and Ameri Corp are on hand and ready to assist. The shelters are offering water, meals, sleeping accommodations and a safe environment for anyone in need.
"We offer a lifeboat. We do have a generator here that will provide for emergency lighting, so that's even going to be limited. But we would still be a safe building for people to come to," Trice said.
The county is expecting to see up to 8-10 inches of rain, possibly up to 12. The Department of Emergency Services is strongly urging county residents who live in mobile home parks, low lying, and or flood prone areas to voluntarily evacuate their homes and seek shelter on higher ground. Two community shelters are currently open at Cambridge South Dorchester High School and North Dorchester Middle School. You will need to bring any medicines, sleeping bags, blankets and pillows. These are not pet friendly shelters. For more information call 410-228-1818.
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