It was hurry up and wait Sunday as volunteers prepared Camp Copass again for the arrival of evacuees from New Orleans and surrounding areas in the path of Hurricane Gustav.

Volunteers chatted nervously as they waited; occasionally removing their cherry ball caps to wipe sweat from their brows and glancing out the window to watch for the bus carrying residents of Gulf Coast areas to the water’s edge on Lake Lewisville.

About 150 evacuees from areas in the path of Hurricane Gustav were expected to arrive late Sunday at the Baptist camp on the Denton side of Lewisville Lake. Camp Copass housed evacuees from Hurricane Katrina three years ago.

“It’s deja vu all over again,” said Gary Loudermilk, a volunteer at the camp and executive director of Denton Baptist Association.

But more than 100 volunteers, law enforcement and county workers waited as news trickled in. Some volunteers called it a night and promised to return by morning, as delays were announced.

The evacuees unable to leave the coastal areas on their own were bused Sunday to the former Big Town Mall parking lot in Mesquite before being sent to shelters throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth area — including four shelters in Denton County.

Those four — Rosemeade Recreation Center in Carrollton, Fred Herring Recreation Center in Lewisville, Camp Copass and the University of North Texas Super Pit — have been prepared to take about 630 evacuees.

“About 1,000 will stay in Dallas. Carrollton and Lewisville will house about 100 each. At Camp Copass, we are set up for 140,” said Capt. Mike Caley of the Denton County Sheriff’s Department.

Buses were delayed Sunday by traffic from the coast. Local officials were expecting their arrival around midnight.

Evacuees on the bus would not have eaten for an estimated eight to 10 hours on Sunday, only having water to drink, Caley said.

The Super Pit at the University of North Texas will open at 9 a.m. Monday and can house up to 250 evacuees. It will be available bused evacuees as well as for people traveling on their own who need food and water or a place to spend the night, Caley said.

As of mid-day Sunday, area churches were beginning to collect donations and the United Way of Denton County announced plans to accept donations on Monday. 

Once evacuees reach the shelters, they will go though a security check handled by local law enforcement. Then they will fill out FEMA forms before a medical assessment, officials said. Veterinary services will be provided as needed for any pets brought with the evacuees.

“Tonight, we need to get them processed in, fed and settled,” Caley said Sunday. “The sheriff’s office has prepared 150 sack lunches, and we have 25 cases of water.”

Later, that number changed to 450 sack lunches and more cases of water, Caley said.

The temporary shelters, like Camp Copass, can only house evacuees from 72 to 96 hours — the new definition for a temporary shelter by FEMA.

Since Hurricane Katrina, officials at Camp Copass have upgraded their kitchens and dining facilities, and the camp is now a designated FEMA shelter, Caley said.

A Camp Copass official also said they were trying to get satellite television, not usually available at the camp, in the dining hall so evacuees could stay informed on the hurricane.

Evacuees who drove from the Gulf area on their own have been turned away at the Camp Copass entrance. Denton County hotels began filling up Sunday afternoon with evacuees driving further north to find vacancies.

“We have been getting guests from Louisiana and South Texas – around 15 people,” said Kourtnee Cornejo, front desk clerk for the Best Western Inn & Suites at 2910 W. University Dr. “It’s getting pretty full.”

Vi Patel from Comfort Suites off Interstate 35 said most guests from those areas began arriving Sunday morning. Others checked into rooms at the Quality Inn off Dallas Drive beginning Saturday night, said Tommy Meek, a front desk clerk.

So far, things are going smoothly compared to Hurricane Katrina, officials say.

“There are a third as many evacuees, and it’s better organized statewide,” Caley said.

All the agencies involved learned from problems encountered three years ago, Caley said, adding that sheriff’s personnel will check the criminal histories of evacuees as they arrive.

“There have been screenings along the way, but last time we found ourselves with half a dozen sex offenders and some other felons. We want to find those people and get them separated from the rest,” he said.

Caley said he is borrowing officers from other areas of law enforcement who were previously scheduled to help enforce holiday traffic and patrol during the weekend.

“Right now, I’m robbing Peter to pay Paul,” Caley said.

Staff Writers Donna Fielder and Dawn Cobb contributed to this report.

CANDACE CARLISLE can be reached at ccarlisle@dentonrc.com.

EMERGENCY HOTLINE

Evacuees looking for help can call the Denton County Emergency Management Information hotline at 940-349-4270 from 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. Monday through Wednesday.

Otherwise, those in emergency situations should call 911.

DONATIONS

The United Way of Denton County is accepting checks or cash donations for their Disaster Relief Fund and are accepted at the following locations:

* United Way of Denton County

625 Dallas Dr., Suite 525

Denton, TX 76205

Information and referral (940) 566-2688

* First State Bank

400 West Oak Street

Denton, TX

* First State Bank

1400 N. Corinth Street, Suite 101

Corinth, TX