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Harrison County emergency manager warns shelters will not meet future demand; seeks federal funding opportunities
Summary
Emergency management staff told supervisors the county's current shelter roster will not meet projected need for 10% of the population and asked for guidance on pursuing federal funding for new or reinforced shelter capacity in eastern Harrison County.
Harrison County Emergency Management Agency officials told the board that even if the county activated all 14 current storm shelters, the available capacity would still fall short of the 10% population sheltering goal set in the county hurricane plan.
"We would still not quite have capacity for the 10% of our population that we planned for in our hurricane plan," the EMA speaker said, noting population growth and projected future demand. Staff said most post‑Katrina shelter construction occurred in central and western Harrison County, leaving east and southeast sections relatively short on shelter space and raising concerns about access during flood events.
EMA staff said they have identified potential federal grant opportunities and are coordinating with school partners and other facilities to expand shelter capacity either by bringing existing facilities up to shelter standards or building new facilities. They also discussed the potential of designing a multi‑purpose facility that would function primarily as an emergency shelter but be available for community uses such as recreation when not needed for emergencies.
Board members asked whether grant restrictions would limit community uses; EMA staff said primary use must be sheltering but that secondary community uses have been allowable in other FEMA-built shelters and that the county will review grant language in each opportunity.
Why it matters: Shelter availability and location affect evacuation planning, flood resiliency and emergency response, particularly in areas with constrained buildable land due to flood plain and access concerns.
Next steps: EMA staff will continue grant research and return to the board if a viable application is identified; the county indicated interest in considering site designs that include pet-friendly sheltering and multi-use community space.
