Outlook Not Promising For State In An Emergency

According to a recent study, Virginia is ill-prepared to accommodate thousands of evacuees if a devastating storm or other serious emergency event ever hits the Hampton Roads area of the state. The findings are a preliminary assessment done for the state through a grant from the Department of Homeland Security. Among the shortcomings, the report says the state has capacity for only 18,000 of the 50,000 evacuees it assumes would need transportation or shelter services in a serious emergency. The state is often on alert during hurricane season; it has also weathered tornadoes and earthquakes in recent years.