Shelters open in Dallas for Texans fleeing Hurricane Harvey

DALLAS - For those who chose to move out of Harvey's way, shelters are opening their doors across the state including in Dallas.

The Dallas Office of Emergency Management opened the first shelter at the Walnut Hill Recreation Center Friday afternoon.

A second shelter has opened at the Tommie Allen Recreation Center in Dallas, located at 7071 Bonnie View Road in Dallas, said Rocky Vaz, director of Office of Emergency Management.

“First time we left our house because of the storm or hurricane,” said Alvaro Luna. He made the nearly five-hour drive up from Freeport with his family as Harvey intensified. “We were watching the news, and they said it was a category one storm that went to category three so we decided to go.”

Others made the call to leave when government officials sent out warnings.

“Police department told us to get out because it's a flood area and that's when we came this way,” said Arthur William

Along with whatever quick necessities they could pack, evacuees like Marie Loffler brought their pets with them as far away from the eye of the storm as they could get.

“Well, my sister said she thought Dallas would be better than these other places on account of the rain,” Loffler said.

The American Red Cross is at the shelter to assist with the families' needs and provide them with any emergency supplies and resources.

Anyone driving to the area and needing a place to stay is asked to call 211 for info on shelters and where to go.