By the 12 p.m. declaration Condition of readiness (COR) 1, one emergency shelter in the north was near capacity at 83% while first counts of shelters in and southern Guam were at less than 10% capacity, a trend seen in previous storms.
Doors to emergency shelters opened at 7 a.m., five hours later the Joint Information Center (JIC) announced that Astumbo Elementary School had 239 shelterees, nearly reaching the 287 max occupancy. Followed by Machananao Elementary School which had 201 occupants, 63% of the 344 max capacity. Maria Ulloa Elementary School at 19% only had 66 shelterees out of 349 occupancy.
In the central Ordot-Chalan Pago Elementary School had 31 sheltered which represents 7% of the total maximum capacity of 422.
In the south at Talofofo Elementary School numbers were the lowest with only 12 shelterees, 4% of the 311 maximum capacity.
Department of Public Health and Social Services Region Community Health Center in Inalahan will remain open 24 hours to service residents in the south who may need urgent care for non-life threatening medical needs.
Though the Northern Region Community Health Center in Dededo will be closed until COR 4, the Guam Regional Medical City and the Guam Memorial Hospital will remain open to provide emergency medical care.
Individuals who may need metal health support the Guam Behavioral Health and Wellness Center’s Suicide and Crisis Lifeline remains operation around the clock.
“The community may call or text the hotline at 988 or chat online at 988lifeline.org,” JIC Release 7 states.
As the island shelters in place JIC officials reminded residents to practice caution as the shelter in their homes or in place. This includes only operating a generator outside the home “at least 20 feet away”, never leaving a candles burning unsupervised, or placing it near anything that can catch fire.