The Blue Angels squadron is the most famous unit based at the Naval Air Station Pensacola, which was evacuated to Georgia as Hurricane Isaac approached. (photo by devaknevil via flickr)
In normal circumstances there are about 3,500 people on-base in Albany; that population more than doubled when evacuees arrived Monday night.
Public affairs officer Colie Young says they’ve converted several massive warehouses into temporary homes for displaced personnel.
“We made sure we had shower facilities, got ‘em fed with meals ready to eat, they’re just pretty much here as a safe haven until the storm passes and they can return home,” Young said.
Young says service members and staff at the Albany base train for these contingencies year-round. Their procedures were put to the test seven years ago when Hurricane Katrina marooned the same personnel from Florida in Albany for three weeks.
