UPDATE: High School East Opens As Hurricane Shelter

Live Updates of Irene in Toms River Starting Saturday Night - Toms River, http://patch.com/A-l3Cn

UPDATE 8 p.m.: Toms River Regional Schools spokesperson Tammi Millar said that as rains and winds continue to batter the area, Toms River High School East will remain an accessible shelter, instead of opening up additional resources tonight.

She said that once the 120 cots fill, evacuees will have room in classrooms. At 8 p.m., about 20 of the available beds were in use.

Evacuees are encouraged to bring blankets, she said. Food supplies are not limited.

UPDATE 5 p.m.: Toms River High School East has opened as a shelter for Hurricane Irene, said the Toms River Office of Emergency Management.

The barrier island continues to evacuate, there is a mandatory evacuation there. Low-lying areas are in a voluntary evacuation, said Paul Daley of Toms River OEM.

Tammi Millar, Toms River Regional Schools spokesperson, said high school east is pet friendly, but with no cages are available. She said the student center and hallways are filled with cots, but it is not a Red Cross staffed site. Those arriving should bring blankets and pillows. 

Residents continue to arrive at area shelters: and . However will now receive any arriving evacuees.

Toms River High School East is at Raider Way. To arrive at Raider Way from Fischer Boulevard, turn onto Route 571 and then onto Coolidge Avenue or Dunedin.

Intermediate North's 200 beds and is nearly at capacity, Millar said. Toms River North is at capacity.

Original:

will be filled to capacity and Intermediate North with open as second shelter in Toms River.

Toms River Regional School spokesperson Tammi Millar said Intermediate North will open and accept evacuees starting at 11 a.m. today.

The Intermediate school is near the High School North. Intermediate North is at Bey Lea Road (Route 571) and Intermediate North Way, also accessible from Old Freehold Road. Toms River North is at Route 571 and Old Freehold Road. The two schools are less than a mile apart.

North, which opened as a shelter for Toms River, the barrier island, Brick beaches, Long Beach Island and Point Pleasant Beach yesterday morning, had a capacity of 1,200 beds and many pet cages.

Now, the facility is packed and a second shelter will open for evacuees of Hurricane Irene.

Toms River Office of Emergency Management Coordinator Paul Daley said that the township has 13 sites it can still use as evacuation shelters in Toms River, many of which are schools. Several are already equipped with generators, he said.

All that’s left to do at Intermediate North is set up cots for those arriving to seek shelter, Millar said.