Galveston County Commissioner Darrell Apffel, along with fellow Commissioner Stephen Holmes and numerous County officials cut the ribbon to open the new emergency shelter in High Island. The shelter is at one of the highest elevations along the Gulf coast, a 9,500 square foot facility, and will withstand over 175 mph winds. The building has been constructed with 55 foot concrete piles, 18 inch thick walls, and a 660,000 pound concrete roof. It was designed with a rainwater harvesting system and a backup generator to keep the building running.
The emergency shelter was funded by a $4.3 million grant from the Texas General Land Office related to the Hurricane Ike recovery. It will be a lifesaving venue in the event of another disaster, but its day-to-day activity will involve basketball and volleyball games, to include showers, lockers, and concessions.
Check out this amazing shelter while you support our local school sports.
[12-4-2017]
Posted in 
I’m thrilled there is a shelter nearby. I am also wondering how exactly many of us who do not have jacked up trucks or jeeps or whatever will be able to get through the water and debris that is certain to block our escape to a shelter. Until they fix that road, a designate HURRICANE EVACUATION ROUTE, a shelter is useless for some whose only way out is the ferry.
A HURRICANE EVACUATION ROUTE that is impassable many days of the year CANNOT possibly meet the standards of what an evacuation route should be.