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PSS opens four schools for shelter
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Posted on Aug 21 2018
The Public School System offered three of its schools yesterday as evacuation shelters after Tropical Storm Cimaron was upgraded into a typhoon.
Soon after announcing the cancellation of classes for Saipan and Tinian public schools, interim education commissioner Glenn Muña told Saipan Tribune that Kagman High School, Tanapag Middle School, and Koblerville Elementary School on Saipan and the Tinian Elementary School are open to those in need of shelters.
There were no immediate reports of families seeking shelter.
Muña said yesterday that students are prioritized prior to planning and preparing for using the school as shelters.
“Before our staff are sent home, we need to make sure that their classrooms are secured. Then, we send the students home ahead of time before the storm gets closer. We want to make sure the students get home safely,” Muña told Saipan Tribune.
“We do have PSS first responders that are still working while the rest of our staff are sent home,” he said, adding that the first responders for PSS are usually those that work at the Emergency Operations Center, or EOC.
Kagman High School, according to Muña, can shelter 80 civilians, Tanapag Middle School can shelter 40, and Koblerville Elementary School can shelter 46. Tinian Elementary School has a capacity for 40 people.
“If we need [more room], we can open other schools, but for now we are only opening three [on Saipan],” he said, adding that the cafeterias would be used as shelters.
“The safety of our students and staff is paramount and we need to ensure they get home to prepare for the storm,” added Muña in a statement.
The Office of the Governor upgraded Saipan and Tinian around 3pm from Tropical Storm Condition II to Tropical Storm Condition I.
For Alamagan, Pagan, and Agrihan, Typhoon Condition II was upgraded to Typhoon Condition I.
Upgrading the islands closely followed an EOC announcement upgrading Tropical Storm Cimaron into a full-blown typhoon. The EOC warns the public of possible wind speeds of 39 mph to 73 mph within the next six to 12 hours as of 2:30pm yesterday.
If you are in need of shelter, contact the State Warning Point at 237-8000 for transportation to your nearest shelter.
