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North Texas Plays Key Role As Isaac Approaches Gulf Coast

DENTON (CBSDFW.COM) - It may be an eight-hour drive to the Gulf Coast, but North Texas will once again play a key role if Isaac goes from bad to worse.

At FEMA's regional headquarters in Denton, which covers Louisiana, the clock is ticking to get supplies into the target zone. "I don't think we're going to have very much time to start moving things," said FEMA Deputy Director Bullet Young. "If we don't get in there tonight or tomorrow, then I don't think we're going to get in there," Young added as he addressed fellow members of FEMA, Homeland Security and the military.

Workers at FEMA's massive distribution center in south Fort Worth have already trucked in supplies such as food, water, cots and blankets into parts of Louisiana. More supplies are on the way.

The DFW Chapter of the American Red Cross has also activated its command center on Harry Hines. "We're putting shelters on standby throughout Dallas-Fort Worth, just in case evacuees need to come to the area," explained Red Cross Communications Director Anita Foster.

The Red Cross opened one shelter Monday night at Faith Bible Church in DeSoto, in case evacuees start showing up overnight.

A shelter of another kind is also opening its doors. The SPCA of Texas is taking 265 cats and dogs from the Gulf Coast. Nearly 200 will arrive Tuesday morning at the McKinney shelter and another 75 will arrive at the new Dallas shelter.

SPCA spokesperson Maura Davies said, by taking in the animals, it frees up the Gulf Coast shelters to concentrate on rescuing other animals before, during and after the storm. Once the cats and dogs arrive in North Texas, they will remain here until they are adopted.

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