By By SHERRY DIGMON
Advance Staff Writer
Atmore was ready for company Sunday night. Fortunately, Barry didn't show.
When Tropical Storm Barry appeared to be a threat, city leaders and West Escambia Red Cross personnel made sure Atmore would be ready to deal with the problems that come with a storm or hurricane.
Sunday morning, Mayor Howard Shell called a special meeting for Sunday afternoon at 3 to discuss emergency plans. At 3, he set another meeting for 9 p.m., when the storm's course would be more clearly defined.
Representatives from several agencies were on hand to discuss emergency plans which did not have to be implemented after all.
The tropical storm didn't deliver on his promise of rain n at least not in the Atmore area. That was the threat all day Sunday as it appeared the storm would reach hurricane strength and make landfall near Pensacola.
Members of the Red Cross disaster team checked shelter supplies Sunday afternoon. While local residents may not have needed a shelter, the Red Cross prepared for evacuees from northwest Florida. However, the shelter did not have to be opened.
Shell, Atmore Police Chief Danny McKinley and Atmore Fire Chief Gerry McGhee discussed opening up Main Street to northbound traffic if Pensacola area residents had to evacuate and Florida Highway 29 was closed due to flooding as has happened in the past.
Attending one or both meetings Sunday were Don White, Atmore Community Hospital; Cereal Daniel, Frontier Communications; Myrna Monroe, Giles Chapman, Charlotte Boyle, Elise Crook, Lilo Currie, Clarence Akins, Ruth Vickery, Betty Loup, Red Cross; Dennis Bilbo, Alabama Power Company; Pat Still, Wanda Smith, Scott Janes, Don Smith, Atmore Ambulance Service; Chief Danny McKinley, Atmore Police Department; Chief Gerry McGhee, Atmore Fire Department; Tom Wolfe, Atmore Utilities Department; SGM Dale Byrne and Gloria Byrne, Alabama National Guard; Jim Staff, Louie Turner, John Watkins, Webb Nall, Atmore City Council; Helen Byrd, Escambia County Health Department; Don Whatley, Atmore Street Department.