Financial assistance from the American Red Cross will be distributed at Vicksburg High School instead of the Vicksburg Area Chapter office on Cherry Street today and Sunday from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m.

The city made the request after concerns about safety, handicapped accessibility and overall comfort were made by Chief of Police Tommy Moffett and military personnel assisting the shelter at the Vicksburg Convention Center.

Addressing officials during a briefing at the Joint Command Center established at the Vicksburg Convention Center, Moffett called the dispersal of the assistance at the chapter office “not a workable solution.”

“I know the Red Cross was serving people the best they could there, but people have better access to water and restroom facilities at the high school,” Moffett said.

The city and police department were unaware of the distribution Friday, Mayor Laurence Leyens said.

“We had to block the street because of the number of people,” Leyens said.

The financial assistance for families displaced by Hurricane Katrina is determined by a number of factors, including number of family members.

Beverly Connelly, executive director of the Vicksburg Area Chapter, was pleased with how the process went Friday.

“We helped 250 evacuee families. People waited patiently and we had no problems. I’m disappointed in the move, really,” Connelly said.

American Red Cross officials report 565 individuals staying at the four shelters in Vicksburg, of which 250 were counted at Vicksburg Convention Center.

Bowmar Baptist Church followed with 170, then First Baptist Church with 124 and Eagle Lake Baptist Church with 21.

On the issue of deadlines for moving displaced families and individuals out of shelters, no decision was made.

“But with FEMA not arriving for at least 10 days, we have got to start contracting the equation instead of expanding it,” Leyens said.

Two shelters, Bowmar Baptist and First Baptist, plan to move evacuees into more permanent housing by Sept. 16.

In other developments: