Here's confirmation of the armed guards in Phoenix, but no explanation as to why. I am assuming DPS is the Arizona Department of Public Safety(perhaps Kevin could clarify that point!).

:: 620ktar.com ::

Evacuees Grateful for Safe Phoenix Home. As armed soldiers and DPS officers stand guard outside, more than 500 evacuees are getting showers, food and rest ... http://www.ktar.com/ - 39k - Sep 5, 2005 - Cached - Similar pages

http://www.ktar.com/?nid=6&sid=74283

Evacuees Happy for Safe, Clean Home by Jayme West/KTAR As armed soldiers and DPS officers stand guard outside, more than 500 evacuees are getting showers, food and rest inside Veterans Memorial Coliseum.

Wilbert Brass has never been out of New Orleans until now.

"First time on a plane, first time on a chopper," he said.

After a week, he was rescued from his home where he was caring for his sick mother. He ventured out once to save an elderly neighbor, wading for two hours through chest-high, corpse-filled waters. He hung sheets out with a message to rescuers that his sick mother was inside.

"Trying to get some help, they kept saying that help was coming, that they're on the way but a whole week went by and, on the time, she got out when we got out," he said.

He doesn't know where she is right now, but he knows she's safe somewhere.

With the worst of his nightmare behind him, he's glad to be here.

"Everybody's treating me real nice," said Brass. "I think it's a nice city but it's far away from home. I don't even know how many miles it is."

James Lloyd said through the worst possible conditions, he saw stranded people pulling together and criminal looting wasn't as common as you think.

"People were taking food and water, giving it to other people," he said. "They had babies out there - hungry and stuff like this. And the thing was everybody came together. It wasn't no separation in the people. It was survival for everybody."

More evacuees are expected to arrive over the next couple of days.