Tuesday, Jan. 28

 

ESDA honors volunteers
who helped in emergencies

[JAN. 28, 2003]  Three special awards to volunteers who gave help in emergencies during 2002 were a highlight of the Logan County Emergency Services and Disaster Agency's annual award banquet last month at the Lincoln College cafeteria.

[Click here for more photos]

The banquet marked the 10th year of honoring ESDA volunteers, the fourth year of honoring 911 workers and the second year of honoring Local Emergency Planning Committee members.

Citizens who stepped forward to help in emergencies before rescue workers could get to the scene, and who in at least one case saved a life, were presented with special awards by EDSA Director Dan Fulscher.

Early in the year, Matt Wilham, 18, and Andy Jones, 19, were on their way to Mount Pulaski High School in separate cars when they spotted an accident at a rural intersection south of Chestnut. Both realized something serious had happened and stopped to see if they could help.

In one of the two cars, which had rolled on its side, brother and sister Dawn and Christopher Tillquist of Chestnut were trapped and trying to get out. Both were injured, but Chris was injured so seriously he would not have been able to get out by himself. Matt and Andy pulled the two out, and before other help arrived the car burst into flames.

The Tillquist family and the two boys were guests at the banquet.

 


[Photos by Jan Youngquist]
[Matt Wilham, Richard Tillquist and Andy Jones]

"I could never repay these two boys for saving my son's life," Richard Tillquist, father of the teens, said.

"I just hope someone would have done it for me," was Andy's reply.

Another meeting of a volunteer and the person he helped also took place at the banquet, but this one was by telephone.

Glenn Osborn of Hartsburg, a farmer, decided to go out to a particular field on the morning of April 11. Something made him look down into a ditch, where he saw a vehicle that had gone off the road. In it was Fred Heart, with a broken wrist and five broken ribs. Osborn called 911, and soon Heart had been cut out of the car and was on his way to a local hospital.

Heart, who is living in Florida, and Osborn talked on the phone during the banquet. Heart said he had tried several times to call Osborn and thank him but hadn't been able to reach him.

"I'm sure glad you were over there that day," he said. "Whatever reward they give where you are, they should give to you," he said.

Heart said he was in good shape again and wished Osborn a beautiful holiday. "I'm glad you can enjoy it, too," Osborn replied.

The third responders to be honored did not have such a happy ending to their story. Dan Prater, Joshua Fulk, Mary Brinkotter and State Trooper Nathan Miller tried to help Jason Langenbahn of Lincoln. Langenbahn was south of Lincoln on Route 121, north of the Salt Creek Bridge, when his car rolled; he was ejected from it and suffered severe internal injuries.

All three of the passersby stopped to help and continued to give Langenbahn CPR until rescue workers were on the scene. State Trooper Miller, who was within a couple of miles of the call, arrived quickly and also assisted with the CPR. However, Langenbahn's injuries were too severe and he did not live.

"You did everything you could possibly do," Fulscher told Fulk as he presented the award.

 


[Dan Fulscher and Joshua Fulk]

Other awards went to members of ESDA volunteer groups.

Special merits went to three members of the ESDA Weather Watch Team: Rich Kempf, Gerald Hubrich and Don Begolka. Member of the year was Larry Keeran. Fulscher also presented a special award, a bronze eagle, to Rod Palmer, who retired last year after 44 years and four months with the National Weather Service. Palmer had been in Lincoln since the opening day of the weather station here.

The Logan County Underwater Search and Recovery Team was given special recognition for 25 years of service. Gary Knauer and Dennis Bailey were recognized as the two senior members of the team.

 

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Gene Hickey and Lynn Buse were given special recognition for their work on the Logan County Snowmobile Team. Fulscher noted that since Channel 20 did a spot on the team, other counties are starting to form similar teams.

For the fifth year, REACT has been a division of Logan County ESDA. Special merits went to Devin Vannoy, Stan Wilhoit and Ed Houchins. Member of the year was Heather Towery. REACT is a group of amateur radio operators that now assists Logan County ESDA in providing radio communication in an emergency or a disaster.

Special merit on the Mounted Horse Search and Rescue Team went to Marsha Hickey, and members of the year were Susan Caley and Deborah Wheeler. The members were activated on two searches and helped patrol at the Railsplitter and balloon festivals. The team has grown to 26 members since its formation two years ago.

Fulscher announced the formation of a new team, the Disaster Intelligence Team, which was developed this year and has 20 members. The team will staff the Crisis Management Center in case of an emergency.

The Lincoln Rural Explorers were recognized for their community work throughout the year. This group is part of the Boys Scouts of America and also a division of the Lincoln Rural Fire Protection District. Several members have gone on to become firefighters at Lincoln Rural, Lincoln City and other fire departments.

 

The Local Emergency Planning Committee's volunteer of the year was Jan Youngquist, Lincoln Daily News editor, and special merit award went to Lisa Funk.

Special merits also went to the Logan County Paramedic Association; Lloyd Evans, director of the Logan County Health Department; and Mike Camp and the AirEvac Life Team, a group from Springfield that airlifts injured persons in emergencies.

Also, 911 board members and dispatchers were introduced and recognized, and a plaque was given to the Lincoln Rural Fire Protection District for 10 years of service as the 911 backup center.

ESDA Volunteer of the Year awards were given to Tammy Buse and Devin Vannoy, and the Larry Shroyer Award of the year went to two people: Roger Leesman of Armington and Doug Dutz of Lincoln.

Leesman has been with the Armington Fire Department for 32 years, has been an EMT for 28 years and has been chief for 22 years. He also served 11 years on the Armington town board and is a member of LEPC. Dutz, a retired Logan County Board member, helped with the formation of ESDA as it is today, supported the creation of the present Crisis Management Center and the volunteer organizations of ESDA, served on the 911 board, and has always been a supporter of emergency services. "Doug Dutz is the first elected politician ever to win this award," Fulscher said.

The Shroyer award is given in honor of the former Civil Defense director, who helped make the move from Civil Defense to ESDA and who got local, state and federal funding to develop the lower level of the safety complex so there would be a headquarters for emergency services. "He dedicated his whole life to helping others, and he could see ahead for decades, even centuries," Fulscher said.

Master Sgt. Bryon Hasty of the U.S. Air Force led the group in the Pledge of Allegiance and dedicated the flag he donated to ESDA. The flag, now in the Crisis Management Center, was flown over Afghanistan on Oct. 21, 2002, during Operation Enduring Freedom.

Guest speaker for the evening, Sheriff Steve Nichols, spoke on the importance of volunteers and commented that it was good to see so many young people becoming involved in public service.

[Joan Crabb]


Shift in snowfall impacts
state soil and water conditions

[JAN. 28, 2003]  "Snowfall totals in excess of 20 inches in southern Illinois and little snow in northern Illinois, the reverse of what normally occurs in winter, could be due to the current weak El Nino," says Jim Angel, state climatologist with the Illinois State Water Survey, a division of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

"The southern storm track becomes more active, and storm tracks from Colorado and Canada become less active during El Nino years. The current El Nino has been weakening since December, and its influence should soon fade," explains Angel.

Effects in Illinois this winter have been quite dramatic. Chester, 50 miles south of St. Louis, has had 22 inches of snowfall, compared with its 15.6-inch normal winter average. Moline, in northwestern Illinois, has had only 1.3 inches, compared with its 35.3-inch normal winter average. With 10-15 inches, central Illinois is fairly close to its 15-inch average accumulation of winter snowfall

"Low snowfall totals have led to large areas of bare ground in northern Illinois. Fairly meager snow cover currently extends from Chicago, Peoria and Springfield to Effingham, with most stations reporting only 1 or 2 inches. Snow acts as an insulator, but no snow is reported on the ground north of that line. Consequently, soil temperatures at some northern Illinois sites have dropped below freezing at depths of 15 inches or more, wreaking havoc with water mains," says Angel.

Snowfall also plays a role in the occurrence of sub-zero temperatures because it reflects sunlight during the day and radiates heat back into space on clear nights. Both processes lead to colder air temperatures. A location is about 10 times more likely to drop below zero with some snow on the ground than without snow.

 

"About the only way to achieve temperatures below zero without snow is with strong arctic air outbreaks, and we've had those too. Temperatures plunged into single digits below zero across northern and central Illinois, while southern Illinois remained barely above zero last week," says Angel.

Similar conditions not too long ago made it even colder in Illinois. Temperatures plummeted from arctic air on Jan. 5, 1999. Congerville set a new state record of minus 36 degrees compared with temperatures of minus 30 to minus 20 degrees (most northern Illinois sites), minus 30 to minus 10 degrees (central Illinois), and minus 15 to zero degrees (southern Illinois).

"The National Weather Service is calling for warmer temperatures over the next week -- much closer to normal -- and also for the month of February. January is typically our coldest month in Illinois," concludes Angel.

 

[to top of second column in this article]

December temperatures and precipitation were near average,
but 2002 was a warm year

"2002 was the 21st warmest year in Illinois since 1900, with 53.2 degree temperatures (1 degree above average) and annual precipitation of 38.56 inches (99 percent of average)," says Angel. Despite a somewhat warm year, this is no evidence of a warming trend in Illinois over the last 80 years.

"Even with only 2.25 inches of precipitation statewide for December (84 percent of average), the 54th driest December since 1900, it was a big improvement over November, when precipitation was 34 percent of average. December temperatures averaged 31.9 degrees (2.1 degrees above average), the 44th warmest December since 1900," says Angel.

Perry, the only station with a below zero temperature, reported minus 1 degree on Dec. 26. Temperatures warmed quickly at the end of the month, and highs of 65 degrees were recorded at Quincy, Princeville and Perry on Dec. 30-31, although Cairo recorded this temperature earlier, on Dec. 18.

"Both northeastern and southern Illinois both received significant snowfall in the first half of December -- 2-4 inches and 2-14 inches, respectively -- while central Illinois had to wait until Dec. 24 for its 2-10 inches. Heaviest snowfall totals occurred in southern Illinois, and Lawrenceville reported 15.3 inches in December. However, northwestern Illinois has had little if any snow in December, and Moline reported only a trace for the month," says Angel.

"Illinois oscillated between very wet and very dry periods in 2002," says Angel. April through early June was the fourth wettest period statewide since 1900, with 15.59 inches (154 percent of average). Mid-June to mid-August, the eighth driest period statewide since 1900, had only 4.23 inches (56 percent of average), hitting southern Illinois especially. There was a brief respite in the second half of August, but dry conditions returned, this time in the northern half of the state. September to early December was the 10th driest across the state since 1900, with 6.62 inches (61 percent of average). Northwestern Illinois currently has the largest precipitation deficits, with less than 50 percent of average over the past three months. Soil moisture is more than 20 percent below normal down to depths of 6 feet.

"If precipitation remains near average this winter, it will alleviate lingering concerns about soil moisture in northern Illinois due to the dry fall, and moisture levels should be good shape by spring," concludes Angel.

[Illinois State Water Survey press release]

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