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The National Weather
Service confirmed that two F-2 tornadoes hit Springfield on Sunday
evening. The first tracked from the southwest corner of the city to
about Ninth Street and South Grand Avenue, where it dissipated. The
second tornado developed near Bunn Park on the city's south side and
traveled northeast, exiting Springfield near Clear Lake and
Interstate 55. "While the tornadoes were only on the ground a few
minutes, the road to recovery will be a long one," Blagojevich said.
"We are committed to doing whatever we can to help central Illinois
clean up and get back on its feet."
Damage assessments from the Illinois Emergency Management Agency
and the Federal Emergency Management Agency will provide a better
picture of whether or not there is enough uninsured damage to
request a federal disaster declaration. If the area is declared a
federal disaster area, financial assistance would be available to
individuals and households for such things as temporary housing,
home repair or replacement, medical, dental, funeral,
transportation, or other disaster-related needs. Even if the
affected areas don't qualify for a federal disaster declaration,
individuals and businesses may be eligible for low-interest loans
from the U.S. Small Business Administration.
After meeting Monday morning with Illinois Emergency Management
Agency staff and surveying some of the affected areas, Blagojevich
declared Ford, Greene, Logan, Morgan, Randolph, Sangamon and Scott
counties state disaster areas. That declaration enables the state to
assist affected communities with debris removal and other
storm-related issues. State resources already deployed under this
declaration include two loaders, 26 trucks, one generator and one
backhoe from the Illinois Department of Transportation and more than
150 inmates from the Department of Corrections assisting with debris
removal. Assistance to individuals is not available through the
state disaster fund.
People who suffered damage are encouraged to contact their
insurance companies and begin the claims process as soon as
possible. And, anyone with immediate needs -- such as food, shelter
and medical -- should contact their local American Red Cross for
assistance.
The two tornadoes knocked out power to all of Springfield and the
surrounding area at one point on Sunday night. The Illinois
Department of Public Health reports that when electricity is out, a
fully stocked freezer will keep food frozen for two days, if the
door remains closed, and a freezer half-full can keep foods frozen
about a day. If electric service is not expected to be restored
within a day or two, the department recommends that frozen food be
distributed to friends and family that have electricity.
Another option is to buy dry ice. However, it should not be
touched with bare hands because it freezes everything it touches.
Twenty-five pounds of dry ice will hold a 10-cubic-foot freezer
below freezing for three to four days. Because dry ice also gives
off carbon dioxide, the freezer door should be left open a short
time before examining food. If a person is unsure how long the
electricity has been off, food that smells bad, is slimy, has an
unusual color or is room temperature should be discarded. If food is
still "cold-to-the-touch," it may be cooked and eaten immediately,
or refrozen.
When a refrigerator is without power, food inside can stay safely
cold for four to six hours, depending on how warm the kitchen is.
Adding block ice to the refrigerator will help keep goods cold, but
as the ice melts, the water may saturate food packages.
Consequently, food packages should be kept away from ice as it
melts. Dairy products, meat, fish and poultry should have been
consumed as soon as possible after the power went out since they
cannot be stored safely at room temperature. However, fruits and
vegetables can be kept at room temperature until there are obvious
signs of spoilage, such as mold, slime and wilting. With good
ventilation, vegetables last longer at room temperature.
Private well water is not available when the power goes out
unless there is a generator backup. If there is concern about well
contamination from excessive rainwater around the well, disinfection
steps should be taken. The most reliable method for purifying water
is to vigorously boil the water for three minutes. This will kill
any disease-causing bacteria present in the water.
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 When boiling is not practical, chemical disinfection should be
used. Chlorine and iodine are the most commonly used chemical
disinfectants. Liquid chlorine (bleach) is recommended for use in
small individual systems when disinfection is necessary. However,
chlorine may be obtained in powder or liquid form from drugstores or
supermarkets. Whichever form of chlorine is used, it should be from
a fresh source. When using the powder, it should be mixed with a
quart of water and used without shaking only after the solution
settles. This stock solution loses strength and should be freshly
made at least once a week.
Common household iodine from the medicine chest or first-aid kit
also may be used to disinfect water. Ten drops of 2 percent tincture
of iodine should be added to each gallon of water, then mixed well
and left standing for at least 30 minutes before use.
Commercially prepared chlorine and iodine tablets containing the
necessary dosage for drinking water disinfection may be obtained at
any drugstore, and they should be used in accordance with label
instructions.
More information about what to do after a storm can be found at
http://www.idph.state.il.us/pdf/
SurvivingDisasters.pdf.
[To download Adobe Acrobat Reader for the PDF
file, click here.]
Following weekend storms, the state of Illinois has taken a
number of steps to help residents, including:
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The Illinois
Department of Human Services put together a 1-800 response
number to field questions from residents affected by the storms.
That number is (800) 568-0446.
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Work crews from the
Illinois Department of Corrections, numbering more than 70
inmates, have been assisting the cleanup in Morgan, Randolph,
Sangamon and Scott counties.
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The Illinois
Department of Transportation has crews cleaning up debris along
the highways throughout the state and is assisting with
equipment and manpower in Morgan and Sangamon counties.
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Blagojevich has
directed his staff to work with the Illinois State Bar
Association to set up a lawyer referral network for residents
affected by the storm. People who have been affected by the
storms and have legal issues will be directed to the Illinois
State Bar Association, which will assist residents by connecting
them with a volunteer lawyer through the network. State agency
lawyers are also being asked to field questions from state
employees who may have storm-related legal questions.
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The Department of
Financial and Professional Regulation has also taken several
steps to help central Illinoisans recover from the weekend's
storm damage:
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The department
invoked the Banking Emergencies Act, declaring a "bank holiday"
for banks that could not open due to storm damage.
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The department also
created a
list of licensed roofers working in central Illinois
to make it easier for families to find qualified repair firms.
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The department has
developed a special Web page so that this and other information
is easily accessible.
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If central Illinois
residents need help finding a roofer, they can refer to the
list
that is available at
www.idfpr.com or call
(217) 785-0800. The Division of Insurance has developed a series
of recommendations on how to work effectively with insurance
companies after a natural disaster. Information on that and
other questions related to the Department of Financial and
Professional Regulation can be referred to their toll-free
consumer assistance line, (866) 445-5364.
[News release from the governor's
office] |
