Quinn mobilizes additional Illinois National Guard assets

[February 03, 2011]  SPRINGFIELD -- Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn mobilized additional resources Wednesday from the Illinois National Guard to ensure the safety of Illinois citizens, as the state continued its response to severe winter weather. The governor, in consultation with the Illinois Emergency Management Agency and the Illinois State Police, ordered National Guard soldiers to provide direct transportation to Illinois State Police troopers and relieved the soldiers of their previous mission of manning highway rest stops.

The Illinois Guard troops were to report to Illinois State Police district stations with Humvees and other all-terrain trucks to transport state troopers as they assist stranded motorists and other Illinois citizens in need of assistance. Many Guard troops are being shifted from the southern part of the state to the most severely affected northern communities.

Information on continued essential state services and service locations for the public, as well as situation updates for state employees, is available online at www.ready.illinois.gov. Employees without Internet access may call 866-848-2125 in Springfield and 866-848-2135 in Chicago for this information.

Wednesday morning the Illinois Department of Transportation cautioned motorists against venturing out unless travel was absolutely necessary. The agency is fully staffed and equipped to plow and salt roadways as necessary, but the department urged motorists to use extreme caution for the duration of the storm.

Motorists can acquire up-to-date roadway condition information at www.gettingaroundillinois.com or www.travelmidwest.com.

Quinn activated the State Emergency Operations Center in Springfield on Monday to coordinate the state's response to the storm. Representatives from nearly a dozen state agencies are staffing the SEOC 24 hours a day throughout the duration of the storm. The governor also issued a disaster declaration for the entire state in advance of the expected heavy snow, ice and blizzard conditions and activated Illinois National Guard troops to assist Illinois State Police in responding to stranded motorists.

[Text from file received from the Illinois Office of Communication and Information]