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"It could take a long time for communities to recover after last
week's winter storm," Blagojevich said. "We have a lot of resources
in state government to help them out -- like Department of
Corrections work crews and Department of Transportation equipment.
We continue to listen and respond to what local leaders tell us they
need."
State resources, such as inmates and heavy equipment, are already
assisting with debris removal in Taylorville, Kincaid, Nokomis and
Mechanicsburg. On Thursday, four inmate crews with 28 inmates will
begin working in Decatur to help that city's cleanup efforts. Twenty
trucks and four end loaders from the Department of Transportation
will also assist with debris removal in Decatur. In addition, two
inmate crews with 16 inmates, along with two dump trucks and one end
loader, will be in Shram City on Thursday and Friday for debris
removal. One inmate crew with eight inmates will assist with the
cleanup in Harvel on Friday and Monday, with two Department of
Transportation dump trucks also part of that effort. On Monday, two
inmate crews with 16 inmates, along with two end loaders and six
trucks, will be working in Buffalo and Mechanicsburg to clear storm
debris.
Department of Transportation equipment is also being sent to
Fairview Heights and Swansea on Thursday to assist with cleanup
efforts in those cities. Four trucks and two end loaders are being
sent to Fairview Heights, while one end loader and one chipper will
be in Swansea.
Illinois Army National Guard soldiers continued door-to-door
welfare checks Wednesday on Decatur-area residents who have been
without power since late last week. On Monday, the governor had
directed the National Guard troops to assist Decatur and Macon
County officials in their efforts to ensure the safety of people in
the area. As of Wednesday afternoon, Guardsmen had checked on more
than 4,000 homes, passing out safety information and assisting
people in need of shelter or medical attention.
As of Wednesday afternoon, more than 68,000 homes were still
without electricity in Illinois. While temperatures were warmer
Wednesday in most parts of the state, forecasts for Wednesday
evening and Thursday called for much colder temperatures, with wind
chills below zero or in the single digits. State officials again
remind people, particularly those who are still without power, to
use caution when trying to stay warm and to consider moving to a
shelter if it becomes too cold in the home. Cold weather safety tips
include these:
-
Dress warmly and
in layers.
-
Hang blankets over
windows at night and stuff cracks around doors with rugs,
newspapers, towels or similar materials. Let the sun shine in
during the day to help warm the home.
-
Eat to supply
heat, and drink nonalcoholic beverages to avoid dehydration.
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Do not use candles
to light or heat a home. Make sure you have flashlights and
extra batteries for lighting darkened homes.
-
Never use a
barbecue grill indoors.
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Never attempt to
heat your home with an oven.
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If using a
fireplace, ensure the flue is fully vented to prevent fumes from
building up in the house.
-
Exercise caution
when using generators. The primary hazards with generators are
carbon monoxide poisoning from engine exhaust, electric shock or
electrocution, and fire. Portable generators should never be
used indoors, including in a garage, carport, basement, crawl
space, or other enclosed or partially enclosed area, even with
ventilation. Be sure to turn the generator off and let it cool
down before refueling. Gasoline spilled on hot engine parts
could ignite.
[to top of second column] |
 On Nov. 28, with weather forecasts indicating a possible severe
winter storm, the Illinois Emergency Management Agency began
preparing for possible activation of the State Emergency Operations
Center by reaching out to state agency liaisons and gathering
pre-event information on available assets and response capabilities.
The emergency center has been activated since Nov. 30 to monitor
storm conditions and work with local officials on any state
assistance needed. The center will remain activated as long as
necessary. To date the state has assisted in several ways, including
these:
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Blagojevich
declared 49 counties disaster areas due to record or near-record
snowfall and extraordinary ice formations. The gubernatorial
proclamation assists the Illinois Emergency Management Agency in
coordinating state resources, including the Illinois National
Guard, to support local governments in their disaster response
and recovery efforts. [See
related article posted Wednesday.]
-
More than 500
troops from the Illinois Army National Guard helped ensure the
safety of citizens on Saturday and Sunday. About 100 Guardsmen
were sent to East St. Louis, where they conducted more than 800
door-to-door checks on citizens, while others checked for
stranded motorists at rest stops and along interstate highways
from the I-80 corridor down to I-70.
-
An 18-member
Illinois Medical Emergency Response Team was dispatched to
Decatur to provide medical care at a shelter for special needs
individuals at Richland Community College. Eleven area residents
have been at the shelter.
-
More than 120 cots
from the Illinois National Guard and 600 meals were delivered by
staff from the Department of Central Management Services to four
shelters in St. Clair County.
-
The state
dispatched a mobile command vehicle from Bloomington and an
Illinois Transportable Emergency Communications System from
Champaign to Decatur to aid with the emergency response effort.
The equipment was purchased with the state's homeland security
funding but is available for use during any type of emergency.
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Using an Illinois
National Guard Black Hawk helicopter, an Illinois Department of
Transportation truck, Illinois Department of Natural Resources
snowmobiles and an Illinois State Police four-wheel drive
vehicle, 200 meals were delivered to stranded travelers at a
rest area along I-80 near Princeton on Friday evening, and
another 200 were delivered to stranded motorists at a rest area
east of Galesburg. In addition, Department of Transportation
Aeronautics provided disaster intelligence to the State
Emergency Operations Center via a helicopter flying above the
rest stop.
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The Illinois
National Guard used equipment and personnel to assist with
moving a small passenger jet at the Peoria Airport after the jet
broke down, blocking the gate area.
-
To date, more than
1,700 Department of Transportation trucks have plowed more than
325,000 miles along Illinois interstates and highways.
-
Hundreds of people
have sought a warm place to spend the night at several shelters
established by the American Red Cross.
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The State
Emergency Operations Center is coordinating with local emergency
management officials on assistance needed in their communities
as they respond to the ice, heavy snow and strong winds.
[News release from the governor's office] |
