Governor Quinn Declares Four Counties State Disaster Areas

DWIGHT – June 7, 2010. Governor Pat Quinn today declared LaSalle, Livingston, Peoria and Putnam counties state disaster areas after touring tornado-ravaged areas of Dwight and talking with affected residents. The state disaster declaration will help communities in the five-county area recover from devastation caused by a series of tornadoes Saturday evening that cut a path through North Central Illinois.

“After viewing devastation caused by these tornadoes, it’s obvious that this state disaster declaration is needed to help these communities recover,” said Governor Quinn. “The state has many tools that can be mobilized quickly to help with recovery efforts, and this declaration will ensure that those assets continue to be provided for as long as they are needed.”

The state’s response and recovery assets include personnel and equipment to assist with security and other public safety issues, as well as trucks, heavy equipment and work crews to speed debris removal.

The State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) in Springfield was activated late Saturday evening and liaisons from several state agencies were called in to coordinate any requests from local emergency management officials for state assistance. To date, that assistance has included:

• Dwight -- Fifteen trucks and two end loaders from the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) along with one Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC) inmate crew to assist with debris removal on Monday and Tuesday.
   
• Elmwood -- Ten trucks, two crews and one chipper from IDOT to assist with debris removal on Sunday and Monday.
   
• Magnolia – Six trucks and two end loaders from IDOT along with two inmate crews from IDOC to assist with debris removal
   
• Streator – IDOT barricades for traffic control

“IEMA has had personnel on the ground since the storms struck to ensure Dwight and the other affected communities get the assistance they need,” said IEMA Interim Director Joe Klinger. “I want to assure these communities that we will continue to assist them throughout their recovery.”

Additional information about the state’s storm response efforts is available at www.Ready.Illinois.gov.