The governor of Illinois has declared a state of emergency after heavy rains cause flooding around the state.
According to the Office of Governor Pat Quinn, the announcement Thursday, April 18, 2013 notified residents that state agencies and emergency personnel are ready to assist local governments throughout northern Illinois dealing with severe river and flash flooding.
Governor Quinn urges residents to stay off dangerous roadways if possible.
The State Incident Response Center is active and is coordinating the state’s response to the floods. The following departments are taking action:
- Illinois Department of Central Management Services is monitoring conditions at state facilities to ensure state agencies can continue to provide critical services to the public and is prepared to procure flood-fighting supplies if needed.
- Illinois Department of Corrections will have 30 inmates at the Pittsfield Work Camp in Pike County assist with filling sandbags for local public safety officials.
- Illinois Department of Public Health is providing local public health departments, hospitals, and medical offices in the affected areas with information on tetanus shots.
- Illinois State Police is assisting motorists stranded by floodwaters and working with local public safety officials on road closures.
- Illinois National Guard is coordinating with IEMA in the event troops are needed to assist flooded communities.
- Illinois Emergency Management Agency is coordinating the state’s response and has deployed staff throughout the affected areas to assist local officials.
- Illinois Department of Natural Resources dispatched conservation officers to Sycamore to assist with evacuation of residents in a flooded mobile home park.
- Office of the State Fire Marshal is coordinating with fire departments throughout the state to assess any flood-related issues they’re experiencing.
- American Red Cross has opened shelters in Roanoke, Oglesby and Lisle and is continuing to assess the need for shelters and other assistance.
More information about the state’s flood response and flood safety is available on the Ready Illinois website at Ready.Illinois.gov.
