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Created on Tuesday, 08 May 2018 09:27

Gov. Rauner Announces SBA Assistance Approved for Iroquois, Kankakee, Vermilion Counties

Residents and Businesses Can Apply for Low-Interest, Long-Term Loans to Boost Recovery from February Floods

SPRINGFIELD (May 7, 2018) – Gov. Bruce Rauner today announced the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) approved the state’s request for assistance to help people and businesses in Iroquois, Kankakee and Vermilion counties recover from severe storms and floods that occurred in February.
 
In addition, people and businesses in counties contiguous to the declared counties also are eligible to apply for low-interest, long-term loans. This includes the Illinois counties of Champaign, Douglas, Edgar, Ford, Grundy, Livingston and Will and the Indiana counties of Benton, Lake, Newton, Vermillion and Warren.
 
“This assistance will help many people and businesses begin the next phase of their recovery from this disaster,” said Gov. Rauner.
 
To be eligible for an SBA declaration, at least 25 homes and/or businesses in a county must sustain major, uninsured losses of 40 percent or more. A damage assessment conducted in March by the SBA determined 74 homes and nine businesses in Iroquois County, 28 homes and three businesses in Kankakee County, and 21 homes and seven businesses in Vermilion County met that criteria.
 
More information about the disaster loan program and details about Disaster Loan Outreach Centers (DLOCs) will be announced by the SBA in the near future.

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Created on Monday, 05 March 2018 08:37

IEMA Urges People to Prepare for Severe Weather

IEMA, IESMA Sponsor Online Weather Alert Radio Contest in March

SPRINGFIELD – As recent widespread flooding demonstrates, severe weather can happen any time of the year. To help people prepare for weather emergencies, IEMA and local emergency management agencies will be promoting Severe Weather Preparedness Month throughout March.

“We want to make sure families have a plan in advance, just in case they’re ever impacted by severe weather,” said IEMA Acting Director Jennifer Ricker. “Throughout the month of March, we’ll help people understand where they should take shelter, the importance of having a family communications plan, and what should be included in their preparedness kit.”

IEMA and the Illinois Emergency Services Management Association (IESMA) are also sponsoring an online contest that offers Illinois residents a chance to win a weather alert radio. The “Weather Alert Radios Save Lives” contest will be available on the Ready Illinois website at www.Ready.Illinois.gov through March 31.

A total of 100 weather alert radios will be awarded to randomly selected participants who register after reading information about the radios and successfully completing a five-question quiz. Winners will be notified in April. The radios were purchased by IESMA to increase the use of the devices throughout Illinois.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) weather alert radios can be programmed to sound an alarm and provide information when a weather warning has been issued for your county. Other ways to receive severe weather warnings include Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA), weather alert apps, TV and radio broadcasts, the Internet, outdoor warning sirens and more.

“Standing among the ruins of their Saline County home, a man, woman and their infant child told me they were thankful for the precious time their NOAA weather alert radio gave them to take shelter,” said McHenry County Emergency Management Director and IESMA Board Member David Christensen, referring to the Feb. 29, 2012, pre-dawn tornado that struck Saline County. “Those three lives saved convinced me of the value of these radios.”

A Severe Weather Preparedness Guide, which provides tips on how to prepare for weather emergencies is available on the Ready Illinois website. Additional tips and information are Available on the Ready Illinois Facebook Page (www.facebook.com/ReadyIllinois) and Twitter Page (twitter.com/ReadyIllinois).   

"Please keep in mind, if there are flooded roads it is very simple, don't drive through flood waters. Turn Around, Don't Drown,” said Chris Miller, warning coordination meteorologist with the NWS office in Lincoln. “Nearly all of the people who have died in floods across Illinois were in vehicles."

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Created on Thursday, 01 February 2018 09:24

IEMA Encourages People to Prepare for Earthquakes

February 7 is 206th anniversary of major quake in New Madrid Seismic Zone

SPRINGFIELD – Some of the largest earthquakes ever recorded in North America rocked the mostly rural central U.S. between December 1811 and February 1812, including parts of southern Illinois. The strongest earthquakes in this series were estimated to be around magnitude 8.0, and were felt as far away as the East Coast.

Today, this multi-state region is heavily populated and highly developed. A similar earthquake now would cause widespread devastation to buildings, utilities, roads, bridges and other infrastructure, as well as result in many injuries and deaths. While damage would be less severe in other parts of Illinois, utility outages, road closures and disruptions to deliveries of essential supplies would significantly impact the lives of most Illinoisans.  

Recognizing the earthquake risk in Illinois, the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) and local emergency management agencies will promote earthquake preparedness throughout February.

“In addition to the New Madrid Seismic Zone, where the 1811-12 quakes occurred, southern Illinois is also adjacent to the Wabash Valley Seismic Zone,” said IEMA Interim Director Jennifer Ricker. “We can’t predict when the next devastating earthquake in this region will happen, but we can help people learn how to protect themselves and reduce damage to their homes.”

Ricker said people need to remember to “Drop, Cover and Hold On” when they feel the ground shaking: “Drop” down to the floor, take “Cover” under a sturdy desk, table or other furniture, and “Hold On” to the furniture item and be prepared to move with it until the shaking ends.

There are several steps people can take to help prevent injuries and property damage at home, such as strapping water heaters and large appliances to wall studs, anchoring overhead fans and light fixtures, and securing cabinet doors with latches. IEMA offers several short videos on do-it-yourself earthquake home mitigation projects at https://www.illinois.gov/iema/Mitigation/Pages/EarthquakeMitigationVideos.aspx.

For additional earthquake preparedness information, visit www.Ready.Illinois.gov or follow IEMA on Facebook (www.facebook.com/ReadyIllinois) and Twitter (twitter.com/ReadyIllinois).

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Created on Wednesday, 03 January 2018 08:29

IEMA Encourages People to ‘Resolve to be Prepared’

Will Highlight Preparedness, Safety Topics Each Month in 2018

SPRINGFIELD – Hurricanes, floods, wildfires, blizzards and other disasters across the U.S. in 2017 highlighted the importance of being prepared for all types of emergencies. As the New Year begins, the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) and local emergency management agencies throughout Illinois are encouraging people to ‘Resolve to be Ready’ for emergencies in 2018. The agencies will offer support throughout the year to help people attain the goal of better preparedness for themselves and their families.

Each month, the agencies will provide information on various preparedness or safety topics, including severe and winter weather, earthquakes, radiation, school and campus safety, cyber security and more. 

One of the first steps toward emergency preparedness is having an emergency supply kit stocked with basic survival items that are critical during an emergency, such as:

• One gallon of water per person per day (a minimum of a three-day supply)
• At least a three-day supply of non-perishable food
• First aid kit
• Battery-operated radio, flashlight and extra batteries
• Items for children, seniors, pets, and household members with health or medical needs

Disasters often occur with little notice, so it’s also important to have multiple ways to receive critical information 24/7, such as through NOAA all-hazards weather alert radios, Wireless Emergency Alerts enabled on most smartphones, mobile device apps, TV, radio and the Internet.

IEMA maintains the Ready Illinois website (www.Ready.Illinois.gov), a one-stop location for preparedness information on a variety of hazards.  In addition to information on how to prepare for emergencies, the Ready Illinois website also provides guidance on what to do during and after a disaster. A list of the 2018 monthly preparedness topics is also available on the Ready Illinois website.

Preparedness information is also available through the Ready Illinois Facebook (www.facebook.com/ReadyIllinois) and Twitter (twitter.com/ReadyIllinois) pages.