Gov. John Kasich has declared a State of Emergency for Ohio and requested federal assistance in providing generators, power generation teams and water.
Details from the request to Pres. Obama:
* There are still nearly 1 million customer outages (as of 1 p.m. on June 30th).
* Full power restoration is not expected for 5-7 days.
* Power outages are disrupting communications across the state - Multi-Agency Regional Communication Systems (MARCS) towers are out in 10 counties and several 911 centers and sheriff's offices are running on generators.
* Ohio National Guard has been activated.
* Generator supplies are being exhausted and the state has no generator supply
* Water commodities will decrease as power continues to be out.
* Neighboring states were also affected, increasing the likelihood of reduced resources.
The letter specifically requests a 54 pack of generators with a Type 3 Emergency Response Package and enough water for 500,000 people for five days. The estimated cost of the assistance is $5 million.
Press Release on State of Emergency:
KASICH DECLARES A STATEWIDE STATE OF EMERGENCY AFTER SEVERE STORMS KNOCK OUT POWER ACROSS 2/3 OF OHIO
Power Outages for One Million Homes, Businesses and Looming Heat Wave Mandate Immediate Statewide Response
COLUMBUS – Today Governor John R. Kasich declared a state of emergency for the entire state of Ohio after severe storms and high winds knocked out power for approximately one million power company customers across two-thirds of the state. The widespread outages could take up to a week to fully restore and, together with the current severe heat wave, could create crisis situations for the elderly, young children and those with sensitive medical conditions.
The governor’s declaration authorizes state agencies to take any necessary actions to assist local government authorities anywhere in Ohio to help respond, cleanup and recovery efforts and coordinate activities.
“I’m very concerned with the problems created by the combination of power outages and severe heat, and so I’ve declared an emergency for all of Ohio so that state resources and personnel can help local governments meet the needs and challenges that they face. Ohioans in affected areas should, if possible, stay tuned to their radios or TVs for information on where they can go for assistance. Those without power can call their local 211 numbers for information on where to turn for help. Folks should also knock on their neighbors’ doors to make sure they’re ok and look out for those who they know might need some extra help. Together we’ll get through this,” said Kasich.
Kasich has directed Ohio Emergency Management Agency Executive Director Nancy Dragani to open the state’s Emergency Operations Center in Columbus to coordinate state and local resources. Officials from all state agencies, volunteer organizations such as Citizen Corps and the American Red Cross are converging at the Emergency Operations Center to monitor response and recovery efforts within the affected areas. The state has already been in contact with Federal Emergency Management Agency officials and will request federal assistance if it is needed.
State agencies supporting the response efforts include the, Ohio Departments of Transportation, Natural Resources, Agriculture, Health, Public Safety, Environmental Protection Agency, and the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio.
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Link to State of Emergency Proclamation
Press Release on Federal Aid Request:
GOV. KASICH REQUESTS FEDERAL DISASTER ASSISTANCE FOR OHIO
Response to Power Outages, Storm Damage May Exceed State Resources
COLUMBUS – In the wake of Friday’s severe storms and massive power outages across Ohio, Governor John R. Kasich today asked the President for an Emergency Declaration for Direct Federal Assistance so that Ohio could begin receiving badly-needed generators and water from the federal government. The governor spoke to the President today to make the request, and also spoke with Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Craig Fugate.
“I shared my concerns with the President that we have a serious situation and will need extra federal help. Massive power outages combined with severe heat create dangerous conditions, especially for the elderly and those with medical needs. The state has been working closely with local emergency management officials to meet immediate needs and going forward we need to make sure we have every available asset to protect Ohioans,” said Kasich.
Earlier in the day the governor declared a statewide emergency so that Ohio resources could begin flowing to local officials and aid their efforts to help Ohioans respond to and recover from the storms.
The governor’s request for federal assistance can be viewed here.
Chronology
* June 30: Gov. Kasich spoke to the President and requested federal assistance to respond to the storm. He also spoke with utility company CEOs and local elected officials to make state resources available to expedite recovery activities.
* June 30: Gov. Kasich declared an emergency for the entire state of Ohio so state agencies can assist local government response and recovery efforts. The National Guard was activated to help deliver needed supplies and conduct door-to-door checks in select areas to identify vulnerable Ohioans threatened by the severe heat.
* June 29: Ohio’s Emergency Operations Center in Columbus was activated to coordinate state and local storm recovery efforts. The state contacted Federal Emergency Management Agency officials to let them know federal assistance may be needed.
* June 29: Severe storms and high winds during evening rush hour knocked out power for approximately one million homes and businesses across two-thirds of the state.
Residents without power can call their local 211 numbers for information and assistance, or 911 in an emergency. Information is also available online at www.ema.ohio.gov and on Twitter at #OHwx and #severeweather.
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Email from Gov. John Kasich:
Today I declared a state emergency and asked President Obama for federal assistance with the hundreds of thousands of people experiencing power outages. Friday's storm came at a time when we were already experiencing tremendous heat and we are doing everything we can to get help to those who need it.
I am calling on people to help their neighbors, especially seniors and those with medical situations. Knocking on someone's door and asking if they need a hand just might save a life.
If you have a local, non-emergency situation please contact your local EMA or dial 211.
Remember to stay away from downed power lines, drink lots of water, and help your neighbor.
Sincerely,
John Kasich
Governor of Ohio
As a side note - they need to think about gasoline supplies. We were in Columbus for the We The People Convention and had trouble locating a gas station that had power - or that could process a credit card transaction. In fact, the closest we found for our route (which we changed from normal due to the traffic from power outages) was in Carey, shortly before I-23 meets up with I-75.
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