Illinois ready to help Texas with storm damage

Posted on August 29, 2017
Flooding
Every state has an agreement to help each other in case of emergency when asked. (Photo courtesy multimedia.illinois.gov)

By Illinois Radio Network

SPRINGFIELD – The state of Illinois is ready with whatever emergency personnel Texas needs. Illinois’ emergency management boss says Texas just needs to ask.

Illinois Emergency Management Agency Director James Joseph on Tuesday said there’s a national emergency database that all states are connected to, and Texas’ first requests for help were filled almost immediately.

“A lot of the requests that initially came in from Texas were very specific to the state’s around them,” Joseph said. “For example, Florida and Louisiana sent some response capabilities very quickly, based on their proximity.”

While he is waiting for Texas to request help, Joseph he’s not waiting to get Illinois emergency response teams ready.

“There are no requests in the system that Illinois can respond to,” Joseph said. “But we’ve put all of our mutual aid partners on alert if you will. On standby.”

A number of states have sent their Task Force One teams to Texas, but Illinois doesn’t have one.

That’s not because Illinois doesn’t have available search and rescue personnel, Joseph said, but because FEMA just designates one team per region and Indiana beat Illinois to the punch.

People in Illinois can also help the recovery effort. The American Red Cross is accepting donations at their website, RedCross.org.

Blogs

Labor Day – Expanding voting rights for all

By Mike Matejka Because of COVID, there is no Labor Day Parade this year.  It’s always a great event for our everyday workers to march proudly down the street and enjoys the festive crowd. If there had been a parade, this year’s Labor Day theme was to be “150 years of struggle: your right to vote.” …

Is federal mobilization the answer?

By Mike Matejka As President Donald Trump threatens to send federal marshals into Chicago, over the objections of Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, recall another Illinois Governor who protested the incursion of armed federal personnel into the city.   Those federal troops, rather than calming, escalated the situation, leading to deaths and violence. Illinois poet Vachel Lindsay…

In these troubled times, to my fellow white Americans

By Mike Matejka Our nation is at a unique watershed in human relations. African-Americans have been killed too many times in the past before George Floyd, but the response to this man’s death is international and all-encompassing. I was a grade-schooler during the Civil Rights 1960s. I watched Birmingham demonstrators hosed and the Selma – Montgomery…

Workers’ Memorial Day – Remember those whose job took their life

Looking around our community, when we say employer, most will respond to State Farm, Country, or Illinois State University.   We too often forget those who are building our roads, serving our food, or our public employees. COVID-19 has made us more aware of the risk.  Going to work every day for some people means…