By Dave Dahl

SPRINGFIELD – Gov. JB Pritzker, in another trip to the tornado-ravaged Metro East, said he has declared Madison County and others affected by Friday’s storms a disaster area. He is optimistic of help from the federal government.

Joining Pritzker at a news conference in the Pontoon Beach board room Monday were two officials from Amazon, whose Edwardsville warehouse collapsed, killing six.

John Felton, senior vice president of global delivery services, said the company is granting paid time off to its employees and will rebulid the warehouse.

With questions about preparations and warnings coming from reporters, Amazon spokeswoman Kelly Nantel described the areas where employees were to go in the event of a tornado: “There is one on the north side. That is where the vast majority of our employees and partners went. A small handful – we speculate because of the kind work they were doing, they congregated on the southern side of the facility.”

Responding to a question of the advance notice to seek shelter, she replied,  “Minutes.”

Dave Dahl can be reached at [email protected].