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Posted 12/17/07
View the 12/14 Blog

The Ice Storm

What a week we have experienced in Junction City. Before I list off a bunch of folks that have been awesome in handling the emergency situation, I want to remind everyone to be safe. Do not use fuel that will compromise the carbon monoxide levels in your home.

It has been a difficult week for the electrical companies and their crews. A great big thanks to each of them for their efforts in restoring power as quickly as possible. A big thank you and hats off to Vice Mayor Mick Wunder; Emergency Management Director Garry Berges; American Red Cross Volunteers Wendy Edwards and Dawn Smith; Dave Stover of Dave’s Electric; Pastor Matthew Glasgow and the Geary County Ministerial Association; Dewey Terrill at KJCK; Alisha Cooper with the Daily Union; Brad Rathert at the City of Milford and to the Garrison staff at Fort Riley for providing generators. A big thank you to all of the City employees and the department heads that have put in many hours to insure the safety and welfare of all our citizens. Some of these folks are Police Chief Bob Story; Recreation Director Jason Haslouer; Water Utility & Parks Director, Ed Lazear; Fire Chief Mike Ryan; Veolia Water Project Manager Steve Hoambrecker, Public Relations Director Carol Gould; City Manager Secretary Jodie Dail; the Customer Service Representatives, Dispatchers, Police Officers and Firefighters.

We are a community that comes together when times are tough. It did not take very long to mobilize a shelter at Spin City. We had volunteers ready to shuttle citizens to and from the shelter. Volunteers were delivering medicine and food where needed. A pet shelter was established through local veterinarian, Jennifer Arneson. We had volunteers answering phones. Generators were ordered from Wichita, Kansas City and Fort Riley provided generators that were installed immediately at numerous locations through out Junction City and the City of Milford. JC Transportation volunteered the use of buses to transport citizens. The Methodist Church provided a bus. It was a first class response. General Tod Bunting, Adjutant General for the Kansas National Guard and the State Emergency Management Director toured Junction City and Milford during the storm. He was impressed that the response team had set as priorities the operation of the hospital and nursing homes. He also was pleased that communities had insured the delivery of water through the use of generators. He was equally pleased with the information sheets the volunteers were using to answer questions as they came in. The state provided an on site person, Toby Prine to assist us with many details.
Now the clean up will begin with removing downed tree limbs. I would ask that everyone be patient as the City crews move through out the community to handle removal of the limbs. If limbs are placed next to the curb, the City crews will pick them up. Geary County has offered the old landfill as a site to receive the limbs free of charge. It will be available every day from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m..

We have learned from this experience and will be critiquing our actions after the fact. If you have suggestions feel free to contact me at 223-5112. In the meantime, thank you for cooperating with City staff to get through this emergency situation. Please keep checking on your neighbors to insure that they are safe.

Email Rod!