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January 8, 2008
For more information contact:
Ben Schliesman @ 262-605-7900

Two to Four Tornadoes Touch Down In Kenosha County
According to the National Weather Service (NWS) which had two Teams in Kenosha County today a total of four Tornadoes may have touched down in Kenosha County. Per Rusty Kapela of the National Weather Service, “We had record breaking warm air with a unique set up of a strong jet stream and wind sheer that caused the development of thunderstorms which had the make up to produce tornadoes and ultimately did just that.”

According to the two teams from the NWS, the first Tornado started at approximately 4:02 - 4:03 p.m. in Walworth County NE of Pell Lake and moved over Hwy O and Hwy 50 in Kenosha County before ending in Klondike area of Paddock Lake (between PH & 41st Street--take 75 north to NN and go NW on 41st Street to small lake). The Tornado was 10-1/2 miles total length, ending at approximately 4:20 - 4:25 p.m. and was rated EF-3 (winds of 138 – 167 mph). According to hearsay, there was possibly a second tornado 3/4 mile SE of the main tornado. The second Tornado that started in the City of Kenosha started at approximately 4:39 p.m. just east of 18th Street & 31st Avenue; moved E/NE and ended at approximately 4:43 p.m. and was rated EF-1 (winds of 86 – 109 mph).

According to an eyewitness there were possibly 2 tornadoes there.
Yesterday, right after the Tornado Touchdowns, County Executive Allan Kehl declared a Countywide Disaster Declaration for Kenosha County and today Governor James Doyle declared a Proclamation Declaring a State of Emergency in Kenosha County.

A team of people from FEMA, WI Emergency Management and Kenosha County Emergency Management were out looking at damages. Currently damages are as follows:
Western Kenosha County (Randall, Salem, Wheatland)

-20 Homes Destroyed
-25 Homes with Moderate to Major damages
-25 Homes with Minor to Moderate damages
Eastern Kenosha County (City of Kenosha, Town of Somers)
-6 Buildings Destroyed
-7 Buildings with Moderate to Major damages
-21 Buildings with Minor to Moderate damages

“Kenosha County’s Outdoor Warning Sirens were sounded four times,” stated Ben Schliesman, Director, Kenosha County Emergency Management. “People that heard the sirens did what they were suppose to do and went into their basements and/or inner rooms of the lowest level of their homes. As a reminder Kenosha County’s sirens are Outdoor Warning Sirens meant to be heard outdoors. Every household, business and school should have an NOAA All Hazard Weather Radio so that they are constantly in-tune with changing weather conditions and/or non-weather emergencies.”
Per the Sheriff’s Dept., residents are allowed back in their homes if they feel it is safe enough to enter. Today the Salvation Army and the American Red Cross has been out serving food to home owners and first responders.

“All home owners should be contacting their insurance companies, we also ask residents to call Kenosha County Emergency Management at 262-605-7926 to report whether you have insurance or not and if any uninsured damages, said Schliesman. “Homeowners should check out repair contractors with the Chamber of Commerce or Better Business Bureau to make sure that they are legitimate contractors as scammers take advantage of residents in times like these”

Assistance and for those wanting to volunteer may contact the following numbers:
-To Volunteer, call Kenosha County Emergency Management’s Volunteer Hotline at 262-605-7924
-If you need Assistance you can contact Crisis Intervention at 262-657-7188 or 1-800-236-7188 or the American Red Cross at 262-554-9997.

For those wishing to donate, you may contact the Wheatland Town Hall at 262-537-4340 and/or Kenosha County Emergency Management at 262-605-7900.

The Kenosha County Division of Health will be providing free well water test kits to those individuals affected by the tornado and flooding that may follow. In addition, individuals assisting with relief efforts should be aware of the risks of tetanus due to exposure to sharp objects and make certain they have had a current tetanus vaccine. Tetanus vaccines are available for $7.00. These services are available at the Kenosha County Division of Health locations:
• Kenosha County Division of Health, 8600 Sheridan Road, Suite 600, Kenosha
• Kenosha County Center, Hwy 50 and Hwy 45, Bristol
• For further information contact the Kenosha County Division of Health at (262)605-6700.

Winter Tornado Blasts Through
Kenosha County
Area residents turn focus on emergency preparedness

"We had a wake-up call Monday nigh at our house. Our subdivision was hit by the tornado - three houses were hit - two are gone. We are so fortunate and are still in shock that our home was spared.

I have an empty preparedness kit in my basement - I was going to fill it tomorrow, but tomorrow passed me by several times. All of our important documents are in a bin in a closet on the first floor. What if...? Now our yard is filled with pieces of other lives - siding, insulation, drywall - and some of their memories. My daughter found a page from someone's yearbook.

Tonight, I am going to Target and Super Valu to buy what I need to fill my preparedness kit. A sample kit is in the ice room. My important documents are being moved to the basement. And, most importantly, our family now has a plan to contact each other to make sure we are all safe. Please do the same at your home. Who ever thought we would have a tornado in January. We certainly never thought it would devastate our community.

Finally, say a prayer for all of those who did lose everything - and, another for the all the lives that were saved."

Diana Andrekus

Public Health Specialist
Kenosha County Division of Health

CITIZEN CORPS OF WASHINGTON COUNTY JOINS MORE THAN 1,700 ORGANIZATIONS IN
FOURTH ANNUAL HOMELAND SECURITY NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS MONTH

Citizen Corps of Washington County offers Ready….Set…Go Preparedness Program

Citizen Corps of Washington County will partner with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and more than 1,700 national, regional, state, and local organizations to support National Preparedness Month 2007. This campaign occurs annually in September, and encourages Americans to prepare for all types of emergencies in their homes, businesses, schools, and communities. DHS promotes individual emergency preparedness through the Ready Campaign and the department’s Citizen Corps Program throughout the year.

As part of National Preparedness Month, Citizen Corps of Washington County will offer a FREE educational preparedness presentation called, Ready..Set..Go.. at the Town of Richfield Town Hall on Thursday, Sept. 13 from 6 – 8 p.m. Registration is not necessary. Ready…Set…Go educates the public on identifying threats and hazards that could occur in the community, the importance of disaster planning and how to develop a family disaster plan.

Citizen Corps of Washington County also has educational displays and literature available throughout September at local libraries including: West Bend, Hartford, Slinger, Kewaskum and Germantown.

“Too many individuals remain in a state of denial when it comes to personal preparedness,” said Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff. “Able-bodied Americans need to be prepared to take care of themselves and their families after an emergency, so that first responders can focus on those who need assistance most. With the help of our coalition members, we encourage Americans to get an emergency supply kit, make a family communications plan, and be informed about the different types of emergencies that may affect them.”

For more information on Ready…Set…Go.., or to schedule a presentation for your organization, contact Citizen Corps of Washington County at 262-338-8256, or visit www.volunteernow.net.

Citizen Corps brings together community emergency and government leaders to involve community members in emergency preparedness, planning, mitigation, response, and recovery. Through Citizen Corps and its program partners and affiliates, individuals can find training and volunteer opportunities to support first responders in an emergency.

Volunteer Center Opens Second Saturdays for Citizen Corps HeartSaver First Aid
and Computer Recycling Service

On Saturday, April 14, Citizen Corps of Washington County will roll out a new program called Second Saturday, offering training on emergency and disaster preparedness for community members. The April 14 training will feature HeartSaver First Aid from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. at the Volunteer Center office, 237 N. Main St., West Bend.

The HeartSaver First Aid Course teaches participants how to manage illness and injuries, in the first few minutes until professional help arrives. Course content includes General Principles, Medical Emergencies and Injury Emergencies. The cost for the course is $5 and is ideal for those dealing with children ages 8 and older. This is a credentialed course. Space is limited, so registration is required. Call the Volunteer Center to register at 262-338-8256.

The May 12 Second Saturday training will feature information on sheltering presented by the American Red Cross – West Bend Chapter. Class size is limited, so registration is required. To register, call 262-338-8256.

Second Saturdays is offered in partnership with the Volunteer Center of Washington County's Computer Recycling Program, which recycles used computer equipment, except main frames, through the Department of Corrections. All private information must be erased before the equipment is donated. To offset program costs, a small handling fee includes:

$15.      per Monitor, Laptop, or All-In-One Machine
$ 5.      per CPU/Hard Drive, Printer or Scanner
$ 2.      per Keyboard
FREE    Mice, Cables, External Drives, Speakers

Hard drives must be blanked out before accepted. A suggested website for free software to erase computers is: http://www.heidi.ie/eraser/ . Cash and checks accepted.

Review of 2006 WI Weather Extremes and Emergencies
(MADISON) State and local emergency officials responded to a variety of emergencies in Wisconsin in 2006, ranging from explosions in Milwaukee and Ellison Bay to blizzards and one of the most costly hailstorms that hit the state.
     Two deadly propane blasts occurred in Wisconsin, resulting in five deaths and nearly 60 injuries. On December 6, an explosion occurred at the Falk Corporation in Milwaukee, killing three workers and injuring 46 others.   On July 10, a Michigan couple was killed and 12 others were injured when an early morning series of propane explosions occurred at the Cedar Grove Resort in Ellison Bay. The explosion rocked the small community in Door County.
     After a record-setting 62 tornadoes in Wisconsin in 2005, severe weather was relatively quiet in 2006. Thirteen tornadoes were documents by the National Weather Service, with all but one located in the southern half of the state. All the tornadoes were weak, of F0 or F1 in strength. One of the F1 tornadoes hit parts of Hartford on Father’s Day causing $4 million in damage.
      On April 13, a series of thunderstorms with strong winds and hail moved across Dane, Jefferson and Calumet Counties. Weather spotters reported hail of over 4 inches in diameter in Jefferson County. The hail damaged roofs and homes and pelted vehicles. Overall damage reported was over $160 million.
     While it looks like December will end with above normal temperatures and below normal snowfall, the month started out with a winter storm/blizzard. On December 1, the southeast and east-central parts of the state were hammered with a winter storm that dumped 12-17 inches of snow in parts of Waukesha, Milwaukee, Walworth, Kenosha and Racine Counties. Many schools and sporting events were cancelled due to the weather.

     For a list of 2006 Weather Extremes, collected by the National Weather Service, click on Educate Yourself on the menu at the left.

(MADISON) Wisconsin Emergency Management (WEM) has joined other government programs across the nation today to unveil a new icon for emergency management. The new symbol will be used by local, state, tribal and federal agencies to draw attention to emergency preparedness.      “Citizens across the state need to be prepared for any disaster or emergency,” said WEM Administrator Johnnie Smith. “This new symbol will help remind people that while government agencies are there to help those in need in an emergency, it is everyone’s responsibility to be prepared and informed.”
     Recently, in Washington, D.C., representatives from state and local emergency management programs joined with officials from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in unveiling the new national symbol. The icon replaces the old civil defense symbol, a relic from the Cold War era.
     The old civil defense symbols were easily recognizable by the public and were used in public service campaigns. The new symbol is meant to be a visual reminder that there are government agencies at all levels working together to protect the lives and property of all Americans.
      The national icon will be incorporated into the Wisconsin Emergency Management logo (see top of page). In Wisconsin, many county programs are also considering incorporating the icon into their own local department or agency logo.

PSAs Featuring Real Families and First Lady Laura Bush are Designed to
Encourage Americans to Prepare for all Types of Emergencies
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and The Advertising Council unveiled new public service advertisements (PSAs) today to support the Ready Campaign. Ready is a national public service advertising campaign designed to educate and empower Americans to prepare for and respond to emergencies.
The new PSAs unveiled today include television, radio, print, internet and outdoor versions created pro bono by BBDO New York. Also released today is a television ad featuring First Lady Laura Bush discussing emergency preparedness. All of the new PSAs highlight the fact that many families have not yet taken the steps needed to prepare for emergencies including getting an emergency supply kit, making a family emergency plan and learning more about different emergencies and their appropriate responses. To view PSA's visit www.ready.gov

October

Cedar Community Trains Employees for Emergency Response
   Cedar Campus employees will be better prepared for emergencies after spending a weekend learning hands-on about CERT – Community Emergency Response Training – offered through Citizen Corps of Washington County and the Washington County Office of Emergency Management.
     Through the 20-hour CERT training, Cedar Community employees will learn how to use a fire extinguisher, learn basic medical operations, perform light search and rescue and increase their knowledge of team organization and disaster psychology.
     Their training will be tested on Sunday at a disaster simulation, which requires the CERT team to organize and activate an Incident Command Center.
    “More than 15 Cedar Community employees stepped up to the plate to be involved for their community, and I’m proud of their commitment,” said Cedar Community Safety and Security Director Gary Karnitz. “It’s training we hope we’ll never have to use, but it’s comforting to know we’ve got some quality volunteers here ready to help.”
     CERT is as free emergency preparedness program of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) offered to the public to train members of neighborhoods, community organizations or workplaces in basic response skills. CERT trained volunteers can assist others by applying basic response and organizational skills they learned during training to help save and sustain lives in an emergency. Originally developed and implemented by the Los Angeles Fire Department in 1985 after a series of earthquakes. CERT is offered for FREE in Washington County through the State of Wisconsin and Washington County Emergency Management.
     Based in West Bend since 1953, Cedar Community is a not-for-profit, church-affiliated provider of quality health care, rehabilitation and senior housing. They employ more than 600 staff, 400 volunteers and serve more than 1000 residents and patients.