July 12, 2011

Seal

Lake County News

From

Craig Taylor

 

Craig Taylor, Representative District 19

 
 
CraigTaylor
Craig Taylor, District 19 Representative (Click on picture)

Here is the latest update I have concerning damage from the storm we experienced yesterday. Unfortunately many residents in our area are still without electricity. Our hearts, prayers and thoughts are with everyone during this difficult time.
 
 Please forward this e-newsletter to anyone you feel may benefit from its content. By helping me get the word out in this manner you're also helping me GO GREEN! Thank you!!

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Should you need to contact me, my contact information follows:
 
Home phone: 847-438-2961
Cell phone: 224-805-6027

or email:

I consider it a honor and privilege to serve you!

Please stay safe!
Thanks!

Lake County Board Member & Lake County Forest Preserve Commissioner
District 19 Representative
Hawthorn Woods, Kildeer, Lake Zurich, Long Grove
 
STORM UPDATE 

Lake County Storm Severe Weather Response

 

 

 

Lake County and adjoining counties have been impacted by several severe weather events over the past few weeks, most recently the widespread straight-line winds that swept through the county yesterday morning (Tuesday, July 11th). Many communities were still working to clean up debris and restore damages from the severe windstorms of June 21st and June 30th, and the significant damage that occurred yesterday impacted most communities in Lake County to some extent.

 

Many trees were damaged or destroyed by the strong winds across the county. Wind gusts in excess of seventy miles per hour (70 mph) were measured at several locations including the Lake County Emergency Operations Center in Libertyville, and the storms also brought frequent lightning to the area. The falling trees damaged many homes, cars, and utility infrastructure, and major power outages remain throughout the northeastern Illinois area.

 

Lake County officials participate in regular conference calls with Commonwealth-Edison, and will continue to work with Com-Ed personnel to facilitate the expeditious restoration of electrical service across the county. Com-Ed has identified that Monday's storm now ranks as one of the two most serious in their records in terms of the number of customers impacted, with more than 850,000 affected customers at the peak of the outage. A few hundred thousand outages have already been restored, but it will likely require multiple days of work for all damaged infrastructure to be repaired and all outages to be restored. The northern region of the Com-Ed service area was the most significantly impacted, and this region includes all of Lake County. Com-Ed reports that they expect to have 90% of outages in the northern region restored by noon on Friday and 99% of all northern region outages restored by 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, July 17. Commonwealth Edison reports that more than 400 of their own crews are working on restoration, and expect to have an additional 300 contract crews from as far away as Texas, Alabama, and Florida working on service restoration in our area by Thursday.

 

Lake County employees and volunteers have been providing emergency assistance throughout the county, doing important work such as keeping vital water and waste-water facilities functioning, clearing debris from roads, directing traffic, processing emergency calls, providing health services, supporting communities, and collaborating with partner units of government and private organizations throughout the county.

 

As a result of the widespread damage and impact with the most recent storm, Lake County Board Chairman David Stolman has proclaimed a state of emergency in Lake County, a proclamation which facilitates the sharing of resources and supports the county's request to the Illinois Emergency Management Agency for assistance with debris removal. While it isn't clear that any state or federal disaster assistance will become available, Lake County Emergency Management is compiling initial damage and cost assessments from communities in regard to all of the recent storms.

 

Because of the expected prolonged power outages, several communities have opened "cooling centers" where residents may seek shelter from the heat and humidity. Lake County and partners are working to improve the safety of intersections where signals are out or malfunctioning. The Lake County Division of Transportation reminds drivers to treat any intersection where signals are malfunctioning as if that intersection is an all-way stop.

 

The Lake County Health Department and Community Health Centers remind residents of these important food and water safety guidelines for power outages:

 

Food Safety

If the power is out for less than two hours, then the food in your refrigerator and freezer will be safe to consume. While the power is out, keep the refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible to keep food cold for longer.

If the power is out for longer than two hours, protect refrigerated foods by packing milk, other dairy products, meat, fish, eggs, gravy, and spoilable leftovers into a cooler surrounded by ice. Inexpensive styrofoam coolers are fine for this purpose. For longer duration outages, a freezer that is half full will hold food safely for up to 24 hours and a full freezer will hold food safely for 48 hours. Do not open the freezer door if you can avoid it. When preparing previously refrigerated food, use a food thermometer to check the temperature of your food right before you cook or eat it. Throw away any food that has a temperature of more than 40 degrees Fahrenheit.

Drinking Water Safety

When power goes out, water purification systems may not be functioning fully. Safe water for drinking, cooking, and personal hygiene includes bottled, boiled, or treated water. Here are some general rules concerning water for drinking, cooking, and personal hygiene. Remember:

� Do not use contaminated water to wash dishes, brush your teeth, wash and prepare food, wash your hands, make ice, or make baby formula. If possible, use baby formula that does not need to have water added.

� If you use bottled water, be sure it came from a safe source. If you do not know that the water came from a safe source, you should boil or treat it before you use it. Use only bottled, boiled, or treated water until your supply is tested and found safe.

� Boiling water, when practical, is the preferred way to kill harmful bacteria and parasites. Bringing water to a rolling boil for one minute will kill most organisms.

� If you don't have clean, safe, bottled water and if boiling is not possible, you often can make water safer to drink by using a disinfectant, such as unscented household chlorine bleach, iodine, or chlorine dioxide tablets. These can kill most harmful organisms, such as viruses and bacteria. However, only chlorine dioxide tablets are effective in controlling more resistant organisms, such as the parasite Cryptosporidium.

 

Lake County encourages residents to be patient with the widespread damage and continuing service outages, and to stay safe by paying attention to the situation around their home, business, school, or neighborhood.

 

Com Ed estimates that restoration of all outages will take multiple days. Power outages and downed wires should be reported to Com Ed at 1-800-Edison-1. Please do not go near any power lines that are down. For information on power outages, including maps and the restoration process, please visit:

https://www.comed.com/sites/customerservice/Pages/OutageInformation.aspx

 
LAKE COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT HELPS

WORD JUST IN FROM THE LAKE COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE

 

The Sheriff's Office has notified us that it has deployed the entire Reserve Deputy Unit to assist with traffic control this evening - a total of 46 members. They will be assisting at the following major intersections where lights are not functioning:

 

�Rt 45 and Rt 173

�Rt 83 AND APTAKISIC

�Rt 176 and Fairfield Road

�Gilmer Road and Ellis Road

 

Reserve deputies have also responded to numerous trees and power lines down where they re-route traffic.

 

 

 
PRESCRIPTION DRUG PROGRAM

 

PRESCRIPTION DRUG CARD

  
County residents can take advantage of a prescription drug discount card program. The free card that is accepted at most pharmacies offers average savings of 20 percent off the retail price of commonly prescribed drugs. This is intended for people without prescription coverage or on medicines not covered by your plan. The card may also be used where accepted to fill prescriptions for pets. To print a card, CLICK HERE
 
DENTAL DISCOUNT PROGRAM

 

DENTAL DISCOUNT CARD

  

A new dental discount card program is now available that will help Lake County residents save money on their dental service expenses. The NACo Dental Discount Card Program, provided by the National Association of Counties (NACo) in partnership with Careington International Corporation, can help Lake County residents save up to 50 percent on their dental care services, and 20 percent on orthodontic services. Individuals or families may opt to pay for a monthly or yearly membership. The cost for a yearly individual membership is $59 and $69 for families. More than 200 providers in Lake County are participating in this program. Discount card holders will receive significant savings from these providers on dental cleanings, x-rays, braces, dentures, crowns, root canals and more. This plan is not insurance.

To sign up for the Dental Discount Card Program, residents can download a registration form at: http://www.careington.com/co/NACO/. A list of participating providers and more information is available.

 
COMMUNITY "QUICK LINKS"

For community information check out these websites:

 
LAKE COUNTY "QUICK LINKS"

For county information check out these websites:

 

COUNTY ASSESSOR

COUNTY CLERK

HEALTH DEPARTMENT

JOB CENTER

LAKE COUNTY FOREST PRESERVES WEBSITE

LAKE COUNTY STORMWATER MANAGEMENT COMMISSION

LAKE COUNTY WEBSITE

SOLID WASTE AGENCY of LAKE COUNTY (SWALCO)

RECORDER of DEEDS

VISITORS BUREAU

 

TRAVEL "QUICK LINKS"

For transportation information check out these websites:

 

AMTRAK

GARY-CHICAGO-MILWAUKEE CORRIDOR TRAVEL INFORMATION

ILLINOIS DEPT. OF TRANSPORTATION (IDOT) CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS

ILLINOIS DEPT. OF TRANSPORTATION (IDOT) TRAVEL CONDITIONS

ILLINOIS TOLLWAY CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS

LAKE COUNTY PASSAGE

METRA INFORMATION

PDA TRAVEL UPDATES

REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY (RTA)

WISCONSIN DEPT. OF TRANSPORTATION CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS

2011 LAKE & COOK COUNTY HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS

 
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