THE JOURNAL & TOPICS NEWSPAPERS | MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2008
Governor, Politicans Make Plea For Disaster Relief
By BOBBY CHILVER
Journal Reporter
Seemingly every local politician was on hand Monday afternoon at Prairie Lakes Community Center in Des Plaines to help Gov. Rod Blagojevich officially declare Cook, as well as six other counties, state disaster areas.
Joining Blagojevich at the press conference were Cook County Board President Todd Stroger, U.S. Rep Jan Schakowsky, State Rep. Elaine Nekritz, State. Rep. Rosemary Mulligan, Des Plaines Mayor Tony Arredia, Park Ridge Mayor Howard Frimark and Des Plaines aldermen Laura Murphy, Carla Brookman and Mark Walsten. U.S. Rep. Peter Roskam also attended but had to leave before the governor arrived.
"What happened over the weekend was in many ways historic," Gov. Blagojevich said. "But you see the best in people during difficult times."
He said the 90 billion gallons of water dumped on the Chicagoland area was the most ever recorded in that short of a time span.
The governor arrived at the conference directly after a helicopter ride over the county to assess the damage. He said the declaration of a disaster will help bring much needed relief to the many communities affect by the storm.
"We're asking the federal government to do a damage assessment so we can provide help to these families," he said. "We have our work cut out for us."
He said he is "cautiously optimistic" the federal government will help pay for the extensive damage but said the emphasis now is on the people.
"Our first priority in times like this is always life safety," Blagojevich stated.
Stroger followed by reviewing the county's efforts to help bring sandbags, water pumps and other necessary equipment to local municipalities.
Red Cross shelter manager Bob Walsh thanked Des Plaines for use of the Prairie Lakes facility and the many volunteers who stepped up to help those in need.
Each local representative spoke briefly in thanks of the effort to bring federal funding in and stressed the importance of people sticking together in tough times.
Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) Director Andrew Velasquez III said his department will begin collecting damage estimates from municipalities this week. They will be sent to the state, which will then forward them to the federal government for funding approval.
Arredia was optimistic the city would receive the necessary money, recalling over $900,000 received after the storms of August 2007.
It was brought up that money might be tight due hurricane victims needing funding too, but Arredia said that shouldn't be the case.
"We're all part of the United States," he said, "We are all hurting right now and we should all be looked at in the same way."
Monday's press conference was also telling of the damage as some displaced residents sat and ate food provided by the Red Cross. Cots were set up in rooms throughout the center as Arredia estimated about 250 Des Plaines residents were forced out of their homes by flooding.
Stroger said the county number is as much as 3,600.
But even as they all return to their homes, officials know the hard part is just beginning for those who have lost so much.
"Now the big job begins," Nekritz said. "This the hardest time for residents."