Dear neighbor,

Below, you will find the latest information on the emergency response to the ice storms that devastated Northern Michigan.

You can also follow my Facebook page for additional information as it becomes available.

Sincerely,

John Damoose
State Senator
37th District

My staff and I have been reading through Facebook comments and have seen some great questions. Many have also called our office seeking information. Here are some answers we have to the most commonly asked questions at the current time:

Q: What happens when our schools run out of snow days?
A: Oddly enough, this requires legislative effort. We are working on legislation to add snow days this year for the schools impacted by the state of emergency.

Q: When will our kids be going back to school?
A: We have been in contact with districts throughout the region, and most of them are planning to restart school on Monday. Helping our kids return to some sense of normalcy has been a top priority — even while many of those families are still without power.

Q: When will my power come on, and why am I not getting updates from my electrical provider?
A: Most of the questions we have received are related to Great Lakes Energy and Presque Isle Electric & Gas. Consumers Energy, Cloverland Electric and Wolverine Power Cooperative are nearly complete with their restorations.

Communications have definitely been a problem, but things have vastly improved since yesterday. We appreciate the efforts made, especially by Great Lakes Energy, in this regard. The regions serviced by Great Lakes Energy were some of the hardest hit. They have reached out and are bringing in additional resources, and the state has provided National Guard troops and other line and tree workers to help.

I believe they are making real progress, and we have just recently learned that the new goal is to have 90% of power restored by Monday. This is a much better forecast than what we were hearing as recently as yesterday.

Q: What about people in our most remote areas?
A: This absolutely is a major concern for everyone responding to this disaster. I visited the Odawa Casino warming shelter in Petoskey and heard a heart-wrenching story of a woman who has been trapped alone with her two children deep in the woods since last weekend. We know there are more people just like her. Police, sheriff's departments, fire, EMS, and the National Guard are conducting extensive wellness checks throughout the entire region. If you know of anyone potentially at risk, please dial 211 right away.

We are also concerned about Beaver Island and are trying to gain more information related to response efforts there. We just heard good news from Presque Isle Electric & Gas that they were able to fly a line crew by helicopter to Bois Blanc Island for restoration efforts to begin.

Q: Will there be assistance in cleaning up my yard?
A: We really don't have a good answer at this point for this question. I looked out at my own yard and had no idea where to even start with the cleanup. I can only imagine there are thousands of people just like me throughout this region and the eastern Upper Peninsula. I know that each county emergency management team is coming up with a plan for debris disposal. This is something we are going to have to address at both the state and federal level. We have been informed that various volunteer organizations are coming up north to help with cleanup efforts. If you are in desperate need, call 211 for more information.

We all need to remember that this is not a short-term event. Once power is fully restored, the real work will begin for us. We will have to come together as neighbors and volunteers to help each other. There may be public assistance from the state or federal government, but we are going to have to step up as local communities and help our neighbors.

Q: Is help forthcoming from FEMA?
A: We spoke directly with the governor, and she has asked President Trump to visit the area. We know that Congressman Bergman is helping spearhead that effort. No matter how you feel about the president, we do need him to be fully aware of the scale of devastation throughout Northern Michigan in order to be able to tap into federal emergency funds.

It is possible that there will be some federal funds, but they are unlikely to come anytime soon. This is because of how relief programs are structured and the pace at which actual dollars are being spent. I can tell you that we will be working hard at the state level to incorporate some sort of disaster relief funding in this year's budget.

Q: Have people forgotten about Cheboygan County?
A: When I heard this question, I was very concerned because nobody wants to feel like they are forgotten.

I can assure you I have not forgotten about the great residents of Cheboygan County, and I know many people who are working hard throughout this region. But based on this question, we asked the statewide director of emergency management specifically about what is happening in Cheboygan County.

Here is his report:

Q: How can I help?
A: We are going to need volunteers over the next several months; there is no question about it. But for now, I would direct everyone to the following:

We will keep you posted as we learn more information, and please feel free to continue reaching out. My staff and I are doing our best to remain available and provide meaningful answers to those who have reached out.

Michigan’s 37th Senate District includes Antrim, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Emmet, Grand Traverse, Leelanau counties and portions of Mackinac and Chippewa counties.