Dane County Storm Damage Update

August 19, 2005
J. McLellan - 608/267-2542 Dept. of Emergency Management
Emergency Management

(Updated info as of 6:00 AM is listed in bold type.) Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk has declared a State of Emergency for the entire county to deal with the damage caused by last evening’s severe weather and reported tornado activity. The declaration authorizes all resources of the county to be brought to bear to assist in the response to the damage. Additionally, County Executive Falk will make a formal request through Governor Doyle to have President Bush issue a Federal disaster declaration for Dane County. A pass system has been implemented to regulate access to the areas in and around Stoughton affected by the reported tornado activity Thursday evening. Residents who were displaced from their homes will need to report to Stoughton City Hall, 381 East Main Street beginning at 7:00 a.m. to be issued a pass/identification. The pass will identify the individuals as residents of the affected area. This process is intended to safeguard the security of property and the safety of residents impacted by the storms. At approximately 6:30 PM on August 18th, a reported tornado caused extensive damage in southeast Dane County in the Townships of Dunn and Pleasant Springs and the northern portion of the City of Stoughton. Much of the damage occurred near the Lakeview Subdivision near Lake Kegonsa and a smaller subdivision near Hwy B in the NW part of Stoughton. Damage in other areas of the county is also being assessed. Preliminary reports indicated 21 people were conveyed to area hospitals with injuries. The extent of the other injuries is not yet known. The Dane County Coroner has confirmed one storm related fatality in the Stoughton area. The name and address are being withheld pending notification of the next of kin. If you wish to make an inquiry as to the welfare of anyone in the storm affected area, please contact the American Red Cross at 608/227-1259 or 608/227-1331. The American Red Cross has opened a shelter for displaced residents in the Community Building, of the River Bluff Campus, 320 North Street in Stoughton. The The Red Cross will also be opening a service center on Friday morning to provide additional assistance to those in need. The Salvation Army is also establishing an emergency canteen to serve first responders and area residents affected by the storm. Preliminary reports of property damage are that 18 homes have been destroyed and numerous homes have suffered damage in southeast Dane County. Staff will begin field assessments in the daylight on Friday morning (August 19th). It is critically important that the public stay out of storm affected areas. Traffic will make it more difficult for emergency responders to assist residents and the area still may contain many hazards. A fully coordinated emergency response is under way to assist the area residents impacted by the storms. Stoughton Police, Fire and the Dane County Sheriff’s Office are on the scene. The Sheriff has also assigned additional personnel in the storms affected areas to secure and protect damaged areas. Dane County Hwy Dept. is working to clear the roads. Utilities reported all storm related gas leaks were contained as of 11:30 p.m. Thursday night. Crews from Broadhead and Sun Prairie utilities are assisting Stoughton utility crews in repairing power lines. Power is expected to be turned back on by mid-day Friday. Alliant Energy is reporting 2,400-3,000 customers without power in the area outside of Stoughton. The number of customers in the City of Stoughton without power is not available at this time. Residents or businesses in Dane County that experienced damage, including agricultural and livestock loss, from the storms are asked to call their local municipality (city, village or town) to report their damage. Municipalities will pass that information on to the Dane County Department of Emergency Management. People who have lost pets in the Stoughton area due to the storm or people who have discovered dead pets as a result of the storm should contact the Emergency Clinic for Animals at 274-7772.