Local and state elected officials and Kenosha County Emergency Management personnel updated the community on ongoing flood recovery efforts in a news conference this afternoon at the former Silver Lake Village Hall in the Village of Salem Lakes.
Wisconsin Department of Transportation Secretary Dave Ross, State Representative Samantha Kerkman and Kenosha County Supervisor Erin Decker were among a group of government officials who toured flood-damaged areas this morning.
Kerkman and Sheriff’s Department officials remind onlookers to avoid these areas, if possible, as recovery efforts continue.
Highway 50, which has been closed at the Fox River since last week, will remain closed until Tuesday at the earliest. While the water on the roadway is receding, Kerkman noted that Ross said the roadbed underneath the pavement must dry out before the highway reopens.
Video of the news conference is available on the Kenosha County Government Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/kenoshacountygovt/.
In other developments today:
- A Multi-Agency Response Center (MARC) is being activated to provide assistance to flood victims. This center, to be located at Riverview School, is expected to open later this week. More details will be announced as they become available. Meantime, an overnight shelter for those displaced by the floods remains in operation at Salem Grade School, 8828 Antioch Road (Highway 83). Users are asked to enter through the west entrance off of Highway AH (89th Street).
- Kenosha County public health nurses remain available beginning at 8 a.m. daily to provide tetanus shots to people who experienced puncture wounds in the flooding. Today, 41 vaccines were provided at the former Silver Lake Village Hall. Nurses are also available at the Kenosha County Center and the Kenosha County Job Center.
- Water testing kits for residents with submerged wells arrived from the state this afternoon. They are being made available at the former Silver Lake Village Hall, 113 S. First St., and at other area town and village halls, the Kenosha County Center at highways 45 and 50 in Bristol and the Kenosha County Job Center, 8600 Sheridan Road in Kenosha. Affected residents may pick up a kit at any locations. People are encouraged to call head to confirm availability. The county Division of Health will pick up samples for testing at 2 p.m. each day this week at the County Center, the former Silver Lake Village Hall and the Salem Lakes Village Hall, 9814 Antioch Road (Highway 83). Collection times and locations for next week will be announced Friday.
- Floodwater cleaning kits, provided by the Salvation Army, are also available at town and village halls and the Kenosha County Center.
- The county Division of Health today collected samples for beach water quality testing on Silver Lake and other lakes affected by flooding. Results will be reported once they become available Tuesday, at http://www.kenoshacounty.org/348/Beach-Conditions.
- Authorities remind boaters not to make wakes on Silver Lake and other areas where there are lakeside or riverside flooding. There have been reported instances where waves caused by boats have lapped up to the doorways of homes.
- The following roads remained closed due to flooding as of Monday afternoon:
Highway 50 at the Fox River bridge (Highway W)
Highway W north of Highway F
Highway B between highways F and AH
Highway EA between highways S and L
- The Sheriff’s Department reminds people not to drive around barricades and onto closed-off roadways. The county Division of Highways is now working vigorously to repair roadways and ditch lines that may have been compromised by floodwaters. These areas are sporadic and ongoing. Drivers should use caution while traveling.
- The Sheriff’s Department continues to remind people to beware of scams from supposed cleanup companies and people claiming to be with relief agencies seeking personal information. Those who believe they may have been targeted by a scammer should call Kenosha Joint Services dispatch at 262-656-1234. A list of area water damage restoration companies, compiled by the Kenosha County Sheriff’s Department, is at http://www.kenoshacounty.org/DocumentCenter/View/6912.
Other resources/links:
Report damage:
- All Kenosha County residents, businesses or farms that sustained flood damage are reminded to report that damage to the Kenosha County Emergency Management Flood Hotline at 262-605-7924, leaving a message detailing the damage sustained. Damage may also be reported by email at disaster@kenoshacounty.org. Reporting damage will assist the county in its efforts to obtain disaster relief funding.