West Virginia National Guard Story Archives - Page 8 of 9

W.Va. Governor Prepares for Winter Storm

Governor Tomblin has issued a statewide State of Preparedness, mobilizing state resources to help keep West Virginians safe during the severe winter weather predicted to be part of this storm.

Many counties across the state are already seeing snowfall, and large amounts of snow are being predicted across the state Friday and Saturday so the governor issued a State of Preparedness to mobilize state resources, including the West Virginia National Guard, to address heavy snowfall, high winds and other winter weather forecasted this week.

Tomblin also noted this storm may leave neighborhoods without power and other utilities, and service providers are ready to address outages and other issues as they arise. He encourages residents to think about the items families may need to stay safe for at least 48 hours, including food, water, medications, flashlights, batteries and fuel for generators.

West Virginians needing assistance should contact their local emergency management office. It’s a good idea to have that phone number at hand.

W.Va. National Guard Opens Morgantown Readiness Center

The wraps are coming off a new readiness center for the West Virginia National Guard.

Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin is scheduled to be among the dignitaries Wednesday in Morgantown for the opening ceremony. The 58,000-square-foot center will be a hub for Guard training activities and provide rental spaces for professional and community activities.

The $20.5 million center contains a concert auditorium, a commercial-sized kitchen and other features.

The city of Morgantown will own and maintain the access road to the center.

State of Emergency Remains in Place Despite Expected Rising Temperatures and Lowered Water Levels

Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin said Friday the statewide State of Emergency remains in place after heavy snowfall and flooding across the state. "Although…

Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin said Friday the statewide State of Emergency remains in place after heavy snowfall and flooding across the state.

“Although temperatures are expected to rise and water levels continue to decline, I encourage drivers to remain cautious while traveling,” Gov. Tomblin said in a news release. “I am extremely proud of our state’s response to this massive winter storm, and I’d like to thank all first responders, the West Virginia National Guard, local and state road crews, and all West Virginians who have worked hard to help combat this storm.”

Representatives from the Governor’s Office, the West Virginia National Guard and Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management briefed members of the West Virginia Legislature Friday on the procedures and protocols for a State of Emergency, as well as an update on current weather conditions.

According to the National Weather Service, no additional major weather concerns are expected this weekend. As waters in most areas continue to fall, local and state officials will continue to monitor the situation in the coming days.

Although residents will experience colder temperatures in the mornings, temperatures are predicted to gradually warm up through the weekend. Snow and ice melt are expected to melt slowly, so West Virginians should continue to exercise caution and prepare for cold temperatures.

For updates on warming stations, shelters, power outages, road closures and weather conditions, continue to monitor the state’s official Facebook page for the response.

Gov. Tomblin Announces Review of Elk River Spill Response

Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin has announced an “After Action Review” of the state’s response to the January 9 Elk River chemical spill.

The Review hopes to highlight the many ways in which state agencies, county and local emergency management offices, volunteer and charity organizations, the West Virginia National Guard, and other entities responded to the nine-county State of Emergency.

Tomblin’s office says the review will also address ways the state can improve its emergency response systems.

“The Elk River chemical spill was an unprecedented disaster that affected the lives of hundreds of thousands of West Virginians, and has launched a national dialogue about the safety of our nation’s water supply,” Gov. Tomblin said in a news release issued Monday.

“As this dialogue continues, West Virginia’s emergency response will act as a blueprint for other states across the country. The thoroughness of the Review depends in large measure on citizen participation. It is critical we receive an honest assessment of the emergency response including what we did well, opportunities for improvement, and concrete solutions for improving future response efforts.”

Officials with the West Virginia National Guard, Director of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, and General Counsel for the Office of the Governor will coordinate and supervise the review.

Questionnaire responses must be received by May 26, 2014. To participate in the After Action Review, click here.

Department of Education Says Gov. Tomblin Taking Proactive Steps to Ensure Student Safety

The West Virginia Department of Education said through a news release that they are working with the West Virginia National Guard following a directive from Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin. Tomblin has called for additional water testing to confirm that all schools in the counties impacted by the chemical leak on Jan. 9 are under 2 parts per billion (ppb).

“We have been testing water in all of our schools at the governor’s more stringent level of 10 parts per billion which is 100 times more rigorous than Centers for Disease Control & Prevention’s recommend level of 1 part per million,” said Adjutant General James Hoyer in the release.

“After testing thousands of lab samples, chemists can now confidently test at 2ppb. This additional safety factor is one more example of how the governor has gone above and beyond the federal recommendations to bring added confidence to parents, students and staff to ensure the highest level of public safety,” he added.

It is expected that the testing will occur over the weekend and results should be back by mid-week. Any school that tests above the two parts per billion will be re-flushed and retested. Moving forward, the Rapid Response Team established earlier this month to address issues in schools will continue to answer and investigate calls.

“Student safety continues to be our top priority,” said Gov. Tomblin. “As a parent, I understand that families need the additional peace of mind that comes with this testing.”

In the meantime, schools will continue to provide hand sanitizer and bottled water for drinking and cooking, according to the release.

“We are taking every precaution because we know that parents trust us to keep their children safe,” said Jim Phares, West Virginia Superintendent of Schools.

On The Legislature Today on Tuesday, February 18, Phares said he doesn’t know of any plans for the Rapid Response Team, which includes a member of the Department of Environmental Protection’s Division Air Quality, to begin testing the air quality in schools. The smell and fumes in school is what is believed to be linked to symptoms of burning eyes and noses, as well as fainting.

West Virginia American Water: 'Zones' Become 'Areas', More Cleared

Updated: January 14, 2014 at 10:30 a.m.

From West Virginia American Water’s Facebook page:

As West Virginia American Water proceeds with the lifting of Do Not Use, we will refer to the localities being lifted as "areas." Yesterday, we used the term "zones" to describe the four primary locations close to the Kanawha Valley treatment plant where we were able to lift the ban and ensure that the transition did not disrupt our production and distribution system. The areas where we are lifting the Do Not Use orders are based on pressure zones, and the order of the lift announcements are determined by where acceptable test results obtained from samples have been confirmed. If you have any questions when a new Do Not Use lift is issued, please refer to the map listed under “Do Not Use Water” section of our website at www.westvirginiaamwater.com.

Updated: January 13, 2014 at 9:52 p.m.

Zone Four in North Charleston has been cleared for the flushing process to begin as of 9 p.m. If you have questions about whether your home or business has been approved for the flush process, see West Virginia American Water’s interactive map:

http://www.amwater.com/about-us/news.html

Also, the water company announced the fourth zone will end Monday’s flushing process for the day. More zones will be approved for flushing Tuesday.

From West Virginia American Water’s Facebook page:

"After lifting the "do not use" order for 26,000 customers today, the system needs time to settle so our operators can measure how it is reacting to the flushing activity. Therefore, we will not lift any additional zones tonight. We will provide updates on the next lift zone early Tuesday morning. Thank you for your continued patience and cooperation."

Updated: January 13, 2014 at 7:14 p.m.

Zone 3, containing most of South Charleston, has now been cleared to start flushing systems within their homes and cleaning appliances. Make sure you are checking the West Virginia American Water interactive map to make sure your zone’s advisory has been lifted before beginning the flushing process. The map can be found at the link below.

http://www.amwater.com/about-us/news.html

Updated: January 13, 2014 at 5:49 p.m.

Through a news release, Facebook, and Twitter, West Virginia American Water has announced the ban on the second zone has been lifted, which includes nearly all of the Kanawha City area.

Customers of the water company are urged not to begin the flushing process until their zone is approved. To find out if your zone is ready for the flushing process, refer to West Virgina American Water’s interactive map on their website here:

http://www.amwater.com/about-us/news.html

Original Story Posted January 13, 2014 at 1:52 p.m.

A ban on tap water has been lifted in part of West Virginia that was hit by a chemical that spilled into a river and tainted the water supply.

     Gov. Earl Tomblin made the announcement at a news conference Monday, five days after about 300,000 people were told not to drink, wash or use the water in any way other than to flush their toilets.

     Officials are lifting the ban in a strict, methodical manner to help ensure the water system is not overwhelmed by excessive demand, which could cause more water quality and service issues.

     The water crisis started Thursday when the chemical used in coal processing leaked from a Freedom Industries plant into the nearby Elk River.

     It’s still not clear exactly what caused a tank to start leaking the chemical.

West Virginia American Water has set up a website for customers to find out if their zone has been approved. Customers have also been told they can call a toll free number if they need assistance in identifying which zone they reside. That

The water company has also provided highly detailed step-by-step instructions for customers to refer to once their zone has been cleared for the flushing process.