ESCANABA, Mich. (WZMQ) – As Delta County works to recover from a days-long blizzard, Governor Gretchen Whitmer has made a declaration to provide support to the area.
Escanaba enjoyed sunny skies Tuesday morning, leading residents to grab their snowblowers, shovels, and plows to clear the snow that had accumulated. Although conditions have improved, there is still much work to be done.
On Tuesday, the Delta County Road Commission made a Facebook post stating, “It may take another full day or more before all roads are completely opened and safe for travel.” Due to the hazardous road conditions, many school districts have announced another day of closures on Wednesday, putting some over their snow day limits.
That afternoon, Governor Gretchen Whitmer declared a state of emergency for Delta County, along with the counties of Alcona, Alpena, Missaukee, Ogemaw, Roscommon, and Wexford. This is in addition to the state of emergency the governor declared for the entire state over the weekend.
“I’ve declared a state of emergency for counties in the U.P. and northern Michigan to coordinate an all-hands-on-deck response to a historic blizzard,” Whitmer said. “By taking this action, the state can respond to local requests faster and make every resource available to local communities to clear roads, deliver fuel, fix damage and keep the lights on. I want to thank all first responders who are working tirelessly to keep people safe.”
During the storm, Escanaba officials deemed certain roadways “impassable.” Residents and businesses also experienced power outages.
“As response and recovery efforts continue, we encourage all residents in Northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula to stay home and stay safe when possible,” said Col. James F. Grady II, director of the Michigan State Police and state director of Emergency Management and Homeland Security. “Avoiding nonessential travel helps keep our roads clear and lets first responders and road crews focus on the task at hand, clearing the way and ensuring safety for everyone.”
According to a press release from Governor Whitmer’s office, the state of emergency authorizes the use of all available state resources to assist local response and recovery operations in the affected counties. The MSP Emergency Management and Homeland Security Division is coordinating the state’s emergency response through the State Emergency Operations Center.
The declaration also allows eligible communities to seek financial assistance under Section 19 of Michigan’s Emergency Management Act. The funding helps local governments cover emergency response costs and repair public infrastructure damaged by the storms.
To read the full state of emergency, click here.
