Ohio EMA Latest Releases, News and Information http://ema.ohio.gov Mon, 06 Mar 2012 09:15:00 EST Ohio EPA and the Ohio Emergency Management Agency are working with local officials to guide communities in safe handling and disposal of debris and wastes so that cleanup from recent flooding can be completed as safely and efficiently as possible. County emergency management agencies have instructions on clearing and staging debris for disposal. Most waste can be taken to a licensed municipal solid waste landfill. Tree limbs and other vegetation may be able to be disposed at compost facilities or chipped and used as mulch. It is generally illegal to burn debris. Debris from homes and other buildings may contain a number of hazardous materials including asbestos, plastics and other petroleum-based products and chemically treated woods and fibers. When burned, these materials emit toxic fumes that can be significant public health hazards. Residents who live in a city or village cannot burn any type of waste onsite. Residential waste – including vegetative matter and woody material – may be burned in more rural areas as long as the burning is conducted more than 1,000 feet away from the nearest residence. These unrestricted areas are more than 1,000 feet outside a city of 1,000-10,000 people or more than one mile outside a city of more than 10,000 people. Demolition and recovery efforts also may result in exposures to asbestos. Any building may contain asbestos. Businesses and public buildings being demolished are subject to demolition notification requirements. To protect public health, it is important for businesses and public entities to comply with regulatory requirements related to demolition of buildings and the transport and disposal of asbestos-containing material. A fact sheet explaining demolition notification and asbestos requirements can be found at www.epa.ohio.gov/portals/41/sb/publications/AsbestosNotification.pdf For additional information about debris management, contact the local emergency management agency or an Ohio EPA district office. To report actual releases of petroleum or hazardous materials, call Ohio EPA’s emergency spill hotline at 1-800-282-9378. http://ema.ohio.gov/Documents/Releases/2012/20120306_State%20Offers%20Guidance%20on%20Handling%20and%20Disposal.pdf Columbus, Ohio – Ohio Lieutenant Governor and Department of Insurance Director Mary Taylor is advising residents impacted by recent severe weather on how they should attend to damaged property and offered tips on the insurance claim filing process. Taylor also cautioned residents to be aware of fraudulent contractors trying to take advantage of people in need of property repairs. "Our thoughts and prayers are with those Ohioans impacted by the terrible storms that hit our state over the weekend. In this difficult time we want to provide information to help those impacted begin to rebuild their businesses and homes," Taylor said. "Most homeowners and business insurance policies provide coverage for repairing damage caused by a windstorm, hail and tornado after the applicable deductibles are met and up to certain dollar amounts. Your agent or insurance company can help you understand the particulars of your policy while Department staff are available to help consumers experiencing problems with their claims." She added that protection for vehicles against damage caused by windstorm, hail and tornado is provided through an auto policy's "other than collision" or "comprehensive" coverage. Taylor said that if you have suffered damage from a storm, you should: Call your insurance agent or company as soon as you can. Be sure your agent knows how to contact you, especially if you have to move out of your home. Take reasonable steps to prevent additional damage if permitted by public safety authorities and if you will not endanger yourself. Closely inspect property and cars for damage. Note and photograph any damage. If required to seek temporary housing, check your policy for "loss of use" coverage. Be sure everything is considered in your claim. Back up claims with written estimates. Taylor offers these tips to avoid becoming a victim of contractor fraud: Obtain a list of reputable contractors from your insurance carrier, the Better Business Bureau or a specialized consumer organization. Contact multiple contractors and obtain more than one estimate. Do not allow a contractor to inspect your property when you are not home. If you give a contractor permission to inspect your property, personally watch them conduct the inspection. Obtain, in writing, the terms and conditions of the project. Avoid signing a contract until the document is reviewed fully and/or discuss the terms of the contract with a legal representative or a trusted adviser. Pay the contractor by check or credit card, rather than in cash, and do not pay in full until all work has been finished. Ohioans with insurance questions can call the Department's consumer hotline at 1-800-686-1526. Those who have been victimized by contractor fraud should contact the Department's fraud hotline at 1-800-686-1527. Visit the severe weather toolkit at www.insurance.ohio.gov for more information or follow the Department on twitter @OHInsurance and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/OhioDepartmentofInsurance. http://ema.ohio.gov/Documents/Releases/2012/20120305_Insurance%20Claim%20Tips.pdf Columbus, Ohio – Today Governor John R. Kasich deployed Ohio National Guard units to southern Ohio to help expedite clean-up efforts after last Friday's tornados and severe storms. On Saturday the governor declared a State of Emergency for Clermont County and dispatched crews from the Ohio Department of Transportation to help local officials with debris removal efforts. Additionally, after Clermont County officials' report this morning of 98 destroyed or severely damaged homes, the governor has asked federal inspectors to determine if affected families are eligible for federal relief programs or low-interest loans. Federal inspectors pledged to begin within 24 hours. "The National Guard will be an important boost to ODOT crews and local efforts and allow us to speed-up debris removal so communities and families can begin getting their lives back together. Southern Ohio experienced intense damage that I saw firsthand on Saturday when I inspected the area and issued a State of Emergency. Hopefully we can get a quick answer from the federal inspectors on what additional resources might be available to help people begin recovering," said Kasich. Families with storm damage needs seeking immediate assistance should call: Adams County Emergency Management Agency: 937-544-6123 Brown County Emergency Management Agency: 937-378-5100 Clermont County Emergency Management Agency: 513-732-7661 Scioto County Emergency Management Agency: 740-355-8300 http://ema.ohio.gov/Documents/Releases/2012/20120305_Gov%20Deploys%20ONG%20to%20Southern%20OH.pdf COLUMBUS, OH – Governor John R. Kasich and state officials toured tornado-ravaged areas in southwest Ohio’s Clermont County earlier today, where local and state officials continue recovery efforts. Three people in Clermont County died as a result of Friday’s severe weather and tornado outbreak. The Governor declared a State of Emergency for Clermont County earlier today after seeing the storm destruction. The declaration allows additional state resources to assist with debris and recovery issues. Counties impacted by yesterday’s storms include: Adams, Athens, Brown, Clermont, Gallia, Pike and Scioto. The National Weather Service continues to survey impacted areas to confirm the intensity of the severe storms/tornadoes. Residents of Moscow in Clermont County were allowed to return to their homes and properties at 4 p.m. today. Currently, approximately 935 customers in the county remain without power. Utility officials urged citizens to stay away from all downed power lines. A shelter remains opened at Clermont County’s New Richmond High School. The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) and the Ohio State Highway Patrol continue to support debris removal, road closures and traffic issues in the affected counties. Monroe and Tate townships in Clermont County are under an Asian Long-horned Beetle (ALB) quarantine for infested trees. The Ohio Department of Agriculture is assisting the USDA with infected tree removal and disposal. People who have sustained damages from yesterday’s storms are encouraged to contact their local emergency management agencies. The State of Ohio Emergency Operations Center’s assessment room will remain operational as needed to respond to county requests. http://ema.ohio.gov/Documents/Releases/2012/20120303_Tornado%20Damage%20Assmt%20Cleanup.pdf REYNOLDSBURG, OH (Mar. 3, 2012) – The Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) are encouraging homeowners in and near the Asian longhorned beetle (ALB) quarantine areas in Monroe and Tate townships in Clermont County to check downed limbs and trees for signs of ALB infestation and report them. “Trees and limbs that have already been weakened by damage from ALB are more susceptible to damage in strong storms,” said Matt Beal, chief of the ODA Division of Plant Health. “We are encouraging anyone who lives in and around Bethel and Amelia to look closely at trees and limbs brought down by the storm for signs of ALB infestation and to report findings to the program office.” Signs of infestation include severed trunks or branches with larval tunneling, perfectly round exit holes (about 3/8 to 1/2 inch in diameter) made by adult beetles when they emerge from trees; the pockmarks on tree trunks and branches where female beetles deposit eggs; frass (wood shavings and saw dust) produced by larvae feeding and tunneling; dead branches, and running sap produced by the tree at the egg laying sites, or in response tunneling. Starting March 3, in an effort to help with storm cleanup, the ALB marshaling yard, located at 2896 State Route 232 in Bethel will have extended hours, open daily from 7:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. The site is open to contractors with a valid compliance agreement, as well as to all municipal and state cleanup crews. All woody debris that cannot be chipped on site must be taken to the ALB marshaling yard for proper disposal. If residents in the regulated area wish to hire, at their own expenses, a contractor to pick up storm debris please be sure to hire only ALB certified companies. Christine Markham, national director of the APHIS ALB eradication program said, “When hiring an independent company, it’s vital that they be certified to work in the regulated area, which is quarantined for ALB.” To find out if the company you are hiring is certified, or to report signs or symptoms of ALB damage, contact the ALB Eradication Program office at 513-381-7180. Companies that are not under compliance must call the ALB Eradication Program office at 513-381-7180 to be certified to handle ALB regulated material. For additional information on the quarantine areas in Clermont County, an area-wide map reflecting current program information, including the initial removal area and infested trees identified, is available online at: http://www.aphis.usda.gov/plant_health/plant_pest_info/asian_lhb/alb_maps.shtml. http://ema.ohio.gov/Documents/Releases/2012/20120303_ODH%20ALB.pdf Columbus, OH - The State Emergency Operations Center’s (SEOC) assessment room was activated earlier this yesterday evening in response to the severe weather that impacted southwest Ohio. The SEOC coordinates response and recovery efforts of state agencies. According to NOAA, 86 tornadoes were reported in nine states yesterday. According to the National Weather Service, seven tornadoes touched down in southern Ohio counties. Severe weather stemmed from yesterday’s tornado outbreak in Indiana and Kentucky. The towns of Moscow and Bethel in Clermont County reported extensive damage and the county emergency management agency has confirmed three fatalities. Tornadoes were reported in Adams, Brown, Clermont, Pike and Scioto counties. The Clermont County commissioners declared a local emergency declaration yesterday. Initial state agencies providing assistance include the Ohio Department of Transportation, State Highway Patrol, and Ohio Emergency Management Agency. The SEOC assessment room continues to monitor the state’s weather conditions and response and recovery efforts in the impacted counties. The assessment room will remain open to assist impacted local officials. http://ema.ohio.gov/Documents/Releases/2011/20110718_OCSWA%20Heat%20Safety%20-%20July2011.pdf