Herald and Review from Decatur, Illinois • Page 3

Decatur, Illinois. Sunday, March 26, 1978 DECATUR SUNDAY HERALD AND REVIEW Emergency shelter set in Mound School 'JY'f 'V ll ilk iV Staff photos by Herb Slodoumk Tree limbs laden with ice fell across power lines on E. William Street. Wo phones, power or water confront communities Salvation Army provided food. If both Mound and Eisenhower schools are filled, shelters may be opened at MacArthur High School and Thomas Jefferson Middle School.

Mound School's power is supplied by an emergency generator, according to Gary Fogerson, emergency services aide. He issued another appeal for other generators after a request broadcast Saturday resulted in only two units. Firefighters in rural areas need the units to operate water systems for fire-fighting. City of Decatur emergency street crews continued working Saturday night removing debris. Some flooding was reported in city streets.

The Grand Avenue and Condit Street subways were problem sites because electric pumps were not working. Illinois Power Co. brought in four forestry crews from Indiana to help remove limbs and trees from utility lines. Tree limbs blocking streets were being removed as quickly as possible by city Street and Sewer Division crews, who have been working since the emergency began. City Manager Leslie T.

Allen cautioned citizens using chain saws on debris to be careful of downed wires. People flock to hotels despite inconveniences There was no power at the Holiday Inn on Decatur's west side, where about 200 persons were eating cold sandwiches by candlelight, according to Liz Young, a desk clerk. There was still room for about 60 more people as of 8:45 p.m., but she said there was no hot water and what water there was had to be used sparingly. Callers were being told they could come "if they want to take their chances," she said. The Sheraton Inn, 450 E.

Pershing Road, reported sporadic electricity. Patrons had to make their own beds Saturday. The motel was filled. the Ambassador Inn, 141 S. Main also was full Saturday evening.

The motel had electricity, water and food. Flights canceled, some buses run Only one flight left Decatur Airport Saturday, and none landed. All Ozark Air Lines flights were canceled. Ozark planned to resume flights today, according to Martin Mendel, chief air traffic controller. A spokesman for the Union Bus Depot said Continental Trailways buses were running close to schedule.

Crown buses, however, were canceled Saturday. A decision on resuming Crown service was to be made today, the spokesman said. An emergency shelter opened Saturday night at Mound Middle School, 3789 N. Water to accommodate Macon County residents without heat in their homes. shelters in rural areas were full, rural residents were advised to go to their fire houses where they could be "transported to Mound School by City of Decatur buses.

By 10:45 p.m., there were about 100 persons at the Mound School shelter. JMThen full, another shelter was to be opened at Eisenhower School, according "'fa, the Macon County Red Cross. The Red Cross was keeping its offices open ioi City of Decatur employees only. yhe Salvation Army also kept its shelter open Saturday night. About 17 per- sons were reported there by 9:30 p.m.

Persons were asked not to drive to Mound School because of a curfew imposed in the entire county and hazardous road conditions. For a ride to the school, persons should call the county's emergency services office at 424-1327. They should bring bedding and a minimum of personal items. The effort was coordinated by the Macon County Emergency Services and Disaster Agency. The Red Cross and Batteries, fuel go fast 'Batteries, Coleman fuel and groceries were hot items in icy Decatur Saturday.

We still have a few batteries left," S4id John Krigbaum, owner of the Camp Site, 1098 W. Wood St. "We sold OUT of Coleman fuel last night, and propane this morning." jlllardware stores reported brisk sales. "i'We're even selling denatured alcohol and mineral fluids," said Marlyn Peet, assistant manager of Stiles' Ace Hardware in Fairview Plaza. "People are getting desperate." JStiles and True Value Hardware, 2809 Main will be closed for Easter.

Both stores reported that items sold out could not be restocked before the end of the week. We've still got plenty of batteries," said Jim Taylor, manager of True Val-ne-. But he said the store had few other emergency items. Meanwhile, grocery stores acted to protect meat supplies. Rick Masters, assistant manager of thie Super Market in Brettwood Village, said the store's meat was in a room freezer, which could keep the meat frozen for 24 hours without power.

'JXl power stays off for more than 24 hours, the meat will have to be thrown out. Masters said. Kroger Co. store in Fairview Plaza protected the meat by covering it with paper and boxes in the meat case, according to assistant store manager Jeff Coffin. Nursing homes without power i.

for several hours; Several nursing homes in Macon County had no heat or electricity for several hours Saturday. No injuries or extreme emergencies were reported, however. .1 Lakeshore Manor nursing home, 1293 S. 34th had no power from early Saturday morning to about 4 p.m. Saturday, but it did host the Easter Bunny.

"The patients are doing well," said Administrator Jack McCoy. The nursing home regained power, after the Decatur School District proyided an emergency generator. Woodland Nursing Center in Mount Zion had no power from 10:40 a.m. Friday until Saturday afternoon when the Mount Zion Fire Department provided a generator. But the generator furnished enough heat only for the dining room.

"We're okay for the night," said Business Manager James J. Duggan. "W'e're going to make it." The staff is cooking on Coleman stoves and employes are doing patients' laundry at home, according to Norma Barton, L.P.N. Mrs. Barton said the home's 65 patients may need more blankets if power outage lasts another day or so.

Both the Illini House at 2530 N. Monroe St. and Americana Health Care Center at 444 W. Harrison Ave. have emergency generators which provided power Friday and Saturday.

St. Mary's without heat; DMH all right St. Mary's Hospital was without heat for about two hours Saturday night, but operations were normal at Decatur Memorial Hospital. Regular power was lost at St. Mary's at about 8:30 p.m.

While the emergency generator kept vital functions operating, it does not provide power for the hospital's heating system. However, the situation was not critical. Hospital Administrator Sister Ann Pitsenberger said. Regular power was restored by 10:30 p.m. DMH reported regular power was restored at 9 a.m.

Saturday after Friday night's blackout. The power remained throughout the day Saturday. St. Mary's also had to depend on its emergency generator from about 5:30 a.m. until 8 a.m.

Saturday. For about a half hour Friday night it had no power at all when the emergency generator was slow to kick in. Virgil Kapper, general maintenance foreman at the hospital, blamed the delay on a malfunction in a contact. Several homes hit by fires; no one hurt Fire seriously damaged several Decatur homes during the weekend storm, but no personal injuries were reported. "The situation has been serious," Fire Chief Donald Minton said Saturday night, "but we've handled everything that has come along.

"We still look for more problems as the power comes on on the downed lines," he said, noting the number of fires started by newly energized downed lines touching trees or buildings. Because fire units were continuously dispatched Saturday to fires and situations involving fallen wires, detailed reports on fires were not available. About 150 disptaches of equipment to house fires and downed wires have been made since the storm began. Very little crime reported in Decatur Very little crime connected with power outages was reported in Decatur Friday and early Saturday night. Decatur Police Chief Harold Lindsten credited the mandatory city curfew Friday night and the voluntary curfew Saturday as the key to maintaining order.

Only two burglaries were reported Friday night. Four men were arrested in connection with those incidents. i I), WAND-TV tower crumples ating, thanks to emergency generators, said George Vest, operator of the facilities. The Blue Mound Firehouse was open as a shelter. Harristown Power was erratic in Harristown as lines to Decatur went down and then were repaired, according to Hester Kaufman, village clerk.

None of the homes north of the Norfolk Western Railway tracks have had electricity since 1:20 p.m. Friday, she said. Power was last reported off in the village about 3 p.m. Saturday. Macon A power line was down on U.S.

51 between Macon and Elwin. shutting the city off from the north Saturday evening. City officials could not be reached because phone lines were down. But Sheriff Stephen Fisher said Macon was without water or electricity. His department was trying to obtain a three-phase generator or water tank truck from the state's emergency services center, but the request was similar to those from 21 other Central Illinois communities.

Fisher said. Long Creek Township Power and telephone service was out in Long Creek Township Saturday, said County Board member R. Douglas Wainscott, a township resident. But water was the biggest problem with the township water system down, he said. Long Creek Fire Chief Pete Mitchell said the firehouse would be open and manned by an emergency crew.

Maroa In Maroa, where power went out at 12:17 p.m. Friday, about 10 persons were gathered Saturday night at the fire station shelter. Fire Chief Glenn Query said a truck with a loudspeaker paraded around the city Saturday night alerting citizens about the shelter. The water remained safe to drink in the city, thanks to an auxiliary generator keeping the pressure up. Residents are being asked to conserve water, however.

The sewer system is "very taxed," according to volunteer fireman Brad Wilkey. Water was backing up in the high school and the basements of homes on the west side. Telephone service reportedly first went out at about 3 a.m. Sauurday. II later was restored for about three hours in the morning, but by around noon it was out again.

It was still out as of 9:30 p.m. Hyde Park Mobile Homes under boil order An order to boil water has been issued for the Hyde Park Mobile Home Park until further notice, and at least until Wednesday, according to Phil Jacobs, secretary of Hyde Park Corp. of Decatur. Jacobs said Wednesday is the earliest the Macon County Health Department will be able to test the park's water. Mound, served by Illinois Consolidated Telephone Co.

of Taylorville. Argenta All lines to the Illinois Power Co. electrical substation were down Saturday, said Jerry Camfield, village president. Crews were working to repair the damage. There was no water problem, however; Camfield said.

The water treatment plant has an emergency generator. The Friends Creek Township Community Building was opened Saturday afternoon as a shelter. Oreana The village water tank was only one-quarter full Saturday, making water in short supply, according to Ward De-Fore, Whitmore Township highway commissioner. Early Saturday a boil order was issued in Oreana because of low pressure in water lines. DeFore noted a major problem with sightseers on TV Tower Road which connects Illinois 48 with Interstate 72 north of Oreana.

The sight plaguing De-Fore was the WAND-TV tower which fell Saturday, blocking the road. Warrensburg Falling limbs on power lines was the worst problem reported Saturday in Warrensburg. "We're asking people to stay indoors, especially when the power does come back on, because of the number of downed electrical lines," said Fire Chief Jim Williams. The village hasn't had power since 12:20 p.m. Friday.

The United Methodist Church was open Saturday as an emergency center. Niantic "Our biggest problem is water," said Ronald Jump, village president. The village was looking for a generator Saturday to power its water plant. It was "nice and warm" at the United Methodist Church emergency center. Jump said.

Power went out at 1 p.m. Friday in Niantic. Forsyth "We have a lot of people without any heat," said Village President Bill Hardy. The Hickory Point Firehouse in Forsyth was being used. Although the village had no power Saturday, a generator was keeping the water works in operation and there was no water problem, Hardy said.

Mount Zion Power went out in Mount Zion between 9:30 and 10 a.m. Friday, Jim Hilton, assistant fire chief, said. But the firehouse in on emergency power and open. Blue Mound Electric lines were not operating in the village and surrounding rural area. Central Illinois Public Service Co.

supplies power to Blue Mound while rural areas subscribe to the Shelby Electric Co-op. Water was still available in the village and the sewage system was oper EDITOR'S NOTE: Stories on pages 1 and 3 were prepared by Decatur Herald and Review reporters Carolyn Gause, Jan Gilarski, Bruce Gill, Ron Ingram, Marc Meltzer, Al Stamborski and Judy Tatham. No phones, no power and, in some cases, very little water confronted communities throughout Macon County Saturday. However, officials were optimistic that needs could be met as they arose. Firehouses and churches with emergency generators provided shelters for persons whose homes were without heat.

If these became full, people will be bused to shelters in Decatur. Fire district and village officials from throughout the county met Saturday af-termoon with Sheriff Stephen Fisher and Decatur Police Chief Harold Lind-sten concerning emergency services needed in outlying communities. Most sought after were three-phase generators to get water plants back into operation to provide drinking water and fire protection. The biggest problem with telephone service appeared to be in the area served by General Telephone Co. Customers in Mount Zion, Elwin, Macon, Warrens-burg, Maroa and Oreana and adjacent areas were without service Saturday night.

Phone service also was out in Blue examines the wrecked tower. lines, and hicle, persons should stay put and not touch any metal, he said. "Just sit tight until someone comes along who could call us," he said. Homer L. Kelsheimer, a partner in A Electric, warned that electrical appliances, especially solid state ones such as radios, televisions or stereos, should be unplugged during an outage.

In some cases, ground wires to homes were broken by the storm and when power resumes, persons may be getting full 220-volt service to a home only wired for 110 service. "That would be enough to burn up radios and refrigerators," he said. Another tip from Kelsheimer is to stay away from water pipes, if the ground wire is broken, electrical current may seek grounding in the pipes. 'i ft rM y' Mil "Many Macon County residents had to contend with fallen trees or downed power lines Saturday, but Nellie Boyer watched a 1.100 foot television tower fall 200 feet from her home. "The $1.2 million TV transmitter of channel WAND-17 was destroyed.

It sounded like the world coming to an end," said Mrs. Boyer of Argenta, neighbor to the tower which crashed 1:50 p.m. Saturday. -Mrs. Boyer ran outside to see the tower fall.

When it looked like it might hit her home, she yelled to her husband ad a boarder to leave the house. Her husband Homer couldn't rise fast eaough to leave because of a recent stroke and their 95-year-old boarder can barely hear. But, luckily, the tower twisted at the last minute and missed the house, she said. WAND officials said the station might not be back on the air for three to five (lays. When it does broadcast again, the station will have to use its standby tower, reducing its coverage area considerably, according to Barrett Geoghe-gan, general manager of WAND.

Geoghegan said he couldn't predict the total losses in damaged equipment and advertising revenues. A new tower won't be built before summer, he gdded. sr-. Despite the "fright of her life," Mrs. feoyer said a new tower "would not Scare me out" of her home.

But she only shook her head when told that Gexhegan's plans call for the station's new tower to be 200 feet taller than the Ope destroyed. Don't touch power other hints on how Barrett Geohegan of WAND-TV plugged in which may be submerged. Outlets above the water line should not be touched. Livesay said persons can disconnect power to their homes by flipping a switch on the main circuit breaker, generally located in the basement or utility room. It is labeled as such.

But Livesay cautioned anyone using emergency generators to be sure of proper connections, so that the generator will not backfeed or serve power back into Illinois Power Co. lines. An improperly connected generator could endanger Illinois Power employees as well as damage the generator. If there are any questions on proper connection, a bona fide electrician should be consulted, he said. If a power line falls on a moving ve to cope that non-electric fondue pot.

Soups and other canned goods can be heated that way. Coping Accept the fact that there is a power outage, advises Dr. Henry R. GromoU, a clinical psychologist. "Recognize the fact that if we pull together and cooperate to a reasonable extent, we'll get through this," he said.

"I think people can use this experience as a way of not weakening, but strengthening bonds," he said. Speaking of his own family, sitting before the fire Saturday night, Gromoll said, "After the initial frustration, we've found we're very happy. "There's a lot more interaction than if we'd been sitting here watching TV." Stay away from downed power lines and anything that may be in contact with those lines. Illinois Power Co. officials, Decatur Fjre Marshal William B.

Turner and private electrical contractors couldn't be more adamant about that advice. should avoid anything possible that could be in contact with a downed wire, such as tree limbs or ferices," said Dan Livesay, electrical distribution superintendent for Illinois Power. Another potential problem exists with basements which have flooded because sump pumps are not operating. "You should not get into the water as long as there is the possibility of any energized circuits," he said. That includes outlets where appliances are Light and heat Persons whose homes are without power should try to stay inside, and bundle up to reduce the amount of body exposure, according to Fire Marshal Turner.

Turner said Saturday there isn't "too awful much" an individual can do during a power outage. If candles and kerosene lanterns are used, users must be "extremely careful," he said. As unvented heat sources, those items can cause an "immediate danger" if tampered with and used for light sources. Turner said. Residents should not use charcoal grills and should avoid using gas stoves for heat.

He said residents should "not tamper with their furnaces because the pilots will turn back on when power is restores. Persons trying to keep warm may want to use a tip from camping days several layers of clothing are more effective than one heavy piece of clothing in trying to keep warm. Food Alice Boliek, home economics teacher at Stephen Decatur High School, made the following suggestions: "If you have a fireplace, you can heat canned food, making sure to open the can before putting it over the fire," she said. Iron skillets also can be placed over the fire. The bottom of the skillet or pan can be rubbed with dishwashing liquid to prevent tarnish.

It also may be a good time to pull out.