Message to the Ann Arbor community
As you know, an unprecedented ice storm and severe winter weather hit our community on Wednesday, Feb. 22, causing hundreds of downed power lines and tree debris and leaving more than 40% of our community without power, including 19 Ann Arbor Public schools. Today, I want to provide you with an update on the city’s response to this crisis and what to expect in the coming weeks.
First of all, City of Ann Arbor staff immediately responded to this crisis with speed, determination and professionalism. Employees have been working around the clock to address the following:
- Emergency Operations Center staff has met multiple times per day to address emergency needs and deploy resources.
- Between Wednesday, Feb. 22, and Friday, Feb. 24, Ann Arbor Fire and Police personnel have responded to 376 calls for service, including removal of debris blocking streets, securing and marking downed power lines, responding to structure fires along with medical and emergency calls for service, including carbon monoxide injuries from improper use of generators.
- The city has coordinated and staffed four warming centers from Thursday, Feb. 23, through Saturday, Feb. 25. Staff has also coordinated food and water donations for these shelters.
- Public works staff was able to successfully collect all business and a majority of residential trash and compost carts without significant delay during this time.
- A plan will be developed in the coming days and communicated related to debris cleanup and timing.
I want to thank our staff for their continued commitment to serving our community, many of whom are without power as well. I also want to thank our community members for their patience and support. I’m heartened by so many acts of kindness I have witnessed this past week, including the volunteers who have stepped up to staff warming centers and the businesses who generously donated food and water for those without power. I also want to thank our City Council members who have expressed a desire for city staff to expend and explore every resource possible to serve our community during this time.
This weekend, we are hopeful that power will be restored for a majority in our community. We will continue to share city information and service updates as they become known. In the meantime, here are some helpful resources to stay connected with the city: www.a2gov.org | https://www.facebook.com/TheCityOfAnnArbor | https://twitter.com/a2gov | https://nextdoor.com/agency-detail/mi/ann-arbor/city-of-ann-arbor-1/. In addition, online service requests can be submitted via A2 Fix It at https://www.a2gov.org/services/Pages/Report-a-Problem.aspx.
As cleanup and recovery efforts continue, please be mindful of hazards in the wake of this winter storm, including downed power lines in debris. Keep children and pets safe from these hazards. In addition, for those of you who are able, please check on neighbors and friends who may be without power to ensure they are safe. We appreciate your patience, care and support as we work to restore our community.
Thank you,
Milton Dohoney Jr., City Administrator
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