State of Disaster Declaration Speeds Flood Recovery for Kane County

Kane County Board Chairman Chris Lauzen has signed off on a local disaster declaration—the first step in the process to get Kane County declared a federal disaster area.

According to a Kane County press release, the sign-off opens up potential federal assistance to the citizens and municipalities affected by the flood. If federal assistance does become available for Kane County, residents federal assistance centers will be set up to aid those eligible for the assistance, Lauzen said.

County officials continue to monitor the damage caused by flooding that has affected a large portion of Kane County.

More than 4 inches of rain fell in less than a 24-hour period, causing the Fox River to rise 2 1/2 feet above flood stage. Much of the rain that has fallen north of Kane County must pass through the already-flooded Fox River. This additional water flow has greatly added to the high-water levels. The Fox River runs the length of Kane County and through its highest population centers.

The Kane County Office of Emergency Management and the Kane County Department of Transportation have distributed more than 31,000 sandbags to citizen and communities from the north county line to Batavia.

Kane County is also conducting an assessment of public infrastructure that has been affected by the flooding, the press release states.

Citizens are encouraged to continue to avoid flooded roadways, stay out of flooded creeks and streams and avoid entering their flooded basements.

Lauzen surveyed the flooded areas and talked to residents, saying he was "impressed by the countless instances where members of the community have come together to help each other in this time of need."

"Reports of people using their own boats to rescue neighbors, volunteers helping with the sandbagging efforts and neighbors just being neighbors are just some of the examples of the community pulling together," he said.

SOURCE: Kane County