News from
The Adjutant General's Department

CONTACT:
Sharon Watson
Director, Public Affairs Office
Work: (785) 274-1192
Cell: (785) 806-4063
http://www.Kansas.gov/ksadjutantgeneral

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE       Dec. 11, 2007
No. 07-186

KANSAS POWER OUTAGES PROMPT NUMEROUS SHELTERS TO OPEN
KANSAS NATIONAL GUARD CONTINUES GENERATOR DELIVERIES

Power remains out to approximately 105,000 Kansas customers which has prompted many communities across the state to open shelters. (A list of shelters is included at the bottom of the news release).

Power Outages

Westar is reporting approximately 71,000 customers without power. Kansas City Power and Light is reporting approximately 4,300 customers with no power. Kansas Electric Cooperatives has 29,000 customers without service, and BPU is reporting 800 to 900 customers with no power. The National Weather Service is forecasting decreasing temperatures and strong winds overnight which may result in more ice on lines, and additional downed trees and limbs on the lines.

Kansas National Guard Delivers More Generators; Opens Armories for Shelter

The Kansas National Guard continues to respond to requests for generators for critical infrastructure. Southeast Kansas officials have requested two more generators to Cherokee County to restore power to sewer treatment systems in Columbus.

The Kansas National Guard's 184th Intelligence Wing in Wichita has already supplied generators to four locations including two nursing homes without power in Seneca in Nemaha County: Crestview Manor Nursing Home at 808 N. 8th Street and one to Life Care Center of Seneca at 512 Community Drive. The 184th transported two generators in southeast Kansas to reestablish power to sewer and water treatment systems today. One generator was set up in Chetopa to restore power to the sewer lift station. Another generator was set up in Baxter Springs in Cherokee County at the Rural Water District # 3 to restore power to the water treatment plant.

The Kansas National Guard's 891st Engineering Battalion is assisting Labette County with clearing debris from roadways. Debris as well as downed power lines have prevented some emergency responders from traveling on certain Kansas highways.

In addition, the Kansas National Guard opened two of its armories as shelters today: the Horton Armory in Brown County, and the Russell Armory in Russell County.

Open Shelters (As Reported to State Emergency Operations Center):

• Atchison County: First Baptist Church, Atchison
  
• Brown County: Kansas National Guard Armory, Horton; Horton City Hall, Horton; Everest Community Center, Everest; Morrill Community Building, Morrill
  
• Cherokee County: First United Methodist Church, Columbus; Columbus Community Center, Columbus; Galena Community Center, Galena
  
• Coffey County: Baptist Church, 420 N. Maple, Lebo; Sunset Manor Nursing Home, Waverly; Waverly Fire Station
  
• Crawford County: Pittsburg
  
• Dickinson County: Herington Community Building, Herington; Sterl Hall, 619 N Rogers, Abilene
  
• Edwards County: Edwards County Health Department, Kinsley
  
• Ellsworth County: Friendship Center, 125 N. Main, Holyrood; Wilson Elementary
  
• Jackson County: Senior Citizens Center, Holton; Omega Family Clinic, Holton; Prairie Band Pottawatomie Casino Hotel
• Labette County: Masonic Lodge, Chetopa
  
• Leavenworth County: Fire Station # 1, Leavenworth
  
• Lincoln County: Lincoln Elementary School, Lincoln
  
• Ottawa County: Minneapolis
  
• Pawnee County: Larned Community Center, Larned
  
• Pratt County: Municipal Building, Pratt
  
• McPherson County: McPherson American Red Cross 1023 S. Main, McPherson; Soderstrom Elementary School, 227 N. Washington, Lindsborg
  
• Reno County: Trinity United Methodist Church, Hutchinson; Turon Community Building, Turon
  
• Rice County: Celebration Center, Lyons
  
• Riley County: Pottorf Hall at CICO Park, Manhattan
  
• Russell County: Kansas National Guard Armory, Russell; Bunker Hill Fire Department; Smoky Hill Public Television
  
• Saline County: Webster Conference Center, Salina; Salina Central High School, Salina
  
• Shawnee County: Kansas Expocenter, 17th and Topeka Boulevard, Shawnee
  
• Stafford County: First Christian Church, Stafford
  
• Wabaunsee County: County Courthouse, Alma
  

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