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Shakeout earthquake drill this Thursday (4-28-11). Learn how to survive an earthquake. More than 2.6 million people and organizations will be participating, you should too. Log onto www.ready.illinois.gov or elseware on this web site for information on building an emergency kit and other survival information.
Weather Preparedness Week is February 28 to March 6, 2010. Please read more below under the heading Severe Weather Preparedness.
Spring flooding could be just around the corner. Be prepared. You can follow the National Weather Service's Spring Flood Outlook on the web at: Spring Flood Outlook. No flooding is expected in the Granite City area. However, don't become complacent. As always, those living behind a levee should be prepared to evacuate to higher ground at a moments notice. Also, make sure you have checked your sump pump, installed a one-way-valve or other back-flow prevention device, purchased flood insurance and made evacuation plans. Read more below under the heading Disaster Preparedness or through the link above.
Winter Survival Kit For Auto Blankets, Warm Clothes, Knife, First-Aid Kit, Booster Cables, Shovel, Flashlight, Food Bars, Matches or Lighter and a Metal Cup (to melt snow for drinking), Ice Scraper, Sand or Cat Litter.
Winter Survival Kit For Home Battery Powered Radio, First-Aid Kit, Flashlight, Extra Batteries, Shovel, Ice Melt, No-cooking Required Foods, Extra Meds, Matches or Lighter and Know How To Drain Water Pipes.
Health Alert Good health habits like covering your cough and washing your hands often can help stop the spread of germs and prevent respiratory illnesses like the flu. There also are flu antiviral drugs that can be used to treat the flu.
1. Avoid Close Contact.
Avoid close contact with people who are sick. When you are sick, keep your distance from others to protect them from getting sick too.
2. Stay Home When You Are Sick.
If possible, stay home from work, school, public gatherings, and errands when you are sick. You will help prevent others from catching your illness. If someone in your family has been diagnosed with Swine flu, you should consider keeping the entire family at home until the illness has passed (7 to 10 days following the onset of the last person's symptoms).
3. Cover Your Mouth & Nose
Cover your mouth & nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. It may prevent others from getting sick.
4.Clean Your Hands.
Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective.
5. Avoid Touching Your Eyes, Nose or Mouth.
Germs are often spread when a person touches something that is contaminated with germs and then touches his or her eyes, nose, or mouth.
6. Practice Other Good Health Habits.
Get plenty of sleep, be physically active, manage your stress, drink plenty of fluids, and eat nutritious foods.
7. If You Have a Fever
A high fever (100.5 degrees or higher) along with the normal signs and symptoms of any flu may be a sign of Swine Flu and should be taken seriously. Contact your physician and take other precautions as listed above.
8. If you Are Not Sick, Don't Go To The Emergency Room
Going to the doctor or emergency room before you are sick will not prevent you from getting sick and may cause delays in treating those who are.
9. For Further Information, Go to these Websites
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Flu Homepage
Support Networks Having a personal support network can help everyone survive a disaster. This is especially true for the elderly, disabled and those with special needs. Create a network of trusted individuals, such as family, friends, co-workers, personal attendants, etc. who can assist you during an emergency. Set up this network at important locations (e.g. home, work, school) making sure you have at least three people at each place. These individuals should take part in your planning and be familiar with your functional abilities and limitations. Establishing a solid relationship with other people is one of the most effective means of surviving a disaster.
Utility Outages Know how to contact your electric and gas provider. Ameren provides two web sites that are useful in everyday and emergency situations. Please visit and familiarize yourself with these sites and make note of appropriate phone numbers.
Ameren Illinois
Ameren Illinois Outage Page
Call Before You Dig 811 Whether you are planning to do it yourself or hire a professional, smart digging means calling 811 before each job. Homeowners often make risky assumptions about whether or not they should get their utility lines marked, but every digging job requires a call - even small projects like planting trees and shrubs. The depth of utility lines varies and there may be multiple utility lines in a common area. Digging without calling can disrupt service, harm you and those around you, and potentially result in fines and repair cost. Calling 811 before you dig , gets your underground utility lines marked for free and helps prevent undesired consequences.
Radon Hotline
• Information about radon results from statewide tests.
• Lists of licensed professionals who will measure and / or mitigate radon.
• Free home test kits available.
• Call 1.800.325.1245
Web address: www.radon.illinois.gov
Severe Weather Preparedness
The City tests its Emergency Warning System at 10 am on the first Tuesday of each month (with exceptions, like some holidays and threatening weather). Please take this opportunity to consider what you would do if one of these tests were not a test but an actual occurrence. Are you truly prepared to deal with a tornado that strikes your home, place of business or where your kids go to school?
Please refer to this web site (Disaster Preparedness) or, the Illinois web site at www.state.il.us/iema to view the Severe Weather Preparedness Guide booklet. There is an emergency supply list at the back of the booklet that can serve as a handy guide in preparing for possible severe weather. You can also find a Family Disaster Kit on the Disaster Preparedness page of this site.
Emergency Shelter The Granite City Emergency Management Agency and the American Red Cross have designated the Granite City Township Building located at 2060 Delmar Ave. Granite City, IL. 62040 as an emergency shelter. The Township building also serves as one of the city’s heating and cooling centers. Designation as an emergency shelter means that the American Red Cross will be responsible for operating the shelter (once opened) during a disaster or other situation requiring its activation as a shelter.
Township Supervisor Bob Shipley has offered to provide emergency transportation within the township for those “special needs” persons who cannot otherwise get to the shelter without help. The township and other members of the Mayor's Emergency Response Committee (MERC) will attempt to inform and check on the welfare of those “special needs” persons who have registered with the committee.
Registration is for people with special needs such as the blind, the deaf, those on oxygen or dialysis, persons who are confined to a wheelchair or have no other transportation or for those who require special notification of an imminent disaster or special instructions.
We ask that relatives, friends and neighbors of special needs persons check on their welfare frequently during emergency or stressful times.
To register with the committee, please complete the “Disaster Response Emergency Contact Information Form”. The form is available at the Township Supervisors Office at 2060 Delmar, the Granite City Emergency Management Agency Office at City Hall, 2000 Edison Ave. or by downloading it from the bottom of this page.
Disaster Response Emergency Contact Form