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Gov. Tomblin lifts State of Emergency for remaining counties

Statewide State of Emergency lifted Wednesday, January 27

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (January 29, 2016) – Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin today lifted the State of Emergency for counties hardest hit by Winter Storm Jonas including Berkeley, Jefferson, Morgan and Preston counties. The statewide State of Emergency was lifted Wednesday, January 27.

Video of Gov. Tomblin’s annnouncement

“I’m proud of our state’s response to this winter storm, and I’d like to thank all first responders, the West Virginia National Guard, local and state road crews, volunteer organizations and all West Virginians who came together and lent a helping hand to help combat Winter Storm Jonas,” Gov. Tomblin said. “Although this was a historic storm in some locations, I’m pleased that we were able to respond to the threats of snow and ice in a timely and efficient manner. With this in mind, we are able to lift the statewide State of Emergency and while we continue to support ongoing isolated community response efforts in areas hardest hit by severe weather.”

Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin
Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin

The state emergency operations team, made up of the West Virginia Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, the West Virginia National Guard, the West Virginia Department of Transportation, the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources, and a number of volunteer organizations, worked around the clock from the State of Preparedness declaration on Wednesday, January 20, through the onset of Winter Storm Jonas to prepare for severe weather conditions and ensure the safety of West Virginians.

The Department of Transportation began pretreating roads days in advance and dispatched more than 1,000 Division of Highways trucks to clear primary, secondary and tertiary roads upon snowfall, spreading more than 22,000 tons of salt and putting in more than 13,000 hours of man-power.

The West Virginia National Guard deployed approximately 150 members to assist in 16 counties. Their work also included the use of 32 HUMVEE vehicles and other large-scale utility vehicles to clear snow and address immediate needs of local communities, including direct rescue operations, assistance with medical appointments and transportation to warming shelters.

“I’m proud of the coordination of efforts among West Virginia’s emergency response agencies, and I’d like to thank these dedicated public servants for working around the clock to clear the roads, provide direct assistance to West Virginians in need and share the most up-to-date information on the ongoing emergency response efforts,” Gov. Tomblin said.

Statewide and local volunteer organizations also worked together to support more than 30 warming stations in counties across West Virginia, helping to assist those without heat and/or electricity.

“Thanks to our state’s dedicated volunteers, West Virginians had access to warm, safe shelters, food, water and other necessary resources throughout the duration of the winter storm,” Gov. Tomblin said. “These efforts undoubtedly made a difference in the lives of many.

“I know this storm has delivered difficult conditions across the state, but I’d like to thank West Virginians for their patience and understanding as our state’s emergency response team transitions from the response to recovery stage of assistance efforts.”

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