LANSING, MI (WTVB) – Governor Gretchen Whitmer has declared a state of emergency for Branch, Hillsdale and St. Joseph counties to address the impacts of severe thunderstorms and straight-line winds on August 11 and 12.
Branch County declared a local state of emergency on August 13 due to a severe thunderstorm with winds as high as 80 miles an hour that caused widespread or severe damage. St. Joseph County declared a local state of emergency on August 14 followed by Hillsdale County two days later.
The severe storms resulted in power outages and hazardous debris impacting emergency response and restoration efforts.
All three counties requested a governor’s declaration.
The declaration of a local state of emergency activates local emergency response and recovery plans. By requesting a governor’s declaration, the county has determined local resources are insufficient to address the situation and state assistance is required to protect the health, safety and property to lessen or avert the threat of a crisis.
Governor Whitmer said in a statement issued by her office, “Thank you to the first responders and line-workers who have worked diligently to keep our residents safe and restore power to our communities. We will continue to work closely with Branch, Hillsdale and St. Joseph counties and provide needed resources to support recovery efforts.”
By declaring a state of emergency, the Governor has made available all state resources in cooperation with local response and recovery efforts in the designated area. The declaration authorizes the Michigan State Police, Emergency Management and Homeland Security Division to coordinate state efforts above and beyond what they have already been doing in conjunction with local agencies.
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