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PRESS RELEASE

Racine – County Executive Jonathan Delagrave is deeply concerned for community members affected by the floods and power outages. In coordination with Federal, state and local agencies, he is deploying resources to Western Racine County. “It is essential that we bring all resources to bear to restore our community as quickly as possible,” said Jonathan Delagrave.

Starting today there will be two Burlington disaster recovery sites operated by Racine County Human Services Department. Western Racine County residents affected by the flood and currently receiving FoodShare can apply for emergency FoodShare to replace food that was lost due to the flood and power outages. The sites will be open today from 1:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. and tomorrow from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at Gateway Technical College, 496 McCanna Parkway and Gooseberries, 690 West State Street.

The sites are staffed by representatives from Racine County Human Services Department. Flood victims can get help applying for FoodShare and also apply for Unemployment Insurance, access computers and receive information on other disaster recovery services. “We streamlined our processes and partnered with other local organizations to provide immediate relief. Food security and basic needs are critically important so our goal is to help our community speed the recovery by getting quick access to food and much-needed resources,” said Hope Otto, Racine County Human Services Director.

To access additional disaster recovery resources, contact the agencies listed below. In the event of a life-threating situation, call 911.

Safety Tips

Central Racine County Health Department advises that extreme caution should be taken with food and private well water. They shared the following food and well water safety tips:

Food Safety During a Power Outage

  • The biggest food safety concern is the condition of Potentially Hazardous Food (PHF) such as meats, eggs, milk, cooked vegetables, cut melons, cut tomatoes and cut leafy greens.
  • Keep refrigerators and freezer doors closed as much as possible.
  • Add bags of ice or dry ice to the freezers and coolers.
  • When power is restored check the internal food temperatures. If above 41°F food should be discarded.
  • If there are any questions regarding the safety of specific foods, contact the Central Racine County Health Department.
  • When In Doubt, Throw It Out!

Well Water Safety

  • Private well owners with wells located in a flooded area should not consume the water without boiling it first.
  • After the flood waters have receded, wells should be chlorinated and then tested for contamination.
  • Whenever you notice a change in water quality, or anytime there's been flooding near your well, have your well tested for bacteria contamination.
  • Until the test results are known, follow these procedures to ensure safe drinking water:
  • Drink bottled water or water from a known, safe source.
  • If necessary, you can make water safe to drink by boiling it for five minutes.
  • When in doubt, if the water is CLOUDY, ODOROUS, OR COLORED – DO NOT DRINK THE WATER!

Denise Lockwood has an extensive background in traditional and non-traditional media. She has written for Patch.com, the Milwaukee Business Journal, Milwaukee Magazine and the Kenosha News.