Kiowa County/Greensburg Update 6-11-07

KIOWA COUNTY/GREENSBURG
Public Information Update
Monday, June 11, 2007 8:30 a.m.

CURFEW HOURS are now 10 p.m. until 7 a.m.

C&D LANDFILL NOW CLOSED ON SUNDAYS. Hours are Monday-Saturday 7 a.m. - 6:30 p.m.

GREENSBURG HIGH SCHOOL DEMOLITION. Due to the demolition, a one block area of Iowa and Oak Streets, adjacent to the school, has been blocked off until Tuesday, June 12th.

KANSAS GAS SERVICE will begin purging natural gas lines of air, dirt, and debris in Greensburg on Monday, June 11th at 8 a.m. The process will take a few weeks. The crews will block off a one-block area at a time. An odor of rotten eggs may be noticed in the area being purged. People are asked to avoid KGS-blocked areas and to not smoke, cause sparks, or operate vehicles or machinery in the area while work is in process. If an odor is noticed, call 1-888-482-4950.

HOURS OF OPERATION for the Disaster Recovery Center at Barclay College are now 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday. The Greensburg Disaster Recovery Center will continue to be open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday - Saturday and from 1 to 5 p.m. on Sunday.

ID BADGES FOR GREENSBURG RESIDENTS Residents can obtain ID badges at the Emergency Operations Center on the square. Hours are 8 a.m. to noon. Residents are asked to provide some form of identification such as a driver’s license. The badges are intended to provide residents with easier access to their property and to meal sites but are strictly voluntary.

GREENSBURG MAIL You can get your mail by signing up for a box at the new post office. Hours are: Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. - noon and from 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturdays: 9 – 11 a.m. Call 620-723-2341 with questions.

CHANGE OF MEAL LOCATIONS FOR VOLUNTEERS AND RESIDENTS:
Base camp is closing today. A bag lunch will the last meal provided by base camp. Meals will be served to volunteers and residents at the following locations starting dinner time June 11th.
· Lighthouse Worship Center, 804 W. Wisconsin, will serve hot meals Monday through Saturday 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. Beverages are available throughout the day.
· Methodist Church, 600 W. Lincoln, has meals available: 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.-lunch and 5 – 7 p.m.-dinner. They provide snacks throughout the day.
· Salvation Army in Dillons parking lot. 7 a.m. – 7 p.m. Hot lunch is served 11 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Hot dinner served 4:30– 7 p.m. Muffins and coffee are available for breakfast. Beverages are provided throughout the day.

WASHER/DRYER SERVICE IS AVAILABLE for public use at Haviland Park under the water tower.

LEGISLATIVE LEADERS HAVE CREATED a Greensburg/Kiowa County Disaster Relief and Recovery Special Committee. The panel will meet several times throughout the year to monitor the rebuilding efforts after the May 4 tornado. Senator Ruth Teichman, R-Stafford, serves as the committee’s vice-chair and Representative Dennis McKinney, D-Greensburg, is a committee member. Contact their offices with questions.

Lost and Found. A lost and found station has been set up at Greensburg City Hall. Residents are encouraged to come by and view the inventory list during regular office hours. New items are arriving daily.

Property owners have until Friday, June 15, to begin or commit to debris removal. After that, the city will begin evaluating properties for possible demolition. Owners would be assessed the costs associated with this removal.

An inspection by a Structural Engineer is Needed for property owners to obtain a building permit to rebuild a home or business. Call the Building and Codes Office at 620-723-4109 with questions.

CITY OF GREENSBURG IS ISSUING BUILDING PERMITS at City Hall during regular business hours.

New Housing Programs to Aid Greensburg Reconstruction assistance programs are available through the Kansas Housing Resources Corporation at 785-296-5865 or www.kshousingcorp.org.

WATER SERVICE ADVANCES. Officials are continuing to test and turn on the water lines to areas of Greensburg. Contact City Hall at 620-723-2751 with questions about water restoration or to report water leaks.

INVOLVED IN DEBRIS CLEAN-UP?
Protect yourself with gloves, hard-soled shoes or boots and respiratory masks as necessary. If you have a cut or scratch that does not heal normally, seek necessary medical attention.

HELP SPEED UP DEBRIS REMOVAL by placing it in the right of way. Keep debris at least three feet from utility poles, fire hydrants and water and gas meters. Call City Hall with debris removal questions at 620-723-2751. Free debris removal will end Friday, June 22nd; residents are encouraged to take advantage of this service.

SRS REOPENS LOW INCOME ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (LIEAP) to aid residents in Kiowa, Pratt, Stafford and Edwards counties. Applications will be accepted through Friday, June 29th. The benefit is a one-time payment to help with energy bills. LIEAP applications are available at any SRS local office or by calling 1-800-432-0043.

KDHE MAINTAINS A LIST OF LICENSED ASBESTOS CONTRACTORS. Private contractors must be KDHE licensed to remove or demolish any suspected asbestos material. Call Scott Bangert at 785-296-1689 with questions.

ALL CONTRACTORS MUST REGISTER at Greensburg City Hall between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Contract work is prohibited without registration and/or license. Contractors are responsible for hauling jobsite debris and must plug any sewer lines.

SEPARATE HAZARDOUS MATERIALS AND WHITE GOODS. Separate refrigerators, air conditioners, batteries, paint, pesticides, aerosol cans, propane and compressed gas cylinders from other debris and leave at the curb for removal. Place waste food items in trash bags and leave at the curb. Bags are available at the Lighthouse Worship Center and the Salvation Army at Dillon’s. Protective gloves and masks must be worn when removing food debris.

KIOWA COUNTY OFFICES are located at Mullinville High School. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. The Health Department and Extension offices, now located on the square, are open Monday –Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Health Department number is 620-723-2136 and the Extension number is: 620-723-2156.

GREENSBURG CITY OFFICES are located on the square. Hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.

FEMA HIRING FOR LOCAL POSITIONS. Residents and those who worked in Greensburg and have lost their jobs are being considered for these positions. Call 770-216-3156 or 417-234-3798 or visit the Disaster Recovery Center at Barclay College.

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE. Greensburg residents are being considered for employment opportunities like administrative assistance, general labor and other positions. Contact the Local Area I Workforce Investment Board at the Haviland Disaster Recovery Center or call 620-388-4993 or 620-388-4992.

FIREFIGHTER POSITIONS.
Local residents who were displaced by the tornado and want to work for the Fire Department can contact the Local Area I Workforce Investment Board at the Haviland Disaster Recovery Center or call 620-388-4993 or 620-388-4992.

THOSE WISHING TO VOLUNTEER MUST CALL 211 (in state) or 1-888-413-4327 (out of state) prior to arrival. Ameri Corps is organizing groups wishing to volunteer, call 314-313-4779. Volunteers must dress appropriately for hazardous working conditions.

VEHICLE REMOVAL Owners of vehicles in Greensburg that were towed to the south landfill can view the inventory Tuesday – Saturday 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

ALLTEL WIRELESS ADJUSTS MINUTES. Alltel is automatically adjusting airtime overage minutes for May, June and July bill cycles and automatically adding 1,000 free bonus minutes local coverage to all customer lines for August, September, and October with billing Zip Codes of 67109, 67059, and 67054. Alltel also has activated a special toll free number for its Greensburg customers. That number is 1-866-937-2259. Hours are Monday-Friday 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Saturday-Sunday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Alltel retail stores have been established in Mullinville and Haviland. Hours are Monday-Saturday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

FREE PHONE USE for residents and responders is provided at the courthouse square by AT&T.

GREENSBURG FRAUD TASK FORCE. The Greensburg Fraud Task Force will investigate and prosecute any thefts of federal disaster relief funds. Call 1-800-KS-CRIME with tips.

GREENSURG RESIDENTS can view and inspect a FEMA travel trailer and manufactured home between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. at the west entrance to Davis Park. A FEMA specialist will be on hand to answer questions.

HAZARDOUS MATERIALS PICK-UP FOR BUSINESSES. The free hazardous materials pick up period has ended for businesses. Businesses needing to dispose of tornado-damaged hazardous materials should call KDHE at 785-296-1679.

CALL 911 IF YOU ENCOUNTER A HAZARDOUS SPILL OR LEAK. Never handle damaged or leaking containers. Please call KDHE at 785-296-1679.

FUEL IS AVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC PURCHASE AT VOLZ OIL. The public can purchase fuel Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

PROGRESS REPORT:
· 5,265 registered.volunteers have contributed 38,979 hours to date.
· EPA has collected 36,309 household hazardous waste items.
· Workers have hauled 278,675 cubic yards of debris requiring 29,499 truck loads. The debris removal process is approximately 79.6 percent complete.

DISASTER ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE:
· Small Business Administration is located on the square. Hours are Monday through Saturday 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday 1 to 5 p.m.
· FEMA is on the square Monday through Saturday 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday 1 to 5 p.m. or 1-800-621-FEMA or www.fema.gov
· Contact U.S. Representative Jerry Moran for assistance with the federal government at 620-665-6138.

SAFETY UPDATE:
· Treat ALL power lines as if they are live. Call 911 if you observe an arcing power line.
· Leave room for emergency and military vehicles when parking.
· Take frequent breaks and drink plenty of water. Seek immediate medical attention if you feel dizzy, nauseated or experience vomiting.
· Burning is prohibited in Greensburg. In rural areas, follow county ordinances. Burning is discouraged in high winds.
· Never enter any building that appears unsafe.
· Respiratory protection is recommended for all workers. Dust masks and safety glasses are available at the Kiowa County Health Department on the square.
· Kansas Gas Service is testing natural gas lines. If you have concerns about gas odors, call 9-1-1.