City of Columbus officials held a press conference Aug. 11 in response to the series of heavy storms passing through central Ohio, sharing information about resources for the tens of thousands of people without power and safety recommendations as the storms continue into Aug. 12 and 13.
Columbus Mayor Andrew J. Ginther, who was joined at the press conference by representatives from various other governmental departments, including fire and police, called the storms "devastating," and emphasized to the public the importance of safety.
As of 4 p.m. Aug. 11, about 100,000 people are without power in central Ohio alone, according to the AEP Ohio live power outage map. Ohio is the state that's been hardest in the storm's path, according to Matthew
Bennett, the managing director of operations at AEP Ohio.
Wind speeds of 82 miles per hour were reported at John Glenn Columbus International Airport and 52 miles per hour at Ohio State University Airport the morning of Aug. 11.
The National Weather Service said they suspect a tornado may have hit the Dublin area, but they aren't able to send surveyors out for confirmation until Aug. 12 or 13. City officials were unable to provide additional details on that effort. The weekly Wednesday tornado drill test will be canceled if there is a storm passing through at noon, when it's scheduled.
Ginther also said his office is in communication with the office of Governor Mike DeWine. Ginther made the call to send city and state employees working in downtown Columbus home early Aug. 11 to avoid further congesting roadways during the next wave of storms at the recommendation of the governor's office.
"Just as we've pulled together in major weather events before, we need to answer that call to serve each other, take care of each other, do the right thing, protect ourselves, our neighbors and this community," Ginther said.
Ginther said residents should be prepared for continued storms, additional damage and the potential for tornados in the coming days as dangerous conditions continue to pass through central Ohio.
Police and fire divisions have had an influx of emergency calls
Assistant Fire Chief Dave Baugh said a majority of the damage done by the storms is found on the city's southside. Across the city this morning, dispatchers received more than 100 emergency calls for things like roofs ripped off of buildings, cars overturned and live downed wires in roads.
Although they conducted preliminary searches inside damaged buildings, Baugh said crews are now doing secondary searches to ensure nobody who is in danger was missed. There were no injuries reported as of 1 p.m. Aug. 11.
Police are helping fire officials block of necessary areas and providing methods of traffic control. A representative from the Columbus Division of Police said they have activated an emergency operation center to better coordinate relief efforts in collaboration with fire officials.
Drinking water hasn't been impacted despite outages
Director of Columbus Water and Power Kristen Atha said despite so intermittent and short power outages at water plants across the city this morning, there haven't been any impacts to drinking water due to the storm.
There are "dozens" of transmission poles that have gone down throughout the city, most of which will take five-to-seven days to fix. Atha said there are about 1,400 individuals without power as a result.
Half of Columbus' traffic lights are without power
Director of Public Service Kelly Scocco announced at about 2 p.m. that Interstate 71 would be close to both north and southbound traffic between Greenlawn Avenue and State Route 104 for an indefinite period of time to allow crews to remove downed power lines from the road.
The city has lost communication with about half of its traffic lights and cameras. Scocco said this means many lights may be flashing yellow, which means drivers should proceed with caution, or may be flashing red or not at all, which means drivers should treat them as an all-way stop.
The Department of Public Service deployed roadway investigators to spot storms and assess damage. They are working continually to remove downed trees and help manage damaged power lines.
Scocco said Rumpke Recycling will likely be doing a special run at the end of the week to collect yard waste, which residents can collect and put near the road for pick up.
Health officials are working on opening a southside shelter
Health Commissioner for Columbus Public Health Dr. Mysheika Roberts said she's working with the fire department and the American Red Cross to open a shelter for impacted individuals on the southside, where the largest amount of damage is.
The shelter, when opened, will have a nursing staff for those who need medical assistance and will provide a safe place for those without power in their homes to stay. Roberts said there isn't an exact timefram but it will likely open sometime Aug. 11.
People without power should avoid opening their fridges and coolers when possible to keep the cold air inside for longer. They should also keep track of how long they've been without power, so they know when food has gone bad.
A closed refrigerator without power can keep food safe for about four hours, while a freezer can keep it safe for between 24 and 48 hours depending on how full it is. For anyone concerned about losing power to their fridge, especially those who rely on medication that must be refrigerated, Roberts recommended getting a cooler with ice.
Multiple city parks are closed down Aug. 11 and the rest of the week
Director of Columbus Recreation and Parks Bernita Reese said her team is also working to clear downed trees across the city while also managing the closure of multiple city parks due to damage.
Westgate Park, Tuttle Park, Feddersen Community Center, Barack Community Center and the Fran Ryan Center are closed all day Aug. 11. Lou Berliner Sports Park is closed both Aug. 11 and 12, and could have an extended closure depending on conditions Wednesday afternoon.
Anheuser-Busch Park was hit by a transformer, leading to live power on the ground. It is closed the rest of the week, according to Reese.
building and zoning
Director of Building and Zoning Services Scott Messer said there are numerous structural building inspectors circulating through the city to determine the safety and integrity of buildings damaged by storms. He emphasized that roof damage can cause serious issues for buildings, and should be reported quickly.
Dispatch reporter Lilli Malone can be reached at lmalone@dispatch.com or on Instagram at @lillimwrites.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Columbus city officials are banding together to provide resources after storms
