Governor JB Pritzker has issued a disaster proclamation for the entire state as a result of the dangerous winter storm that has blanketed the state with life-threatening wind chills, power outages, and accumulating snow.
The Governor has directed his administration to use all resources at their disposal to keep our communities safe amid dangerous and ongoing winter weather. He says they are in communication with local governments to ensure they have the support they need in disaster response and recovery operations. Pritzker says they are also working with their federal partners to pursue federal assistance to help communities recover and to do what they can to protect ratepayers from soaring utility bills.
Pritzker notes the extreme weather has resulted in frozen wells in key natural gas-producing states, including Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas. The sub-zero temperatures are resulting in increased demand and decreased supply, causing natural gas prices to spike. Utility companies across the nation are reporting soaring wholesale costs, and without federal intervention, those increased prices could result in higher utility bills for Illinois residents in the coming weeks.
Pritzker is urging all Illinoisans to take this extreme weather seriously, avoid all unnecessary travel and check in on their neighbors.
The Illinois Emergency Management Agency is offering the following tips to help households conserve energy while keeping winter safety a priority.
WINTERIZE YOUR HOME: Winterize your home to extend your fuel supply
- Insulate walls and attics
- Caulk and weatherize doors and windows
- Hang blankets over windows at night but let the sunshine in during the day
- Cover cracks around doors with rugs, newspapers, towels or other such material
WHEN AT HOME: Safely conserve energy
- Stay indoors in a heated room as much as possible
- If you have no heat, close doors and vents in unused rooms and shut the doors
- Turn down your home’s thermostat just a few degrees and bundle up with layers or a thick blanket
- Lower the temperature on your home water heater a few degrees
- Avoid using large appliances such as dishwashers, washing machines, or dryers
- Reverse your ceiling fan to turn clockwise, producing an updraft that will move the warm air that collects near your ceiling down to the rest of the room
- If using alternative heat from a fireplace, wood stove, space heater, etc., use safeguards and ensure proper ventilation to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning
