Over the past several years America has faced a large scale attack and weather that tested us as a nation.
Mount Prospect was hit with wind storms, two one-hundred-year floods, record cold and a prolonged power outage. In 2007 the power outage, downed trees and sandbagging against the river cresting paralyzed the Village as we knew it.
As I witnessed these events, I realized we needed a dedicated Emergency Operations Center, which we built. From it we mobilize teams of police, firemen, inspectors for structural issues, public works crews and social workers to find temporary housing. The Center also serves as a training facility, and be used in case of a major police mobilization effort in the Village.
Each family, business and school should make a plan as outlined in the Community Preparedness Guide. It lists items needed to sustain your family — food, water, batteries and medication. Preparing our families for an emergency does not mean we are living in fear — it means we re doing our best to take care of our loved ones.
I did what I could as our public works crews cleaned up streets after storms hit. It comforts me to know families are looking out for themselves and their neighbors.
As Mayor, I pledged to keep Mount Prospect a safe, strong and vibrant community both for businesses and residents.