Receives briefing on status of debris removal, power restoration

Missoula, MT. – Following a recent severe thunderstorm in the Missoula area, Governor Greg Gianforte on Aug 1st, received a briefing at the Emergency Operations Center and visited the Fort Missoula Regional Park to thank emergency responders and survey a debris collection site.

“Thanks to the quick response from Montana Disaster and Emergency Services, our first responders, Missoula Electric, NorthWestern Energy, and local officials, Missoula has made great progress on clean up and restoration,” Gov. Gianforte said. “We’ll continue to bring the full resources of the state to bear as communities recover.”

Late last week, a severe thunderstorm caused damages to power poles and trees across western Montana leaving tens of thousands of customers of Missoula Electric and Northwestern Energy without power. Following local disaster declaration requests, the governor issued a state disaster declaration in Missoula and Mineral counties.

Through the disaster declaration, the State of Montana will expend funds from the general fund to meet contingencies and needs arising from these conditions and help impacted communities get back on their feet as quickly as possible.

Receiving a briefing on the status of debris removal and power restoration, the governor heard from representatives of Montana Disaster & Emergency Services (DES), Missoula Parks and Recreation, NorthWestern Energy, Missoula Electric, and other local officials on the progress.

According to original reports from DES, more than 70,000 locations were without power the day after the storm. On Aug 1st, the governor heard the connections of nearly all NorthWestern Energy and Missoula Electric clients have been restored.

Visiting one of five active debris collection sites, the governor heard from Missoula Parks and Recreation on the storm impact to trees and the status of debris clean up.

“Looking back at past events, in 2015, we had about 150 trees that had gone down. While we are still in the data collection stage, this is the largest wind event we have on record with more trees down than ever before. We are shifting a lot of field resources to managing debris sites because of the volume that is coming in,” Morgan Valliant of Missoula Parks and Recreation said.

Officials at the debris site indicated that storage capability for all sites is an estimated volume of 130,000 cubic yards.

Highlighting the impact of the state declaration and the overwhelming response from state agencies, Missoula Mayor Andrea Davis added, “Thanks to the state disaster declaration, resources were freed up to be immediately deployed. Speaking of just a few, the National Guard was here to help us disseminate water and ice to folks, the Department of Transportation was very helpful in making sure we were able to get power to traffic signals, and, of course, the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation so we could cut out downed tress and get to transmitters and other immediate, emergency communications.”

“The incredible amount of support and people coming together in order to be at a point where we are is really exception – from the professionals to the community members who have stepped up in amazing ways,” the mayor concluded.

“Part of our Montana creed is neighbor helping neighbor, and that’s just what we’ve seen over the past week here in Missoula,” Gov. Gianforte said.

For the latest updates on restoration and recovery efforts from Missoula County, visit www.missoula.co/storm.