BURNETT COUNTY -- Severe thunderstorms hit Northwest Wisconsin on June 15-17 causing severe flooding, damage to roads, forests, and some minor damage to homes throughout Burnett County. As instructed following the storms, area residents who received damage to property called 211 to report the damage to the Burnett County Emergency Management (EM) Team.
211 is a free referral service run by the UnitedWay and is always active, and available to anyone with a land line or cell phone. When people call 211 to report damages or seek assistance they are routed to an office serving our area. The 211 dispatcher is kept informed of any available assistance and services for the public.
The 211 service was utilized by just a hand full of individuals following the June storms. One Webster resident, an elderly, disable veteran utilized the service when the storms left him with 15-20 mature trees downed in his yard. The Burnett County EM was able to connect the Webster resident in need with local representatives of the Christian Disaster Relief Group. Following local disasters the Christian Disaster Relief Group based in Almena, WI helps those in need on a donation basis.
On Saturday, July 7, 2018, Denton Wiebe, and 17 other local representatives of the Christian Disaster Relief Group traveled to Webster with enthusiasm, muscles, chainsaws, and two grapple equipped tractors. The group of able bodied men made light work of the trees in the Webster resident’s yard, all within 4 hours. The logs from the downed trees were donated to Interfaith Caregivers to be used in their home heating assistance effort in the fall and winter months.
Thank you to Christian Disaster Relief Group, Interfaith Caregivers of Burnett County, and 211/United Way for their support of our County’s residents in time of need.
Last Update: Jul 12, 2018 10:57 am CDT
