Report on February 2008 Storm Response - Wisconsin Emergency ...

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$J1L(lO~ \~ ~~ - Center for Investigative Reporting$

— Wednesday, February 6 — Weather conditions in Madison at 2 a.m.: Light snow falling at .4 inches per hour, 28 degrees, northeast winds of 25 mph gusting to 26 mph. Blowing snow reported. Total accumulated snowfall since storm began is 2.1 inches. At 4:15 a.m. the State Patrol reports weather conditions at posts in DeForest, Waukesha and Tomah. High winds reported throughout southwest region with white-out conditions in some areas. The Grant County Sheriff’s Department issues an advisory at 5:45 a.m. recommending no travel on any road in Grant County. Weather conditions in Madison at 6 a.m.: Light snow falling at .3 inches per hour, 26 degrees, northeast winds of 17 mph gusting to 25 mph. Blowing snow reported. Total accumulated snowfall since storm began is 3.1 inches. During a 6 a.m. check with NWS, the State EOC is advised that the storm, which did not cause as much snow as originally expected overnight, is still expected to deliver large amounts of snow throughout the day. At 7 a.m. it is decided that a public information officer is not needed in the EOC and the WEM PIO who had been on duty on the overnight shift is released. When the DOT representative reports to the State EOC at 7:45 a.m. he learns that WEM is anticipating shutting down the EOC about 9 a.m. as there was little overnight activity. The storm will last another 12 hours. At 8 a.m. a DOT region area maintenance engineer stops at Dane County Shop to see if they are ready for the snow event. Plows were out at this time. The county says they have what they need and prepared as best they can be at this time. There is no further contact between the county and this state maintenance engineer until sometime Thursday. A crash at 8:46 a.m. closes all southbound lanes of I-94 at Rawson Avenue (Milwaukee County). One fatality is reported. Weather conditions in Madison at 10 a.m.: Snow falling at .8 inches per hour, 24 degrees, north winds of 21 mph. Total accumulated snowfall since storm began is 5.9 inches. At 10 a.m., a DOT–Highways official observes road conditions, noting difficult driving and runoffs. Determines it is best to monitor from office and returns to region office. At 10:11 a.m. a motorist westbound on I-90 calls the Dane County 9-1-1- center and reports “we’re all backed up here.” – 14 –
By 10:30 a.m. there is a significant traffic backup on the I-39/90 near the northern border of Rock County, as the county highway department continued to plow and sand the Interstate in both directions. At 10:46 a.m., Rock County dispatcher asks the State Patrol if I-39/90 will be shutting down “anytime soon.” State Patrol advises that the Interstate highway is not shut down because it is a “national defense highway.” Wisconsin State Patrol Superintendent Collins receives an email at about 11 a.m. informing him that the State EOC is still partially activated but anticipates deactivating sometime that afternoon. Snowfall in Madison is heavy with .8 inches per hour, north winds at 21 mph and gusts to 29 mph. Total accumulation of snow is 6.7 inches since the storm began. Shortly after 11:00 a.m., three separate incidents have been reported in Dane County, within a mile or two of the Hwy 51 junction, that effectively block traffic in both directions on I-39/90 for some time. All three incidents are referred to the State Patrol. A state trooper reports at 11:14 a.m. that crossovers are drifting due to east-towest winds, and shoulders have not been plowed. There is no request for action. State Patrol receives report at 11:14 a.m. of crash on northbound/westbound I- 39/90 at milepost 155 resulting in total blockage of all northbound lanes. This event is now believed to be the “trigger point” for northbound 1-39/90 problems that would persist for the next 20 hours. At 11:26 a.m., Dane County 9-1-1 center receives call from a motorist claiming to be stuck in unmoving traffic with “about 1,000 cars” near Stoughton. The claim apparently is not viewed as significant and does not appear to have been reported to anyone outside the Dane County 9-1-1 center. At 11:40 a.m. a state trooper at the I90/94 split requests assistance at milepost 124 eastbound with complete lane blockage. The trooper witnesses several tractor semi-trailer units jackknife at that location. He reports “chaos” and inability to stand due to ice conditions. A state trooper reports at 11:59 a.m. that all LaFayette County highways are impassable. Weather conditions in Madison at noon: Heavy snow falling at .9-inch per hour, 24 degrees, north winds of 22 mph gusting to 29 mph. Total accumulated snowfall since storm began is 7.5 inches. At 12:04 p.m. a man stopped at milepost 156 northbound reports that trucks can’t make it up the hill. – 15 –
Page 1 and 2: Response to Traffic and Public Safe
Page 3 and 4: It was Mother Nature who threw a si
Page 5 and 6: Agencies contributing to this repor
Page 7 and 8: Executive Summary ————— W
Page 9 and 10: In the Patrol’s defense, they did
Page 11 and 12: jam could not have been cleared bef
Page 13 and 14: “One for the books” In the firs
Page 15 and 16: February 6, 2008, weather observati
Page 17 and 18: A closer look at the 48-hour period
Page 19: The Response Response to the winter
Page 23 and 24: State Patrol lieutenant reports at
Page 25 and 26: At about 5 p.m. Superintendent Coll
Page 27 and 28: mission determined for the snowmobi
Page 29 and 30: snowmobile clubs helping motorists
Page 31 and 32: off the interstate. Concerns are ex
Page 33 and 34: Review of Specific Issues Although
Page 35 and 36: But the way things actually occurre
Page 37 and 38: 8:00 a.m. Telephone news conference
Page 39 and 40: 2008-02-06-17.14.42.190000 Hwy 14 M
Page 41 and 42: Appendix 2-1 Department of Military
Page 43 and 44: 013 DOT- SP 014 DOT- SC 6-Feb 0920
Page 45 and 46: 038 DOT- SC 6-Feb 1555 The WisDOT S
Page 47 and 48: 060 WEM 6-Feb 2030 PIO now at the E
Page 49 and 50: 075 WEM 7-Feb 0450 Several conferen
Page 51 and 52: 019 WING 6-Feb 0454 DNR contacted W
Page 53 and 54: 059 6-Feb 2015 Watch NCO #5 contact
Page 55 and 56: 097 WING 7-Feb 0015 105th Cav First
Page 57 and 58: 137 WING 7-Feb 1215 105th CAV notif
Page 59 and 60: 026 WSP 6-Feb 0500 Road Condition <
Page 61 and 62: 101 WSP 6-Feb 1225 Received calls t
Page 63 and 64: 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 151 152
Page 65 and 66: 192 193 194 195 196 WSP 6-Feb 1615
Page 67 and 68: WSP 6-Feb 1700 approx Telephone cal
Page 69 and 70: 272 273 274 275 276 277 278 279 280
Page 71 and 72:
316 WSP 6-Feb 1916 SB 145 Duelly st
Page 73 and 74:
355 356 369 WSP 6-Feb 1938 Daughter
Page 75 and 76:
397 398 399 400 401 402 403 404 405
Page 77 and 78:
418 419 420 421 422 423 424 425 426
Page 79 and 80:
444 445 446 WSP 7-Feb 0130 approx T
Page 81 and 82:
Appendix 2-4 Department of Transpor
Page 83 and 84:
036 DOT 6-Feb ~1650 State Patrol in
Page 85 and 86:
052 DOT 7-Feb 0045 EOC. SUBJECT: SI
Page 87 and 88:
079 DOT 7-Feb 0845 080 DOT 7-Feb 08
Page 89 and 90:
098 DOT 7-Feb 1320 Dave Vieth conta
Page 91 and 92:
008 DNR 6-Feb 13:35 Lt. Sievers of
Page 93 and 94:
Engfer 022 DNR 6-Feb 19:50 approx E
Page 95 and 96:
034 DNR 7-Feb 00:00 - 06:00 Wardens
Page 97 and 98:
043 DNR 7-Feb 07:00-08:00 Janesvill
Page 99 and 100:
004 DCEM 5-Feb 1443 Notification re
Page 101 and 102:
030 DCEM 6-Feb 1036 City of Madison
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055 DC911 6-Feb 1304 Rock Co somewh
Page 105 and 106:
091 DCEM 6-Feb 1621 Briefing - ____
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110 DCEM 6-Feb 1828 WEM EOC and Sta
Page 109 and 110:
148 DCEM 6-Feb 1945 Director spoke
Page 111 and 112:
190 DCEM 6-Feb 2145 Conference call
Page 113 and 114:
223 DCEM 7-Feb 121 Reestablished ph
Page 115 and 116:
254 McFFD 7-Feb 430 McFarland Fire
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Appendix 2-7 Rock County Event Time
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041 042 043 RC 6-Feb 1839 Connors c
Page 121 and 122:
RC 6-Feb 2131 First conference call
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RC 7-Feb 0053 Conference call notes
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Appendix 3-1 Wisconsin Department o
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EOC Staffing Was it adequate? Did e
Page 129 and 130:
capabilities are brought to bear at
Page 131 and 132:
Page 133 and 134:
transferred to the State Patrol Def
Page 135 and 136:
and motor assists. 27 of those call
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Troopers and Inspectors were making
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1600 hours: Kathy Krusiec telephone
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eports that there is not enough roo
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February 6, 2008, 2000 to 2400 hour
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2200 hours: Superintendent Collins
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vehicles. Officers are waking up dr
Page 149 and 150:
and 460 vehicles northbound, the ma
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———————————
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The department does have a process
Page 155 and 156:
• Road information text and map c
Page 157 and 158:
Page 159 and 160:
Communications Confusion regarding
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Mobilization of the National Guard
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In the future it would be helpful t
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Appendix 3-7-2 Rock County Public W
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Appendix 4 Warnings, Advisories and
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STATE OF WISCONSIN \ DEPARTMENT OF
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