INDIANA – Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) crews have been dispatched to Michigan to assist with cleanup efforts following a severe ice storm in late March.
The deployment was coordinated through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC), which is an agreement between 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Approximately 45 INDOT personnel, mainly from the agency’s Northeast and Northwest districts, were sent to Michigan.
INDOT Commissioner Lyndsay Quist stated, “We are proud to assist our neighbors to the north in this time of need. We are especially thankful to the dozens of INDOT personnel who willingly volunteered to be away from their homes and families to take part in this historic effort.”
The ice storm caused significant damage in 12 counties in Northern Michigan, leaving rural roads impassable due to fallen trees, downed power lines, and debris. INDOT crews will work alongside the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) to help restore access to these areas, many of which are still without power.
This deployment marks INDOT’s first activation under the EMAC agreement. The INDOT crews are scheduled to return to Indiana on April 18th. A team from the Indiana Department of Homeland Security District 4 Task Force was also deployed to provide meals to the crews. All costs associated with the deployment will be reimbursed by the state of Michigan.
More information about the ice storm and its aftermath can be found through the Michigan State Police Emergency Management and Homeland Security Division.
