December 07, 2018

Duckworth Tours Tornado-Impacted Neighborhoods and Meets With First Responders in Taylorville

 

[TAYLORVILLE, IL] — U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) visited Taylorville today to see the impacts of the EF-3 tornado and learn more about response and recovery efforts. Duckworth met with the Christian County Emergency Management team, toured the impacted neighborhoods and visited the Multi Agency Resource Center (MARC), which will provide much-needed assistance to those affected by this disaster. Photos from today’s visit are available here.

“The loss hundreds of families experienced in Taylorville and across Central Illinois is devastating, but I’m inspired by the tremendous courage and resilience demonstrated by this community as it begins to rebuild,” Duckworth said. “I will work to help the residents affected by these storms receive the resources and support they need to rebuild critical infrastructure and repair damages.”

More than two dozen tornadoes touched down in Central Illinois Saturday, December 1, including an EF-3 tornado with 155 mph winds in Taylorville. The tornado is the strongest to touch down in the city since the National Weather Service began keeping records in 1950, destroying more than 500 structures.

Last year, Duckworth co-sponsored the Fairness in Federal Disaster Declarations Act, legislation that would reform the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) disaster declaration process to make it more transparent and equitable to small and rural communities in larger states like Illinois.

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