City crews work overtime on storm damage cleanup

News Herald Photo by KATHRYN MARTINEZ City parks department workers clear brush on Peavine Road yesterday, after Hurricane Ike swept through the area. Crews are slated to continue the clean-up effort until all brush is cleared from the city. City crews work long and hard hours this weekend to aid Kilgore residents as Hurricane Ike swept through the area, downing trees and utility lines.

Ronnie Moore, director of public safety, said dispatchers answered hundreds of calls and dispatched 52 responses to red light outages, resident assistance, alarms sounding and felled trees.

As power loss swept the city, Emergency Medical Services were dispatched for medical assistance to persons with no injuries, but who had special needs.

Animal control was dispatched to 12 calls, which Moore said were mostly out of concern for wandering and stray animals, residents feared would be injured by weather or downed electrical lines.

Residents called to report 25 electricity outages.

According to Danny Downing, Kilgore Fire Department B Shift battalion Chief, C Shift firefighters, under Justin Stephenson, C Shift battalion chief, responded to 36 calls for downed lines, trees on residences, lines arcing, trees in the roadway, and electrical wires on houses.

Moore said the city utilized crews from every department to ensure the safety of Kilgore residents.

According to Mike Green, director of community services, the city parks department remains in the field working with the city chipper to eliminate limbs and brush.

Green said the city offers this service following severe weather at no charge, to water customers.

Green advises that felled limbs be placed curbside in manageable piles for pick up.

The department is slated to make a full sweep of the city for brush pick up.