Jessica Mathews / news@whmi.com


Some local first responders and leaders are in the upper Lower Peninsula assisting with recovery efforts following the area's historic ice storm.

The Livingston County Incident Management Team sent “some of our best first responders” to Grayling, MI to provide support as Northern Michigan continues to recover from the ice storm. Livingston County Emergency Management said they are operating in less than comfortable conditions, but their help is badly needed.

The County offered special thanks to the following:

Chief Adam Carroll, Hartland / Deerfield Fire Authority
Fire Marshal Jon Dehanke, Hartland / Deerfield Fire Authority
Deputy Chief Tracy Chamberlain, Green Oak Township Fire Department
Former Hamburg Fire Chief Nick Miller, Livingston County EMS
Battalion Chief Lauren Brookins, Brighton Area Fire Authority
Assistant Chief Jim Tester, Brighton Area Fire Authority
Operations Chief Jacob Thomas, Hartland / Deerfield Fire Authority (not pictured)
Meanwhile, a new interactive map provides a tool for people to track roads that are now open following the massive ice storm.

All roads on the map were identified as public safety priorities by the State Emergency Operations Center and were cleared of debris by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Incident Management Team, along with the Michigan National Guard and other cooperators.

Incident Management Team Operations Chief Keith Murphy “Making sure there are clear roads for vehicles in the event of an emergency has been one of our top missions since we got saws, trucks and equipment out in communities hit by these storms. Our crews and cooperators have already cleared more than 630 miles of roadway and we’re not done yet.”

Murphy added, “This map is a tool people can use to find clear routes to their destinations, providing options to keep them and their loved ones safe.”

The information on the map will be updated as more roads are assessed and cleared through state-supported efforts.

Roads included on the map have been cleared by DNR Incident Management Team crews and the efforts of county road commissions, fire departments, and many other cooperators.

Officials advise it is not a comprehensive list of all open roads, only those that have been assigned to DNR Incident Management Team.

Captain Kevin Sweeney, deputy state director of Emergency Management and commander of the Michigan State Police, Emergency Management and Homeland Security Division commented “The progress made by the Department of Natural Resources, the Michigan National Guard, Michigan Task Force 1, the Michigan Department of Transportation, and the county road commissions has been nothing short of remarkable. With hundreds of miles of roads now cleared, communities across mid-Michigan are seeing a return to safety and accessibility. This work supports ongoing emergency response efforts, and helps more schools reopen by ensuring buses can once again travel roads that were left impassable by the ice storm. We’re grateful to all the crews working on the ground and to our residents for their continued patience and cooperation. There is still work to be done. We remain committed to continued support and coordination through our State Emergency Operations Center.”

In addition to clearing roadways, the DNR Incident Management Team and its cooperators ensured access to the state radio communications, including 911, state and local law enforcement, fire departments, hospitals, and other public safety agencies by clearing debris to 34 Michigan Public Safety Communications System towers. All 13 cellular towers assigned to the team have also been cleared.

The map and resources for those impacted by the ice storm are available in the provided links.