Michigan is in the middle of a severe cold front with sub-zero temperatures forecasted for the next few days. As a result, Governor Gretchen Whitmer has declared a state of emergency.
Dale George is with the Michigan State Police, Emergency Management and Homeland Security division. He says the emergency declaration will let the state provide resources to cities and towns dealing with the cold.
“They can continue the response. There’s some funding mechanisms, the state can start to supply some manpower and trucks and machines. Whatever they need for their response depending on what kind of issues they’re dealing with,” he says.
Governor Whitmer says declaring a state of emergency will also remind people how dangerous the weather conditions are. Whitmer declared the emergency Monday night and filed the paperwork with the Secretary of State’s office Tuesday morning.
“This is an event unlike any we’ve seen in a generation. And I think it’s really important that we protect people,” she says.
Schools are closed across the state, with temperatures predicted to fall as low as negative 50 degrees in some areas.
