We all know how serious flooding can be in Grundy County and the surrounding area. Just a few years ago, flooding forced Morris Hospital to move nearly 50 patients due to rising waters. The flood wreaked havoc along the Illinois and Fox Rivers. In fact, that 2013 flood cost LaSalle and Grundy counties alone more than $150 million. Homeowners and business owners were greatly impacted. Infrastructure was damaged. Life changed for many of us in an instant.
 
That’s why in 2013, we teamed up with area leaders across the 38th Senate District to establish the Illinois Valley Flood Resiliency Alliance (IVFRA). The IVFRA brings communities, local governments, and emergency personnel together to help all of us prepare together for extreme weather events, especially floods, through education, communication, and the purchasing of flood prevention materials.
 
This is where you come in.
 
In partnership with the Grundy County Board, I would love for you to come to our free Grundy County Flood Prevention Meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 3. We will be joined by Mike Sutfin, the City of Ottawa Floodplain Manager. Together, we will host this town hall style meeting to discuss how Grundy County can better prepare for a flood, especially if you reside in a flood plain (or if you don’t know if you live in a flood plain). We will also discuss what you can do now to help decrease flood insurance rates and how communities in Grundy County can develop better ways to reduce flood losses.