On June 29, 2023 wind speeds over over 100 mph hit central Illinois, causing damage to trees, homes, and power lines. Thousands of Springfield residents were without power for nearly a week, with some outages lasting even longer.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) —  On June 29, 2023 wind speeds over over 100 mph hit central Illinois, causing damage to trees, homes, and power lines. Thousands of Springfield residents were without power for nearly a week, with some outages lasting even longer. 

Almost a year later, city leaders and emergency response organizations are reflecting on their impact. 

"We were caught a bit unaware of just how devastating a storm like this could be for our area," said Ethan Posey, Director of Community Relations for the City of Springfield. "We learned that we weren't prepared for a large scale disaster — and there was a lot of devastation." 

According to the National Weather Service, "A storm is classified as a derecho if wind damage swath extends more than 240 miles and has wind gusts of at least 58 mph or greater along most of the length of the storm's path."

Posey said since the 2023 derecho, community leaders have met multiple times to create plans and partnerships so they are ready for the next big emergency. He said knowing who is in charge of what responsibilities, and who to call for help has already been useful. Part of this plan was used last week when a fire devastated businesses on Adams Street.

The new plan focuses heavily on communication plans, especially when areas don't have power. 

"After the storm, the mayor gave press conferences every day and we thought that information was getting out to everyone in Springfield," said Posey. "But in talking to people and groups afterwards, we realized there were a lot of people that had no idea that the mayor was putting on these press conferences."

PHOTOS: Take a look at last year's derecho damage

One of the organizations that led wide reaching response efforts was the South and Central Illinois Red Cross. They opened a temporary shelter area in the NAACP building but days later moved to the BOS Center because they needed more space. 

"Our hearts definitely dropped in that moment but I knew that we are the Red Cross and we can show up and figure it out," said Dawn Morris, Executive Director of the South and Central Illinois Red Cross. "I'm super proud of all of the city and community partners that really leaned in." 

While the Red Cross has plans in place to respond to most situations, Morris said her team is still learning from their response to the derecho. 

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