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Washington, IL, City Administrator Tim Gleason (right, at the front of the classroom) worked with Western Illinois University Emergency Management (EM) Assistant Professor Jack Rozdilsky (left, by the door) and WIU students (in Rozdilsky's courses) on projects related to the city of Washington's tornado disaster recovery this year.
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City Administrator to Provide One-Year Retrospective of Washington (IL) Tornado at WIU Nov. 6

October 31, 2014

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MACOMB, IL — It has been almost one year since an EF-4 tornado struck Washington, IL, and next week, Washington City Administrator Tim Gleason will be at Western Illinois University to provide a one-year retrospective of the disaster. Gleason will speak at 2 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 6 in Horrabin Hall 78.

According to WIU Emergency Management Assistant Professor Jack Rozdilsky, during 2014, students in his courses worked on projects related to the city of Washington's disaster recovery.

"In Spring 2014, students in EM 461 ("Business and Industry in Emergency Management") examined and explored factors that influenced the Tazewell County-based municipality's long-term economic recovery," he explained. "In Fall 2014, students in EM 401 ("Hazard Mitigation and Disaster Recovery") assessed recovery progress in neighborhoods that were in the direct path of the tornado."

In addition, Rozdilsky said he worked with a graduate student on an externally funded research project exploring social aspects of disaster recovery by looking at how the city's high school football team contributed to the recovery.

"City Administrator Gleason's remarks are important, as at this one-year point after the disaster, we can begin to consider lessons learned," Rozdilsky noted. "Both city administrators and emergency managers can learn from Washington's unfortunate experiences, as it is a real possibility that other municipalities in Illinois will face similar disasters in the future."

For more information, contact Rozdilsky at (309) 298-1621 or via email at JL-Rozdislky@wiu.edu.

To learn more about WIU's emergency management bachelor's degree program — the only one of its type in the state — visit www.wiu.edu/coehs/health_sciences/undergraduate_programs/em/index.php.

Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
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