Decatur County Mayor Creasy Reports Ice, Outages and Water Shortages After Storm

Thick ice and refreezing roads have left Decatur County crews scrambling to clear damage and keep residents safe, Mayor Mike Creasy said, while the county contends with power outages and water supply shortages after a late‑January winter storm. “So far there’s no fatalities and that’s our main goal, and all of our agencies are working hard from the rescue squad, sheriff’s department, EMA, and volunteers–unbelievable,” said Mayor Creasy.

Mayor Creasy said an emergency declaration was issued locally as part of a larger statewide response. “We declared an emergency declaration. Governor Lee declared one for all 95 counties. I think it was Sunday morning at 11am I declared one here for Decatur County. This may be out night one, so we’ve been through this before,” said Mayor Creasy. Creasy described crews transporting elderly residents to warming shelters and delivering water to neighborhoods where supply has been interrupted.

Public safety remains a priority as lines are down and conditions change. “You have to be safe. Be cautious, there’s power lines down and some of them are getting recharged. Tree limbs are falling still. We’re seeing the temperatures rise so you’re going to have black ice, so it’s an extremely dangerous situation still out here,” said Mayor Creasy. Officials emphasized the risk from re‑energized lines and falling limbs as melting and refreezing create unpredictable patches of black ice on local roads.

Reporters visiting Decaturville found Mt. Carmel Road among the harder hit communities, with fallen trees and downed power lines visible along the roadway. Crews from the rescue squad, the sheriff’s department, the county EMA and volunteers have been working to clear lanes and reach isolated residents, while neighbors have stepped in to help one another. “We just left some people that are watching out for an elderly guy and a couple of neighbors around the neighborhood. It’s like that everywhere. You don’t find that any better than right here in Decatur County,” said Mayor Creasy.

A newsroom advisory urged locals to check on vulnerable neighbors: “We’ve had several calls and reports to our newsroom indicating some locals could be freezing at home with no heat source. Check on neighbors and make sure they have a place to stay warm.” With no official statewide casualty count beyond the mayor’s statement of no fatalities at the time of reporting, county leaders continue damage assessment and relief deliveries.

For residents, the immediate priorities are simple and practical: avoid travel on untreated roads, stay away from downed power lines, help elderly or immobile neighbors reach warming locations if needed, and heed updates from county emergency management. Decatur County officials and volunteers will continue restoration and relief efforts in the days ahead as crews work to clear ice, restore power, and replenish water supplies.