DODGE CITY — The Red Cross jointly opened a shelter with the Salvation Army at Dodge County Community College in Dodge City on Monday in response to power outages in southeast Kansas. The Victory Electric Cooperative Association based in Dodge City reported more than 5,000 homes were without power and it could take several days to fully repair the damage.
The shelter was located in the Student Activity Building at the college, 2501 N. 14th St.
Red Cross advised that anyone evacuating to a shelter should bring essential items for each member of the family:
• Prescriptions and emergency medications
• Foods that meet unusual dietary requirements
• Identification to show residence is in affected area and important personal documents
• Extra clothing, pillows, blankets, hygiene supplies and other comfort items
• Supplies needed for children and infants, such as diapers, formula and toys
• Special items for family members who are elderly or disabled
The State Emergency Operations Center remained activated Monday and continued to monitor the storm that hit much of the state over the weekend.
The Kansas National Guard had Stranded Motorist Assistance and Recovery Teams (SMART) patrolling key roads and rendering assistance to motorists stranded by icy road conditions in western Kansas. The teams also provide emergency transportation for law enforcement, medical and other critical response personnel. The Kansas National Guard is also standing by if generators are requested by county managers through the Kansas Division of Emergency Management.

Effect of melting ice on power lines
The Victory Electric Coop notes that melting ice can cause as many complications are freezing rain. Many times the ice on the bottom line will melt before the lines above, causing the lines to touch and to short circuit. This causes the breaker to open and customers to lose power. This isn’t always a simple fix of closing the breaker, because it often causes the wire to burn down, which requires extensive repairs.