MOUNT VERNON — The Knox County Commissioners announced Monday that they have declared a state of emergency in the county due to damage from Sunday’s windstorm.

Commissioner Allen Stockberger said the declaration clears the way for the county to be considered for state and federal disaster relief.

Shortly after the commissioners’ announcement, Gov. Ted Strickland declared a state of emergency statewide. The storm damage was caused by the remnants of Hurricane Ike, which brought hurricane force 75 mph wind gusts through Knox County and much of the state.

Five weather-related deaths have been reported in the state. At least two injuries in Knox County have been blamed on the storm.

Marie Blubaugh, Knox County Homeland Security and Emergency Management director, said her agency has worked with the Knox County Chapter of the American Red Cross to open comfort shelters around the county.

In Fredericktown, a center opened Monday morning at the First Presbyterian Church on Main Street. It will be staffed with volunteers from the Red Cross and the church.

The Fredericktown Fire Department and Fredericktown EMS assisted with the setup of the center, which is open for residents who need a snack, water or a cot on which to rest.

The Eastern Knox County Joint Fire District has opened both of its stations to the public if it needs snacks or water. The station in Howard is at 23059 Coshocton Road; the station in Danville is at 7 W. Walnut St.

At The Salvation Army, 203 E. Ohio Ave., in Mount Vernon, the comfort center opened Monday afternoon. Snacks and water are available.

Blubaugh said she contacted the village of Centerburg, but its government declined a comfort center at this time.

“I was told they are holding their own down there at this point, and they don’t want a comfort station,” she said.

The EMA and Red Cross are working with the village of Martinsburg to find a location for a comfort shelter and a generator to power it.

“Martinsburg would like to have a comfort center, and we are working on that,” Blubaugh said Monday afternoon.

Blubaugh said her agency has been trying to contact Brinkhaven officials to see if a center is needed there.

Stockberger said if federal and state disaster relief are approved, it could reimburse local governments for overtime paid during the storm and recovery.

“Long range, if we get the declaration approved, some of that overtime can be reimbursed, and that’s considerable,” he said.

Commissioner Bob Wise said there has also been damage to county roads as a result of the storm, and state and federal relief may help pay for repairs.

Stockberger said the last time the commissioners made an emergency declaration of this kind, was the ice storm in the winter of 2004-05.

He said the county EMA has done a good job of keeping the commissioners apprised of the storm and the damage.

Wise commended local road crews.

“The county crews were out fast,” he said. “I almost think the county roads were opened quicker than the state routes.”

Wise said some Knox County farmers may be having trouble providing water for their animals.

The Red Cross has loaned 80 cots to the Mount Vernon Nazarene University for students who are unable to stay in their student housing, according to local Red Cross Executive Director Dan Werner.

He said his agency is helping where it can, but is urging people who can stay home to do so, because only limited resources are being offered at this time.

“If you can shelter in place, that’s what we recommend you do, but we have the comfort centers if you need it,” Werner said.

The Red Cross is gathering food and supplies in case they are needed later in the week.

“We’ll just have to see how things go,” Werner said.

Blubaugh said Monday afternoon that the centers have received only limited use, but they remain open until 7 p.m., and then on an as-needed basis. They will reopen at noon today. She said people who are unable to get to the shelters can call 2-1-1 or the EMA at 393-6772 for possible assistance.

The Hot Meals program provides free meals seven days a week year-round, regardless of income. Meals are served from 5:30 to 6:30 every day except Sunday, when they are served from 5 to 6 p.m.

People without power or the capability to cook are welcome. On Mondays hot meals are offered at the First Presbyterian Church on Gay Street; on Tuesdays at the First Congregational Church of Christ on North Main; on Wednesdays at the Central Church of Christ on Harcourt Road; on Thursdays at the First Christian Church on East Vine Street; on Fridays at the Gay Street United Methodist Church, on Saturdays at the Seventh-day Adventist City Church on South Edgewood Road, and on Sundays at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church on East High Street.

People without power and hot water are able to take free showers at the main YMCA building on North Main Street. Executive Director Amy Hollaway said the showers available between 4:45 a.m. and 9 p.m. every day through Friday. “If we need to extend it past Friday, we can,” Hollaway said.

She said the Y staff was reacting to the number of people in the city without hot water due to the storm. “There were a lot of people in need, and we wanted to respond to that need,” Hollaway said.

Blubaugh said that according to Knox County Engineer Jim Henry, all county roads with the exception of Bryant Road and Hopewell Road between Breeze and Jacobs were open as of 8 a.m. this morning. County crews are continuing to work on cleanup.

“If there are trees down, please stay away from them and let the county, city and township road crews take care of it,” she said. “Those lines can be really deadly if they make contact with them.”