By Kurt Erickson
The Herald-Review
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — A power outage at a prison earlier this month put a spotlight on whether state correctional facilities are fully prepared to deal with emergencies.
Illinois Department of Corrections officials say they are still investigating the circumstances of a 92-minute, storm-caused blackout at the minimum-security Vandalia Correctional Center on Aug. 20 that led to an inmate attacking a guard after other prisoners began getting “rowdy” in the darkness.
The events leading to the altercation are similar to two other power outages that affected prisons in other parts of the state.
In January, guards had to deal with unruly inmates after the power went out at the Vienna Correctional Center, leaving parts of the prison without heat and light during one of the coldest winters in memory. In 2012, an incident described by guards at the East Moline Correction Center as a “near riot” occurred after the main power went out because of a construction mishap.
In all three cases, backup power systems were inadequate in keeping the facilities properly illuminated.
According to the Illinois Department of Corrections, all but two prison facilities, Vandalia and a halfway house in Peoria, have backup generators on site.
At the two facilities without backup generators, Corrections spokesman Tom Shaer said officials typically haul in portable generators if outages appear to be lengthy.
In addition, he said, “Flashlights, lanterns and extra staff are put in place in the short term until portable generators are up and running.”
Full story: Prison blackouts expose weakness in preparation