Governor Jim Pillen on Wednesday declared a state of emergency in response to a storm that hit the village of Crofton in Knox County.

The storm earlier this month brought exceptionally high winds that damaged public and private property and disrupted utility services.

The declaration opens the door to activation of state resources and authorizes the use of the Governor’s Emergency Fund to cover costs associated with responding to and recovering from the impacts of the storm.

A state-level declaration also can serve as a foundational legal and administrative step required before federal disaster assistance programs can be formally requested and unlocked.