The Kentucky headquarters of a national organization charged with soliciting out-of-state help when disaster strikes was among thousands of businesses that lost electricity during an ice storm.

Despite being forced to operate off generator power, the Lexington-based National Emergency Management Association had to navigate its biggest response yet in its home state.

Besides workers deployed from Kentucky and the federal government, NEMA lined up help from more than 500 people in 10 states.

Capt. Thomas Hay of the Wisconsin National Guard said Monday that about 50 guardsmen from that state were actively working to clear trees from roads in Dixon, Ky.

Other states assisting were Florida, Mississippi, Louisiana, Tennessee, Indiana, North Carolina, Ohio, Alabama and West Virginia.