FAQs

In the event of a chemical release or spill causing immediate danger to our community, you will be notified to Shelter-In-Place. 1. Go inside. Stay Inside. 2. Close windows & doors. 3. Turn off Heater / AC. 4. Listen to TV / Radio.

You should consider the items below: Towel First Aid Kit Plastic Trash Bags County Map Non-Perishable Snacks Small Container of Water Eyeglasses & Hearing Aid Prescription Drugs Wide Tape Flash Light Small Radio with Extra Batteries

A WATCH is issued when conditions are right for a tornado to develop. Remind your family members where the safest places in your home are located. Keep alert to changing weather conditions and listen to radio or television for developments. A WARNING is issued when a tornado has been sighted or is indicated by radar. Go immediately to a safe place and wait until authorities give the "all clear".

In a house, go to the middle of the basement. Stay away from doors and windows. Get under something like a heavy table, if you can, cover yourself with a blanket or sleeping bag. If there is no basement, go to an interior room on the ground floor. Stay away from windows. You do not have to open them to equalize air pressure. All you are doing is putting yourself in danger of getting cut from flying glass. Get out of mobile homes. Try to take shelter in a permanent structure. If none is available, you are safer in the open than in a mobile home. Tie-downs will not help. Get out of your car. Never try to out-run a tornado. If you are caught in the open, lie down in a ditch, away from trees. In a high-rise building, use the stairs to go to the designated shelter area or an interior room on the lowest floor possible. In a school, nursing home, hospital, factory or shopping center, go to a pre-designated shelter area. Interior hallways on the lowest floors are usually the safest. Stay away from windows and open areas with freestanding roofs. Before the weather gets bad, take time to identify potential shelters and be sure to keep a battery-powered radio handy to hear the latest emergency information. Nothing can stop a tornado, but being prepared can help you and your family survive.

CERT stands for Community Emergency Response Team. It is a training program that prepares people to help themselves, their families and their community. Through CERT, citizens can learn about disaster preparedness and receive training in basic disaster response skills such as fire safety, light search and rescue, and disaster medical operations. With this training, volunteers can provide critical support by giving immediate assistance to victims before emergency first responders arrive on scene. CERT volunteers also support the community year-round by participating in community preparedness outreach activities. For more information about CERT contact Edward Rock of the Kosciusko County Emergency Management Agency at 574-371-2602.