Local Emergency Responders Participate in Hazardous Material Mitigation Tabletop Exercise

Posted on Author Jacque Ryan

Local emergency personnel gathered in the Knox-Center Township Fire Department Wednesday morning to discuss how to test preparedness by responding to a hypothetical incident involving a hazardous chemical.

Starke County EMA Director J. Nier ran the exercise and it was monitored by Pulaski County EMA Director Sherri Gaillard. Officials from the medical field, law enforcement and fire departments were there to participate.

ISP Trooper Jim Strong was the first person on the scene of the hypothetical accident where a distracted semi driver carrying 6,000 of Anhydrous Ammonia crashed into a train track guardrail, damaging the tanker and causing a pungent white cloud to fill the air. Continue reading →

Emergency Management Officials Coordinate Response Efforts For Residents Affected by the Floods

Posted on Author Jacque Ryan

As the flood waters start receding, emergency management officials are beginning to plan out ways to assist those most severely impacted by the recent floods.

The Salvation Army recently delivered a few clean-up kits to emergency management officials in both Starke and Pulaski County. Starke County EMA Director J. Nier and Pulaski County EMA Director Sheri Gaillard said they will be handing those out to the citizens who need them in the near future.

They also said they’ll be conducting more thorough damage assessments once the water recedes more. However, residents are still reminded to fill out damage assessment reports through the Indiana Department of Homeland Security to assist with relief efforts. Only uninsured property damage should be reported. Continue reading →

Saturday Flood Updates for Pulaski County

Posted on Author Jacque Ryan

Much of Pulaski County is still experiencing flooded conditions. Motorists are advised to use caution while driving and to respond accordingly to all posted signage regarding high water and closed roads.

The Pulaski County Highway Department shared yesterday that sandbags can be picked up at the Pulaski County EMA Office (112 E Main St #110 in Winamac) and sand to fill the bags is available at the intersection of 200 W and 50 North in Pulaski County. Continue reading →

Francesville Grain Elevator Explosion Injures Two

Posted on Author WKVI
explosion-8
Tate & Lyle officials discuss next steps after an unsuccessful attempt to use a drone camera to view damage from Monday’s explosion at their Francesville facility. It was too windy for the unmanned device to fly.

Authorities in Pulaski County are investigating the cause of a grain elevator explosion that sent two people to a hospital with serious burn injuries. Continue reading →

Tippecanoe River Crests at 14.65 Feet, Now Receding

Posted on Author WKVI

 
 
The Tippecanoe River near Ora reached near-record flooding levels as it crested at 14.65 feet; had the level been just more than a foot higher, it could have broken the record set in 2009. Fortunately, the river crested and is beginning to recede, but EMA Director Larry Hoover said the rains forecast later this week might cause it to rise back up again, so stay cautious. As of 2 p.m. yesterday, the river had lowered to 14.2 feet.

Continue reading →

Tippecanoe River Crests in Monterey and Winamac

Posted on Author WKVI

Tippecanoe River State Park
Tippecanoe River State Park
The Tippecanoe River is receding in Monterey and Winamac. Pulaski County Emergency Management Agency Director Larry Hoover says some low-lying areas were affected by flooding, but he’s not received any reports of water in homes or flood-related damages. Hoover encourages anyone who did sustain property damage to call his office at (574) 946-6391 to report it or to visit the Indiana Department of Homeland Security’s website at in.gov/dhs. Reporting damage helps state officials determine whether they should apply for federal assistance.

Hoover says the river in both Monterey and Winamac crested well short of the high-water mark set in 2009, when it hit 15.72 and 15.69 feet respectively. It topped out at 12.21 feet in Winamac over the weekend and reached 14.37 feet in Monterey. Additional rain is possible tomorrow, but Hoover hopes that the water level will have dropped enough by then that it won’t cause any significant problems.

Ramp May Soon Be Installed Near Pulaski County EMA Garage

Posted on Author WKVI
Pulaski County Commissioners Tracey Shorter, Kenneth Boswell, Michael Tiede

In an effort to make it easier on their vehicles, Pulaski County EMA Director Larry Hoover requested a ramp be installed in front of the museum garage in which they park their equipment.

County Maintenance Director Morry Demarco told the commissioners this week that Hoover approached him and asked about the possibility of installing the ramp, and Demarco said his department could handle the effort but would require permission from the commissioners to proceed. Demarco said a pipe would need to be installed beneath the ramp to allow water to flow through, but the installation of the ramp would allow vehicles to park in the garage without having to climb over an eight-inch curb.

Commissioner Mike Tiede asked if Demarco could use bridge planks instead of concrete to save money, and Demarco said he will check into it. He also said he will look into the possibility of dumping rock near the curb and coating it in asphalt as an easier solution.