The devastation left in the wake of tornadoes late Friday night and early Saturday morning in the Midwest has prompted the assistance of many disaster and emergency response organizations, including the Red Cross.
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The Red Cross in Pulaski County invites residents to join the “Sound the Alarm” home fire safety and smoke alarm installation event on Saturday, Jan. 19 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET.
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A Winamac woman was chosen to be a part of a leadership group to lead mass care efforts in North Carolina.
On Wednesday, Red Cross Emergency Response Vehicles started delivering food and supplies to flood-affected areas around Indiana, including the counties of Marshall, Starke and Pulaski.
Lead Disaster Action Team Member and Local Red Cross Volunteer Sherry Fagner spent the beginning of this week working with the Mass Care Feeding League at Red Cross Headquarters in South Bend, organizing contracts with areas requesting assistance and preparing kits to deliver to the spots that were hit the hardest by the recent floods. Continue reading
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
A “vintage market” will be coming to the Winamac Town Park this spring, but whether that would pave the way for other types of vendors was a topic of discussion during last week’s park board meeting.
The Winamac woman who recently returned from Texas after spending two weeks assisting the Red Cross with mass care efforts there, is leaving once again – this time to the U.S. Virgin Islands. Sherry Fagner is one of six Indiana volunteers who were chosen to be a part of the jump team that was assembled to be deployed to the area.
When Sherry returned from Texas, she was a little under the weather. However, she said she is feeling better now as she physically, mentally and emotionally prepares for her journey. She leaves today and will spend a day or two in Atlanta, Georgia for staff collection then she will leave from there to the islands. Continue reading
Local Red Cross volunteer Sherry Fagner returned home last Friday, after spending two weeks working as the supervisor of a staff shelter in Beaumont, Texas. Sherry is the sole Lead Disaster Action Team member for Pulaski and Starke Counties. She is also a longtime Red Cross volunteer who has assisted in past natural disasters such as Hurricane Sandy, the Henryville tornadoes and the 2016 floods in South Bend. Continue reading
The last time Sherry Fagner, spoke with WKVI, she was two days away from joining the Red Cross in Houston to assist with mass care efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. Fagner is a Lead Disaster Action Team member for Pulaski and Starke Counties as well as a long-time Red Cross Volunteer. Sherry has been on the ground for a little under a week now and has been quite busy as the supervisor of a staff shelter there. Continue reading
A local woman who volunteered during past natural disasters such as the Henryville Tornado and Hurricane Sandy will be deploying to Houston this weekend to assist the Red Cross with mass care efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. Sherry Fagner is a former Incident Management Team member of the District 2 Task Force who now serves as the Lead Disaster Action Team member for Pulaski and Starke Counties. Fagner will be providing assistance in one of the mega centers that has been set up in the Houston area. Continue reading
The Pulaski County Health Department received a reimbursable grant for supplies in the office.
Sherry Fagner told the commissioners this week that the State Department of Health Public Preparedness Base Grant is worth $13,460.
“We’re doing some updated packet printing for our partners. As far as supplies, we kind of have a lot of different things on there to update our Go Kits for our partners and to support a POD or any other event that we have to do,” explained Fagner.
The issue concerning generators at the county home and county health department in Pulaski County may soon come to conclusion.
Maintenance Director Jeff Johnston presented information to the commissioners about the cost associated with self-starting generators. The commission members quickly found the approximate $85,000 cost too high.
The only thing harder than being prepared is explaining why you were not! This is National Severe Weather Preparedness Week, which is a good opportunity to know your risk, take action and be an example. The Pulaski County Health Department is one of several agencies taking part in this call to action. Preparedness measures have been put to the test with this winter’s snowfall, and tornado season will be here soon. Pulaski County Health Department Preparedness Coordinator Sherry Fagner says knowing your risk of severe weather, taking action and being an example are a few steps you can take now to potentially save your life and the lives of others. Continue reading
Fagner recommends having enough food for at least three days and enough water for several days as well in case the electricity goes out or your pipes freeze. She said the amount of water should be sufficient to be used for sanitation purposes and for cooking. For food, she said it’s important to not only have nutritious items, but to stash some comfort food as well to prevent getting stir-crazy.
Fagner explained the grant will be used to support the coroner’s efforts, to purchase items like bodybags, toe tags, mobile printers to be used in the field, GPS units and other items.
Commissioner Larry Brady made a motion to approve her request. Terry Young seconded the motion, and it passed unanimously.
Most people who get infected with West Nile virus do not show any symptoms, though some people develop a mild illness called West Nile Fever. This mild illness gets better on its own; no treatment is necessary. However, a small number of people – that is, less than 1 in 100 – who get infected with West Nile virus develop severe symptoms such as headache, high fever, stiff neck, mental confusion, muscle weakness, tremors, convulsions, coma, and paralysis.
A few members of the District 2 Task Force were in the Winamac Town Park Wednesday morning to do some testing of HVAC equipment. Sherry Fagner from the Pulaski County Health Department explains that they were trying to remedy the air system.
“We are testing some new HVAC systems and some duct work with the systems we currently have. We try to be prepared when something happens and this is part of our plans to get them to where we want them in the field. Can we go right now? Absolutely. But, we want to make sure the systems we have are the best they can be,” explained Fagner.
Fagner said the health department has to justify the purchase in order to obtain the grant, and said they justified the purchase by stating that it could be employed in a possible distribution site for medical countermeasures. That is, if the department ever offered a drive-through or a walk-through, the cooling centers would be useful.
