Benton County Emergency Management Agency - Indiana

05/25/2026

05/19/2026

No plans for dinner on Friday evening? Well, you do now!! 🚒🔥

Come grab dinner at the fire department and support your local firefighters. We’d love to see everyone come out for a great meal and good company!

05/19/2026

***Post update***

There is still no current weather threat.

First - thank you for all those that made the 911 Center Aware. Great situational awareness!

The siren at the Fowler Fire Station suffered an electronic malfunction to cause it to activate. Only one siren went off. All FFD, EMS, and Police units were working a car crash at 18/41 at the time. Thank you to former fire department member Dick Rosenbarger for his quick thinking to shut the siren down. The siren will remain out of service until we can determine repairs.
Have a good day!
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We are aware of the sirens going off at various locations. We are actively investigating the cause. There is no current severe weather threat to the community. Thanks for the understanding.

05/18/2026

The National Weather Service in Chicago has issued a

* Severe Thunderstorm Warning for...
Newton County in northwestern Indiana...
Benton County in northwestern Indiana...
Porter County in northwestern Indiana...
Lake County in northwestern Indiana...
Jasper County in northwestern Indiana...

* Until 1215 PM CDT/115 PM EDT/.

* At 1118 AM CDT/1218 PM EDT/, severe thunderstorms were located
along a line extending from near Monee to near St. Anne to near
Hoopeston, moving northeast at 50 mph.

HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts and penny size hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Expect damage to roofs, siding, and trees.

* Locations impacted include...
Hammond, Gary, Portage, Merrillville, Valparaiso, Schererville,
Hobart, Crown Point, Highland, Munster, Chesterton, Cedar Lake,
Lowell, Rensselaer, DeMotte, Hebron, Fowler, Kentland, Otterbein,
Re*****on, Morocco, Wheatfield, Lake Village, Griffith, and Dyer.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a
building.

&&

05/18/2026

***Road is open***

SR 18 east at the White County line is closed due to an accident. Plan to detour.

05/12/2026

936 AM CDT Tue May 12 2026 /1036 AM EDT Tue May 12 2026/
..BLOWING DUST ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM CDT /8 PM EDT/ THIS
EVENING...

* WHAT...Patchy blowing dust with localized visibility of one mile
or less expected. The blowing dust will occur near open
agricultural areas.

* WHERE...In Illinois, Livingston, Ford, Iroquois, La Salle, Grundy,
Kankakee, and Southern Will Counties. In Indiana, Benton, Jasper,
and Newton Counties.

* WHEN...Until 7 PM CDT /8 PM EDT/ this evening.

* IMPACTS...Locally reduced visibility may lead to locally hazardous
driving conditions.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Visibility could vary rapidly over short distances. Slow down and
exercise caution driving in open areas this afternoon.

05/06/2026

Mark your calendars and come support an amazing group of people at the Fowler Fire Department! 🚒🇺🇸 We appreciate all the support from our community and look forward to seeing everyone there.