Kane County Emergency Management

09/02/2026

During , we will be posing questions to you about what you might need and how prepared you really are. Answers will be posted to a second page - https://dare2prepare.blogspot.com

Illinois has seen 210 this year so far. Only one other state has seen more in any year. Our neighbors in Gary, Indiana just had power outages that lasted nearly two weeks. has had significant this year. Do you know what you need to get through a disaster?

09/02/2026

Heads up for another hot day!

Dangerous heat and humidity will continue through this evening. Peak heat indices are forecast to be in the 100-105F range once again, locally up to 110 south of I-80, which could result in heat related illness. Make sure to take precautions to stay cool!

09/01/2026

Hail in Illinois isn’t something to ignore anymore!

Illinois “weathered the storm” and reached a new hail record while doing it! ⛈️

A colossal hailstone has officially been crowned as the new state record-holder, measuring a staggering 6.603 inches in diameter—slightly larger than the average smartphone! This massive stone was found near Kankakee, IL, on March 10, 2026, setting new state records for weight (19.65 oz; ~1.23 lbs.) and volume (38.69 cubic in.).

The State Climate Extremes Committee carefully verified the evidence, confirming that the storm environment and the stone’s documentation make this a historic addition to the record books. Read the full report on how this measurement was verified: https://bit.ly/ILHailRecord

09/01/2026

FEMA’s Ready Campaign has observed National Preparedness Month since 2004 to encourage Americans to prepare for emergencies. The month is a great time to take small steps to make a big difference in being prepared.

08/31/2026

🟣 WHAT ARE OPIOIDS?
Opioids are a class of drugs naturally found in the o***m poppy plant. They work by releasing chemicals that relax the body and relieve pain.

🟣 OPIOIDS ARE NOT AUTOMATICALLY BAD.
Many prescription pain relievers are opioids, including tramadol, oxycodone, hydrocodone, codeine, morphine, hydromorphone and buprenorphine. Prescription opioids are generally safe to take when prescribed by your doctor for a short time.

🟣 PRESCRIPTION DRUGS MISUSE CAN CAUSE OVERDOSE.
When people take opioids for a long time or in higher doses than prescribed, they can become dependent on them. Misuse can include:
- taking the medication in a way or dose other than what was prescribed by your doctor
- taking someone else's medication
- taking the medication for the effect it causes - to get high

🟣 DRUG OVERDOSE SIGNS + SYMPTOMS
- Sleepiness or unresponsiveness
- Breathing slowly or not at all
- Cold, clammy skin
- Small, pinpoint pupils
- Slow heartbeat or low blood pressure
- Blue nails and lips
- Choking, gurgling or snoring sounds

🟣 IF SOMEONE IS OVERDOSING ON OPIOIDS
Naloxone can help reverse the effects of an opioid overdose, but a person overdosing cannot give it to themselves. That's why everyone should have naloxone. Naloxone saves lives. Learn more from the Kane County Health Department

08/29/2026

Watch for traffic congestion on Randall Road between Rt 38 and Rt 64 this morning! The "Big One" recycling extravaganza will be taking place at 540 S Randall from 8am to noon.

08/28/2026

Kane County Office of Emergency Management will be out tomorrow, Saturday, August 29, to assist with "The Big One" shred and recycling event. Event will be at 540 S. Randall Road, St. Charles from 8am - noon.

Free confidential document shredding and recycling stations for batteries, electronics (TV/monitor fees apply), bicycles, fluorescent and LED lights, Styrofoam, aerosols (fees apply), smoke and CO detectors (fees apply) and more.

For full details:
https://www.kanecountyil.gov/Recycling/Pages/recyclingEvents.aspx

08/28/2026

What keeps emergency managers coming back to the work?
For some, it's seeing a community become more prepared. For others, it's knowing that the work they do today could help someone tomorrow, even if that work is never seen. Behind those answers is a shared sense of purpose: knowing the work can make a difference.
For this edition of "Ask an EM," we asked emergency managers what keeps them serving. Hear what some of them had to say, and then let us know in the comments what keeps you serving every day.

08/27/2026

Sometimes the paperwork follows us home.

Kane County Office of Emergency Management encourages online courses as well as in-person training. Some of the basic principles of the incident command system (ICS) is first introduced through the FEMA self-study courses.