https://www.huntington.in.us/county/department/index.php?structureid=22

Huntington County Emergency Management, 20 Victory Noll, Huntington, IN (2026)

08/31/2026

⚠️ MULTIPLE WAYS TO WARN HUNTINGTON COUNTY

Public alerting is one of the most important responsibilities of Huntington County Emergency Management. Our agency helps manage and maintain several systems used to warn and inform residents before, during, and after an emergency.

- 25 Outdoor Warning Sirens

Huntington County has 25 outdoor warning sirens located throughout the county. EMA oversees the readiness, testing, maintenance, and coordination of these sirens.

The sirens are divided into three activation zones North, Central, and South and are tested at noon on the first Wednesday of each month, weather permitting.

Outdoor warning sirens are primarily intended to alert people who are outside. They are not designed to be heard inside every home, and Huntington County does not issue an “all-clear” siren.

- Huntington County Text Alerts

EMA also manages the Huntington County public text alert system. This system allows residents to receive important emergency notifications, severe weather information, road updates, and other public-safety messages directly on their phones.

- Official EMA page

Our page provides severe weather updates, emergency notifications, traffic and road alerts, preparedness information, agency updates, and follow-up information throughout an incident.

- FEMA IPAWS

Huntington County EMA maintains direct access to FEMA’s Integrated Public Alert and Warning System, commonly known as IPAWS. This allows authorized agencies to issue geographically targeted Wireless Emergency Alerts to compatible cellphones and Emergency Alert System messages through television and radio stations.

Each system serves a different purpose. No single warning method can reach everyone during every emergency, which is why Huntington County EMA works to maintain multiple ways of communicating with the public.

From outdoor warning sirens and text notifications to social media and IPAWS alerts, our goal remains the same: provide timely, accurate, and potentially life-saving information when Huntington County needs it most.

We encourage everyone to have multiple ways to receive emergency information and never rely on only one source.

08/31/2026

Heat Advisory has been issued for Elkhart, Lagrange, Steuben, Noble, De Kalb, Starke, Pulaski, Marshall, Fulton, Whitley, Allen, White, Cass, Miami, Wabash, Huntington, Wells, Adams, Grant, Blackford, Jay, Northern La Porte, Eastern St. Joseph, Northern Kosciusko, Southern La Porte, Western St. Joseph, Southern Kosciusko, Williams, Fulton, Defiance, Henry, Paulding, Putnam, Van Wert, Allen

WHAT...Heat index values 100 to 104 expected. Overnight heat indices in the middle 70s.
WHERE...Portions of northern Indiana and northwest Ohio.
WHEN...From 2 PM EDT /1 PM CDT/ Tuesday to 8 PM EDT /7 PM CDT/ Wednesday.
IMPACTS...Hot temperatures and high humidity may cause heat illnesses.
ADDITIONAL DETAILS...A period of dangerous heat and humidity is in store through at least Wednesday evening, with minimal relief Tuesday night. Chances for showers and thunderstorms should remain north of the advisory area.

08/30/2026

Emergency Management: More Than Emergency Response

Much of the work performed by Huntington County Emergency Management happens behind the scenes. Throughout the year, our office completes several state and federal preparedness requirements that help identify local hazards, measure our capabilities, guide emergency planning, and maintain compliance.

These responsibilities include:

HIRA – Completed Yearly | Due January 31
Identifies and evaluates the hazards and risks that could affect Huntington County. This information also helps guide future planning, training, and exercise priorities.

SEAR – Completed Yearly | Due August 26
Evaluates the potential risk of a terrorist attack or other security concern associated with qualifying special events.

SPR – Completed Yearly | Due October 31
Measures Huntington County’s progress and identifies remaining gaps within the core capabilities needed to prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters.

THIRA – Completed Every Three Years | Due October 31
Examines the threats and hazards facing our community and determines the level of capability needed to address them.

NIMS Compliance Report – Completed Yearly | Due November 15
Documents the county’s continued compliance with the National Incident Management System, which helps agencies work together effectively during emergencies.

CPG 101 Planning Report – Completed Yearly | Due November 15
Tracks the annual development, review, and maintenance of Huntington County’s emergency plans.

These assessments and reports are more than paperwork. They help us understand our risks, identify capability gaps, prioritize improvements, support grant applications, and ensure Huntington County remains prepared.

Emergency management is a year-round responsibility, and planning before an emergency is one of the most important parts of protecting our community.

08/30/2026

WHAT DOES THE LEPC DO?

When people hear Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC), they may think it’s simply another committee that meets throughout the year. In reality, the LEPC plays an important role in hazardous materials preparedness, and Emergency Management has a significant responsibility in supporting and maintaining that program.

Here in Huntington County, we currently have 72 active Tier II facilities that report hazardous chemicals and materials stored at their facilities.

One of the major responsibilities of Emergency Management is ensuring that the LEPC completes a yearly hazardous materials exercise. Each year, an exercise must be planned, conducted, documented, and evaluated.

There are three primary exercise formats that can be used:

Tabletop Exercise — A discussion-based exercise where participants work through a simulated hazardous materials incident and talk through their roles, responsibilities, resources, and decision-making.

Functional Exercise — A more realistic exercise that tests specific emergency response functions and capabilities without deploying the full amount of personnel and resources that would be used during an actual incident.

Full-Scale Exercise — The most comprehensive type of exercise, involving actual personnel, equipment, communications, and field operations to simulate a real hazardous materials emergency.

But the work doesn’t stop once the exercise is over.

Emergency Management also helps ensure that required state documentation and reports are completed and submitted for the LEPC, including:

- LEPC Roster Report
- Fiscal Report
- Bylaw Report
- Exercise Proposal Report
- Exercise Final Report
- Annual LEPC Plan Updates
- Meeting Minutes for each LEPC meeting

These requirements help ensure that Huntington County’s LEPC remains organized, compliant, and prepared to support our community in the event of a hazardous materials incident.

Emergency management isn’t just about responding when something happens.

It’s about planning before an incident occurs, building partnerships, exercising our capabilities, maintaining required documentation, and making sure our community is prepared for the hazards that could impact us.

Preparedness happens long before the emergency.

08/29/2026

PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS BY THE NUMBERS

From January 1 through August 29, 2026, Huntington County Emergency Management has issued 900 public communications:

• 730 Facebook posts
• 170 public alerts

These communications have included severe weather information, emergency notifications, traffic and road updates, preparedness information, agency activities, and other important public-safety messages.

Huntington County Emergency Management is also proud to maintain direct access to FEMA’s Integrated Public Alert and Warning System, commonly known as IPAWS.

IPAWS allows authorized public-safety agencies to issue geographically targeted emergency warnings through multiple communication channels, including Wireless Emergency Alerts delivered to compatible cellphones and the Emergency Alert System used by television and radio stations.

Maintaining this capability requires ongoing training, testing, agreements, digital certificates, and compliance with FEMA requirements. Our agency takes these responsibilities seriously and works to ensure this critical alerting capability remains available when Huntington County needs it most.

EMA Director Thomas Fuller has served as an authorized IPAWS Alert Originator for Huntington County for the last three years. This continuity helps ensure emergency alerts are issued accurately, appropriately, and as quickly as possible during a serious threat.

Public communication is one of the most important responsibilities of emergency management. We are proud to continue strengthening Huntington County’s ability to provide timely, accurate, and potentially life-saving information to our residents.

08/28/2026

Huntington County Emergency Management is proud to announce that the District 3 Healthcare Coalition has approved reimbursement for our 2026 National Homeland Security Conference registration and hotel expenses, a total of $1,457.96.

These reimbursed funds will be returned directly to Huntington County’s General Fund 1000 rather than EMA’s budget.

Huntington County EMA attends only one conference each year, and for the past three years, we have successfully secured full or partial reimbursement to help reduce the cost to local county taxpayers.

We sincerely thank the District 3 Healthcare Coalition for its continued partnership and support!

08/27/2026

Your EMA. Your Resource.

Emergency management is about more than responding when something happens, it’s about being there for our community before, during, and after an emergency.

If you ever have a question or concern related to emergency preparedness, severe weather, or the safety of our community, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

We’re always willing to listen, answer questions, and have a conversation.

- [email protected]
- 260-388-5748

Whether it’s a preparedness question, a weather concern, or something you’d simply like to discuss, our office is here to serve you.

Your EMA. Your Resource.

08/26/2026

⚠️ Power Outage Reminder, Please Do Not Call 911 ⚠️

If your power is out, please do NOT call Huntington County Public Safety Dispatch to report it.

911 lines must remain open for emergencies only.

To report a power outage or check restoration updates, please contact your electric power company directly. They are the ones who can track outages and dispatch crews to restore power.

Calling dispatch to report outages can tie up phone lines that may be needed for life-threatening emergencies.

Report outages to your power provider
Do NOT call 911 or dispatch for power outages

Thank you for helping keep emergency lines open and available for those who truly need the

08/26/2026

HUNTINGTON COUNTY LEPC MEETING RECAP

The Huntington County Local Emergency Planning Committee met on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, at the Huntington County Courthouse.

The committee approved the minutes from its April 29, 2026, meeting. Director Thomas Fuller also presented the LEPC financial report, which was approved by the committee.

FINANCIAL UPDATE

The LEPC has $8,690.46 remaining from its current appropriation of $9,813. The fund’s total cash balance is $24,495.22.

The committee also confirmed receipt of its annual state distribution totaling $6,825.03. This distribution is calculated, in part, based on the number of qualifying Tier II facilities located within Huntington County.

ANNUAL FISCAL REPORT

Each year, the LEPC must submit a fiscal report detailing how state-distributed funds were used. Huntington County’s annual fiscal report has been reviewed and approved by the Indiana Emergency Response Commission.

The report’s state-revenue line item was updated to accurately reflect the funding received under Indiana Code § 13-25-2-10.6.

2026 LEPC PLAN

The committee reviewed and approved the 2026 Huntington County LEPC Plan. This plan helps guide local hazardous-materials preparedness, planning, coordination, and response efforts.

OFFICER NOMINATIONS

The following individuals were nominated to serve as the 2027 LEPC officers:

• Thomas Fuller — Chair
• Bob Hayes — Vice Chair
• Tony Ehler — Secretary/Treasurer

Tony Ehler will serve as Secretary/Treasurer until Huntington County EMA is able to hire a new deputy director.

EXERCISE UPDATES

CF Industries provided an update on its plans to conduct a full-scale exercise at its Huntington County facility in September. Full-scale exercises allow facility personnel and public-safety agencies to practice their plans and response procedures under realistic conditions.

The committee also began discussing next year’s LEPC exercise. Members are considering a functional or tabletop-style exercise, with the exact format and scenario still being developed.

HAZARDOUS-MATERIALS RESPONSES

The committee reviewed four hazardous-materials-related responses associated with traffic crashes involving injuries. These occurred on June 15, June 18, July 21, and August 14.

The Huntington County LEPC brings together emergency responders, government agencies, local industries, healthcare representatives, and community partners to strengthen hazardous-materials preparedness throughout Huntington County.

The next Huntington County LEPC meeting is scheduled for October 28, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. in Room 207 of the Huntington County Courthouse.

08/26/2026

HUNTINGTON COUNTY EMA ADVISORY COUNCIL MEETING RECAP

The Huntington County EMA Advisory Council met on Wednesday, August 26, 2026. Vice Chair John Markley called the meeting to order at 8:00 a.m.

The Advisory Council approved the minutes from its April 29, 2026, meeting. Director Thomas Fuller presented the EMA financial report, which was also approved by the Council.

During the meeting, Director Fuller provided the following agency updates:

EVENTS, TRAINING & COMMUNITY OUTREACH

• Huntington County EMA supported Heritage Days by deploying the EMA Command Trailer and providing real-time weather monitoring and event support.

• EMA participated in the IAEM-USA Region 5 Virtual Summit. The training provided updates concerning FEMA and the federal government while allowing local emergency managers to connect virtually with emergency management professionals from across the country.

• For the first time, Huntington County EMA had the opportunity to participate in Camp Hero.

• EMA attended the Huntington County 4-H Fair with the Command Trailer and provided real-time weather monitoring and event support.

GRANT UPDATES

• Huntington County’s 2025 State Homeland Security Program grant application was not funded. The requested funding would have been used to upgrade additional Huntington County Courthouse doors to electronic key-fob access.

• EMA has applied for the 2026 State Homeland Security Program grant to support improvements to Huntington County’s outdoor warning siren system.

• EMA has applied for a Norfolk Southern grant to purchase two new hazardous-materials response suits for the Huntington Fire Department HazMat Team. A funding decision is still pending.

• EMA has also applied for a NIPSCO grant to purchase additional NOAA Weather Radios for community distribution.

TRAFFIC UNIT TRANSITION

The Advisory Council was briefed on the upcoming transition of the Huntington County Sheriff’s Office Traffic Unit to Huntington County EMA. Once the transition is complete, the unit will operate as part of EMA.

Initial work on the transition has already begun. Additional information will be shared as the process continues and the unit’s structure and responsibilities are finalized.

CONFERENCE & PREPAREDNESS UPDATES

• Director Fuller attended the 2026 National Homeland Security Conference in Louisville, Kentucky, where emergency management and public-safety professionals from across the country gathered for training, collaboration, and information sharing.

• Director Fuller provided an update on the Huntington County COAD, Community Organizations Active in Disaster. The organization continues moving toward the formal adoption of its bylaws.

• Huntington County EMA continues working with American Red Cross representatives to identify potential emergency shelter locations and complete the required documentation. The Huntington County YMCA and The Awakening Church are currently being evaluated as possible shelter locations. These locations have not been finalized as shelters.

RESPONSE ACTIVITY

The Advisory Council also reviewed recent EMA response activity, including the June 11 tornadoes, traffic crashes, structure-fire support, outdoor warning siren activity, weather monitoring, and other requests for assistance.

Huntington County EMA appreciates the Advisory Council members and community partners who continue supporting the agency’s preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation efforts.

The next Huntington County EMA Advisory Council meeting is scheduled for October 28, 2026, at 8:00 a.m. in Room 207 of the Huntington County Courthouse.

Huntington County Emergency Management

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