Casey County Emergency Management

08/30/2026

Major Heat Risk Expected Tuesday though the rest of the week.

The National Weather Service is highlighting a Major Heat Risk for Tuesday, September 1, with excessive heat expected to continue through at least Thursday.

At the Major HeatRisk level, anyone without adequate cooling or hydration can be affected — not just those normally considered vulnerable to heat.

Please keep heat safety in mind:

* Stay hydrated and take frequent breaks in a cool or shaded area.
* Consider postponing or limiting strenuous outdoor activities during the hottest part of the day.
* Check on elderly family members, neighbors, and others who may not have adequate air conditioning.
* Never leave children or pets unattended in a vehicle.
* If you must work or practice outdoors, take the heat seriously and allow additional rest and hydration breaks.

With several days of excessive heat possible, plan ahead now and take care of yourself and those around you.

Casey County Emergency Management

08/30/2026

Casey County Emergency Management Receives WoWCart (Water on Wheels) Emergency Water Treatment System

LIBERTY, Ky. — August 29, 2026 — Casey County Emergency Management has received a WaterStep WoWCart, providing the county with a new emergency water treatment capability that can be used locally and potentially deployed to assist other communities during times of need.

The addition of the WoWCart grew directly from contingency planning conducted during the 2026 water shortage affecting Casey County and the City of Liberty.

As water levels declined and local and state officials prepared for the possibility of worsening conditions, Casey County Emergency Management worked with partner agencies to identify resources that could help maintain water supplies for critical facilities, including Casey County Hospital and Liberty Care Center.

An Opportunity Developed Through Preparedness

On June 27, Casey County Deputy Emergency Management Director and Search and Rescue Coordinator McKay Allen attended WoWCart training hosted by the Berea Fire Department. Berea had previously received a WoWCart through the same grant program involving WaterStep and the Lions Club.

WoWCarts were among the resources being considered as part of Casey County’s emergency water contingency planning, making the training an opportunity to gain firsthand knowledge of the system.

During the training, Allen spoke with Nikki Salladay, Director of Water Relief for WaterStep, about the water situation in Casey County and the preparations underway locally.

Salladay advised Allen that another WoWCart had been funded and WaterStep was looking for an appropriate community in which to place the system.

Following the training, Allen discussed the opportunity with Casey County Emergency Management Director Brian Sears and Deputy Director Albert Buck. On June 30, Allen formally contacted WaterStep and requested that Casey County be considered as a recipient.

Over the following weeks, Casey County Emergency Management worked with WaterStep to develop a plan for housing, maintaining, transporting and deploying the system. Discussions also included volunteer involvement and developing a group of locally trained personnel capable of operating the equipment during an emergency.

Those efforts ultimately resulted in WaterStep selecting Casey County to receive the Lions Club-funded WoWCart.

Training Brings New Capability to Casey County

On August 29, WaterStep conducted hands-on WoWCart training at the Liberty Fire Department. Local firefighters, government officials, volunteers and community partners participated in instruction covering the operation, deployment and maintenance of the system.

The WoWCart will be housed and maintained locally so it can remain ready for emergency deployment.

While based in Casey County, the system is intended to be more than a county-only resource. When circumstances and availability permit, the equipment and trained personnel can potentially be deployed to assist neighboring counties and other Kentucky communities experiencing emergencies that disrupt access to safe water.

The WoWCart provides another tool for situations such as water-system failures, natural disasters, infrastructure emergencies and other incidents in which normal water supplies are disrupted.

What began as contingency planning during a local water shortage has resulted in a long-term emergency resource that will strengthen Casey County’s preparedness well beyond the current situation.

Casey County Emergency Management extends its appreciation to the Lions Club for funding the WoWCart, WaterStep for making the program possible and selecting Casey County as a recipient, Liberty Fire Department for hosting the August 29 training, and the local fire departments, government officials, volunteers and community partners who have supported the project.

Casey County Emergency Management
Preparedness • Response • Recovery

08/28/2026

New Outdoor Warning Siren Testing Schedule

Bluegrass 911 will now test outdoor warning sirens on the first Wednesday of each month at 12:00 noon.

This replaces the previous testing schedule of the first Saturday of each month at noon.
In the event of inclement weather, the test will be postponed to the following month. 

Please help us spread the word so residents are aware of this change.

Remember, outdoor warning sirens are designed to alert people who are outdoors and are not intended to serve as your primary means of warning indoors. Always have multiple ways to receive emergency alerts and weather warnings, especially when you are inside.

08/25/2026

Kentucky uses several different alert systems when a person is missing or endangered. Each one serves a different purpose, and the criteria are not the same.

AMBER, IAN, and Ashanti Alerts are public alert systems operated through the Kentucky State Police in coordination with the law-enforcement agency handling the case. Golden Alert D, Golden Alert, and Green Alert are part of Kentucky’s missing-person and search-and-rescue notification process and involve local Emergency Management, the local SAR coordinator, local media, Kentucky Emergency Management, and law enforcement as appropriate.

Not every missing-person case will result in a public alert. The type of alert depends on the person’s age, the circumstances of the disappearance, and any qualifying developmental, medical, cognitive, mental-health, or service-related conditions and safety concerns.

If you receive one of these alerts, take a moment to read the details carefully. A vehicle description, clothing description, location, or other small piece of information could help bring someone home safely.

If you have an immediate sighting or believe someone is in danger, call 911.

— Casey County Emergency Management

08/17/2026

Casey County Emergency Management was glad to participate alongside our local first responders in a group walk-through and pre-plan of all Casey County Schools.

Opportunities like this help us become familiar with each facility, strengthen coordination between agencies, and better prepare to respond should an emergency ever occur.

We appreciate Casey County Schools for bringing everyone together and making school safety a priority.

One team, one mission.

08/14/2026

YOUR PHONE & 911 — KNOW BEFORE YOU NEED IT

PARENTS AND GUARDIANS, share with your children.

Technology has changed the way we can reach 911 — and sometimes, your phone may even call for you.

Newer smartphones, smartwatches, and other devices may have Crash Detection or Emergency SOS features that can automatically contact 911 when they detect a possible serious crash or impact. Your phone’s GPS coordinates are given to the 911 dispatcher as well.

If 911 calls you back, please answer.

If you’re OK, simply tell the dispatcher you’re fine. You’re not in trouble — no harm, no foul. Accidental activations happen.

If you do need help and you’re able to answer, please do. Tell the dispatcher where you are, what happened, and what type of assistance you need.

If we can’t make contact with you, we have to consider the possibility that you’re injured or unable to respond, and emergency services will be sent to your location to check on you.

TEXT-TO-911

There may also be situations when you need emergency assistance but making a voice call isn’t possible or safe.

CALL IF YOU CAN. TEXT IF YOU CAN’T.

When texting 911, give your location first, then tell the dispatcher what is happening and what kind of help you need. Stay with your phone and answer the dispatcher’s questions.

Text-to-911 is for emergencies only. Please don’t send a text just to see if it works.

Whether you call 911, you text 911, or your phone calls for you, knowing what to do can save valuable time when seconds matter.

911 is here when you need help.

CALL IF YOU CAN. TEXT IF YOU CAN’T.

— Casey County Emergency Management

08/12/2026

On going strong storms with heavy rain this morning combined with the rain from Tuesday and with the potential for more storms with heavy rainfall later Wednesday afternoon and night. We've already had flash flood warnings this morning over the Bluegrass region with waves of continued showers and storms

08/10/2026

Yes! Always a good time to prepare!

August means Back-To-School and National Emergency Management Awareness Month.

While you're rounding up those school supplies -- multi-task, and create a Home Emergency Kit. Odds are, you already have many if not most of the items on the list.

Some of the essentials include:

A first aid kit
Non-perishable food (3-days-supply for your family)
Bottled water
A manual can opener
A flashlight
A portable phone charger or charging bank
A whistle
A weather radio
Extra batteries
Basic tools
A rain poncho

A kit is the foundation for building an emergency plan for your whole family!

https://www.kyem.ky.gov/plan-and-prepare/make-an-emergency-plan

08/10/2026

Have you and your loved ones signed up for Hyper-Reach?

Hyper-Reach is FREE and provides Casey County residents with important emergency alerts and community information when it matters most.

You can receive notifications by:
• Home phone
• Cell phone
• Text message
• Email

Make sure you, your family members, friends, and neighbors are signed up.

Sign up today and stay informed!

— Casey County Emergency Management

This is the link to sign up. Please share.

https://signup.hyper-reach.com/hyper_reach/sign_up_page_2/?id=110904

08/07/2026

Behind the Scenes.
Ahead of the Crisis.

KYEM is proud to be a part of:

NATIONAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AWARENESS MONTH

Most people don’t see Emergency Managers at work. We're the ones:

Coordinating evacuations and emergency alerts.

Anticipating hazards and mapping vulnerabilities

Securing resources and partnerships before disaster strikes

Managing Emergency Operations Centers and response coordination

Supporting recovery long after the headlines fadeEmergency managers turn strategy into action when it matters most.

Learn more about KYEM:
https://www.kyem.ky.gov/home

Look for us at the Kentucky State Fair!
August 20-30, 2026