McCracken County Rescue

05/11/2026

Join Concord Fire Department this Thursday, May 14 from 6 PM to 8 PM at Firehouse Subs for a Community Night benefiting the family of Firefighter Kameron Bristoe.

As many know, FF Bristoe was tragically killed in a motor vehicle accident on May 1st. During this difficult time, we want to come together as a community to support his family.

A portion of all sales during the event will go directly to assist the Bristoe family. Come enjoy a great meal, take a night off from cooking supper, and help support his family!

Hope to see you there!

05/02/2026

Outdoor Warning Siren Test Update – What You Heard Today

We understand that many of you heard multiple tornado sirens sounding today, and not all at the usual 1:00 PM monthly test time. We want to take a moment to explain exactly what occurred and, most importantly, reassure the public that there is no risk to safety.

During the scheduled 1:00 PM monthly test, Central Dispatch was unable to activate the sirens from their console. This issue is related in part to the recent transition to our new radio system, which required updates and changes to dispatch equipment.

As a precaution, and to ensure the integrity of the siren system itself, Emergency Management activated the sirens from our office at approximately 1:25 PM. This served as a redundant safety check to confirm that the sirens were functioning properly and they did.

While that test was taking place, Dispatch personnel were actively troubleshooting the issue on their end. They were able to identify and correct the problem, and at approximately 1:40 PM, the sirens were successfully activated from the dispatch center.

What this means for you:

The warning sirens themselves are fully operational

There are multiple ways to activate the sirens, including from the Emergency Management Office and the Emergency Operations Center (EOC)

Those systems were not impacted by the radio upgrade and functioned as expected

There is NO risk to the public

Out of an abundance of caution, as we complete final checks on the newly upgraded dispatch activation system, Emergency Management staff will be physically present at the EOC during all severe weather events to ensure immediate siren activation if needed.

This situation is exactly why we conduct regular testing: To identify issues, correct them, and ensure all systems are working when they matter most.

We want to assure everyone that all public safety partners are aware of the issue and are working together diligently and cooperatively to resolve it fully. Your safety remains our top priority, and at no time has the community been without warning capability.

Thank you for your patience and understanding as we continue to strengthen and improve our emergency systems.

April Watson
Director
McCracken County Emergency Management

04/27/2026

Be weather aware tonight. Major threat is between 9 pm and 1 am however storms are possible all day.

04/14/2026

Siren Test today, April 14, at Noon!

You may have noticed an increase in Outdoor Warning Siren testing recently.

These additional tests are intentional and are part of our transition to the new countywide radio system. As we continue to bring all agencies online, we want to ensure there is no interference between the new radio system and the VHF system that operates our sirens.

These checks help us confirm that everything is working together as it should so when the sirens are needed during severe weather, they function reliably.

We appreciate your patience as we work through this process to keep our community safe.

04/10/2026

McCracken County Emergency Management will be conducting an outdoor warning siren test tomorrow (Saturday, April 11) at 1:00 PM.

Now that all agencies have officially gone live on the new radio system—and due to last week’s test being canceled because of weather—we will be completing the test this Saturday.

This is only a routine test. No action is required.

Thank you for your continued support as we work to ensure our systems are fully operational and ready to serve our community.

03/19/2026

Don't be alarmed if you hear the sirens sound this Friday at Noon. It's all a part of routine testing of the system.

McCracken County Emergency Management will be conducting a special Outdoor Warning Siren Test on Friday, March 20 at 12:00 PM.

This test is part of a routine system check associated with our new radio system upgrades. It allows us to ensure everything is functioning properly and that our sirens will operate as expected during severe weather or emergencies.

⚠️ Important Notes:

*This is a planned, one-time test

*There is no emergency

*Sirens may sound across the county during this time

We will continue to conduct our regular monthly siren tests on the first Saturday of each month at 1 pm, as usual.

Thank you for your understanding as we work to keep our warning systems reliable and ready to protect our community.

03/16/2026

03/13/2026

We are incredibly proud to share this announcement welcoming David Shepherd as the new Chief Deputy Director of Emergency Management.

David has always been someone who quietly steps up when the call comes in, works hard behind the scenes, and puts the mission and the team first. We are proud to see one of our own step into this important leadership role.

From all of us at the Rescue Squad —Thank you, David, for everything you do for this team and for the citizens of McCracken County. We’re proud of you and excited to see the great work ahead.

03/04/2026

Per the National Weather Service, McCracken County is currently under a Severe Thunderstorm Watch until 9:00 PM this evening. Forecast models indicate that clusters of strong to severe thunderstorms are expected to move through our area this afternoon and into the early evening hours.

The primary threats with these storms are damaging straight-line winds and large hail. At this time, the tornado risk for McCracken County is considered minimal, but as with any severe weather event, conditions can change quickly and residents should remain alert.

Emergency Management will continue monitoring conditions throughout the evening and will coordinate closely with the National Weather Service and local response agencies.

We encourage everyone to have multiple ways to receive weather alerts, including:

*NOAA Weather Radio

*Local television and radio stations

*Trusted weather apps on your phone

*Wireless Emergency Alerts on your mobile device

Please stay weather aware this evening and use caution if you are traveling during storms.

Stay safe,

02/28/2026

Earlier today, emergency crews responded to an incident on Blandville Road near the Hwy 62/286 intersection involving a truck hauling farm-grade ammonia nitrate, commonly used as liquid fertilizer.

We are thankful to report that there were no injuries associated with this incident.

Out of an abundance of caution, responders secured the area and assessed the situation to ensure there was no threat to the public or the environment. Crews remained on scene for nearly two hours working to stabilize the vehicle and mitigate any potential hazards.

Incidents like this highlight the importance of coordinated response and strong partnerships. We want to extend our sincere appreciation to all departments and agencies who responded quickly and worked seamlessly together to bring this situation to a safe resolution.

We are grateful for the professionalism of our first responders and for the patience of the community while operations were underway.

As always, our priority is the safety of the citizens of McCracken County.