Porter County Emergency Management Agency

07/19/2024

STORM DAMAGE ASSISSTANCE (July 15, 2024 Storm)

The Porter County Emergency Management Agency has requested the Indiana Department of Homeland Security’s (IDHS) assistance in conducting damage assessments of properties throughout Porter County, resulting from the storm on July 15, 2024.

IDHS teams will be in Porter County on Monday, July 22nd to survey damage and most likely remain until Wednesday, July 24th. Personnel will be wearing IDHS clothing and also carry government credentials to identify themselves. Collecting assessment data using this process will help IDHS and Porter County determine if thresholds which trigger government assistance have been met.

Residents of Porter County are still being encouraged to contact Indiana 211 at 866-211-9966 or by going to in211.communityos.org to report severe storm damage.
Data collected from the 211 Process will be utilized by the Damage Assessment Teams being deployed.
Agricultural damage should be reported to the Purdue Extension.

07/16/2024

Porter County EMA will be conducting work on the siren in downtown Kouts from now until approximately 3:00 p.m. During this process, the siren may be activated to test it. This is only a test.

07/16/2024

STORM DAMAGE REPORTING
Residents of Porter County are being encouraged to contact Indiana 211 at 866-211-9966 or by going to in211.communityos.org to report severe storm damage from July 15, 2024. (click on DAMAGE REPORTING to submit a report).
Currently, only residents in Porter County should utilize Indiana 211 for July 15, 2024 storm damage reports. This may change and more counties may be added as the recovery process continues so keep an eye out for updates
Agricultural damage should be reported to the Purdue Extension.

07/16/2024

NIPSCO Outage Update:
Numerous households were affected by last night's storm. Below is a message sent to our agency from NIPSCO relative to power outages.

Last night, northern Indiana was affected by severe storms that brought extremely high winds, heavy rain and tornadic activity, leading to significant damage across NIPSCO’s service area. At peak, more than 103,000 NIPSCO customers were without power, now down to approximately 95,000 as crews worked throughout the night to assess and repair damages.
All available crews and contractor resources are working to assess damage, make the necessary repairs and restore power as quickly and safely as possible, and an additional 40 mutual aid resources have been secured to assist with the restoration.

Due to the extent of the damage, an estimate of when power will be restored is not able to be determined at this time, and we expect this to be a multi-day outage for some customers. We recommend customers make the plans necessary to keep themselves and their families safe during an extended outage.

07/03/2024

IDHS is now accepting applications for the Residential Safe Room Program! From July 1 to July 31, 2024, Hoosiers can apply for a rebate to install safe rooms in their homes.

25 randomly select applicants will receive up to 75% ($5,000 max) reimbursement for their safe room installation costs.

Don't miss out on this opportunity to protect your home and family from severe weather. Learn more and apply today at on.in.gov/safe-room.

06/27/2024

The Porter County Emergency Management Agency (EMA) is responsible for the care and maintenance of 56 weather warning sirens located throughout Porter County. During severe weather, these warning sirens can be activated 3 different ways: Locally by the Porter County Dispatch Center, locally by the Porter County Emergency Management Agency or by the National Weather Service Computer System. Approximately 98% of activations are triggered by the National Weather Service Computer System, which by far is the most accurate. This system is calculating thousands of datapoints per second in order to determine tornadic activity and potential paths. Depending on these potential paths, individual Weather Warning Sirens can be activated in the affected areas. This is why there can be a warning in North Porter County and the sirens will not be triggered in the southern part of Porter County. if the tornado warning does not affect that area, those sirens will not be triggered. During the summer months, the sirens are tested monthly. This occurs on the 1st Tuesday of the month at 11:00 a.m.. All the sirens are monitored remotely and technicians can verify the condition of the siren through the computer system. Conditions such as battery and A/C power loss, communications failures with the siren, tampering and many other indicators can be monitored. Keeping all of these sirens fully operational is a huge task. Porter County Emergency Management Agency personnel take this responsibility extremely seriously and do an outstanding job of staying on top of things. Thank you to all our personnel for their diligent work on our siren system.

06/18/2024

Happy Father's Day! Remember dads, and everyone else, Lake Michigan is Beautiful but Dangerous!

Killer Beauty... The shorelines of each Great Lake are distinctive and stunning, but Lake Michigan stands out as the deadliest of the five Great Lakes. Lake Michigan has had over 250 recorded cases of swimmers caught in rip currents since 2002. That is doubled that of the other four Great Lakes when combined. Lake Michigan also has the most drownings, with an annual death toll near the total sum of the other four Great Lakes. This lake is particularly dangerous due to its shape, which features two unbroken, opposing shorelines that span 307 miles north and south. The unique shape creates the opportunity for deadly rip currents.

What is a Rip Current? A rip current is a water current that can occur near beaches with breaking waves. A rip is a strong, localized, and narrow current of water which moves away from the shore, cutting through the lines of breaking waves like a river running out to deeper waters. A rip current is strongest and fastest nearest the surface of the water and can pull swimmers out from the shore at speeds up to eight feet per second for hundreds of yards.

Prevention is the Best Way to Save Your Day! Don’t just bring a life vest, wear it! This life of yours is 100% your responsibility.

Know Before You Go. Consult the National Weather Forecast at https://www.weather.gov/greatlakes/beachhazards

Learn more about beach safety nearby Indiana Dunes National Park by visiting beach safety page at https://www.nps.gov/indu/planyourvisit/beach-safety.htm

Image: Rip current illustration depicting safest escape route (perpendicular to current.) Photo by Michigan Sea Grant.

05/30/2024

At approximately 11 AM today, Valpo University will be testing the 2 tornado sirens they have on campus. This is only a test. Residents outside the campus, may be able to hear these sirens. This is only a test. 


05/27/2024

05/22/2024

This year is the 50th Anniversary of National EMS Week! We want to thank all the first responders whom have saved the lives of millions of patients over the last 50 years. Your hard work and dedication to those who are in medical crisis is unmatched. We greatly appreciate your service, and God keep you safe in continuing to save the lives of those who are in emergency medical need. We salute you!

05/15/2024

The Porter County Emergency Management Agency would like to thank Police Officers throughout our county and the entire country for their unwavering dedication to keeping us safe. You are true Heroes and we salute you.

04/29/2024

This morning EMA personnel assisted Valpo Nazarene Church in their efforts to assist communities who suffer from disasters. The church, along with other Nazarene churches, put together kits for children, which contain essentials needed for an approximate 2-week period. If a disaster occurs, the kits are deployed to the area and distributed to the kids. Porter County EMA personnel were on hand to transfer delivered kits from numerous vehicles and load them into a trailer. This trailer will then be taken to a storage facility until the kits are needed.

04/19/2024

Today, Porter County Emergency Management Agency personnel attended a training conducted by the National Weather Service at the MAAC Training Center. Personnel from various agencies learned about event planning relative to severe weather events. This will allow all of us to better ensure public safety at large-scale events. Thank you to the National Weather Service for this great class. 

04/18/2024

Porter County EMA would like to wish all our 911 Dispatchers a very Happy Telecommunicator's week. You are all Amazing and we appreciate you. Thank you for what you do!

04/06/2024

AFTER THE ECLIPSE
(Courtesy of INDOT AND ISP)

After the Eclipse
-Plan your post-event transportation method well in advance. If celebrating, ensure everyone has a safe and sober way to return home. Designate a sober driver or arrange for alternate transportation.
-Exercise patience when leaving your viewing location as traffic may be heavy.
-Follow instructions from law enforcement or emergency personnel and be considerate of fellow drivers.
-Stay put and stick around to avoid the post-event rush.
-Clean up after yourself and dispose of trash in designated receptacles or take it with you.
-Check INDOT TrafficWise on the mobile app or at 511in.org to plan your route and monitor traffic conditions.

04/05/2024

Viewing Solar Eclipse 2024 Safely
(Courtesy of Indiana Department of Homeland Security)

Do's and Don'ts:
DO
-Use eclipse glasses or solar viewers that meet the ISO 12312-2 standards (sometimes written as ISO 12312-2:2015). But do not stare continuously at the sun. Take breaks and give your eyes a rest.
DON'T
-Do not look at the sun directly.(See totality instructions below*)
-Do not view through regular sunglasses. No matter how dark they are, they will not protect your eyes.
-Do not use damaged eclipse sunglasses or solar viewers. If they are torn, scratched or punctured, do not use them and throw them away. If the filters are coming out of their frames, discard them.
-Do not use homemade filters.
-Do not view through welder's glass. The glass in most welding helmets is not strong enough.
-Do not view through your camera viewfinder.
-Do not view through a telescope without the proper solar filter.
-Do not view the telescope using your eclipse sunglasses either.
-Do not view through binoculars.

How to Use Solar Eclipse Glasses or Solar Filters:
Use your solar viewing aid properly to stay safe.
-Read and follow the instructions that are printed on the glasses or filter, or that came in the packaging.
-Inspect the aid before using it to make sure it is not scratched, torn, punctured or damaged in any way. If it is, throw it away and do not use it.
-If you normally wear glasses, you can keep them on and put the aid over them.
-Put the aid on before you look up at the sun, and look away from the sun before removing the aid from your eyes.
-Adults: Supervise children at all times to make sure they are using the aid properly.
-If you are in the path of totality: Remove the aid only when the moon completely covers the sun and it gets much darker outside. As soon as the sun begins to reappear, put the aid back on.
-If you are not in the path of totality: Keep your aid on at all times when viewing the eclipse. There will not be a safe time to look at the sun without it.

04/03/2024

Preparing for the Solar Eclipse of 2024!

To ensure a smooth trip, the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) and the Indiana State Police (ISP) urge drivers to plan ahead and prepare for potential travel impacts before, during and after the eclipse.

Before the eclipse
-Research your viewing site, considering accessibility, parking and crowd size. Check INDOT TrafficWise on the mobile app or at org to plan your route and monitor traffic conditions. Plan to arrive to your destination early.
-Anticipate increased traffic and congestion, especially in areas in or near the path of totality.
-Reach your destination safely -- buckle up and put your phone down while driving.
-Pack plenty of snacks and water, as well as charging cables for electronics and mobile devices, in the event you or your group become stranded.
-Make sure your vehicle has a full tank of gas and top off fluids before you head out in case you’re stuck in traffic for a long period of time. Use this eclipse-ready checklist for more road trip essentials.
-Don’t forget your solar eclipse viewing glasses! You will need specially designed glasses to avoid damage to your eyes.

03/19/2024

Do you know the difference between a Severe Thunderstorm Watch and a Severe Thunderstorm Warning?
In a Severe Thunderstorm Watch, dangerous weather is possible but it is not presently happening.
In a Severe Thunderstorm Warning, dangerous weather is currently happening! Move indoors and take shelter.
Your Weather Alert radio or Weather apps on your phone can be enabled to give you both of these alerts so you can Be Ready for the next Severe Thunderstorm! You can also sign up for Smart 911 which can help alert you to a variety of emergencies. https://www.smart911.com/
This fun graphic relating to making Tacos may help you remember better!

03/11/2024

On Tuesday, March 12, 2024, Porter County will be participating in the National Weather Service Statewide Tornado Siren Test. This is being held in conjunction with Severe Weather Preparedness Week, which runs from March 10-16, 2024. The Porter County weather sirens will be sounded at 9:15 a.m. Businesses and schools are encouraged to review their tornado and severe storm plans during this week and ensure their organizations have an understanding of the contents.

02/22/2024

EMA APPRECIATION WEEK
Today we would like to honor all of our EMA Volunteer 1st Responders. EMA currently has 14 Volunteer 1st Responders in our ranks. These individuals donate a great deal of time to ensure they and the equipment we use are ready to respond when needed. This includes regular meetings as well as numerous hours of training. The volunteers are also a part of our extensive equipment inspection process in order to ensure all equipment is functional when called upon. A minimum of 38 pieces of equipment are inspected every month. Emergency calls for service occur at all hours of the day and night, many times during inclement weather. Our Volunteer 1st Responders are an integral part of assisting those in need. We salute you ALL today and recognize we would not be the Agency we are without your service.

02/20/2024

EMA APPRECIATION WEEK:

What does EMA do?

Disasters begin and end at the local level, so county EMAs help organize a community’s preparation, response and recovery process.

Alongside police, fire and EMS personnel, EMAs are part of the first line of response to natural and human-made disasters. EMA supplies assets/equipment when responders have exceeded their current capabilities.

EMA’s assist in coordinating large scale responses through Emergency Operations Centers (EOC)s.

EMA personnel train regularly, to make sure their skills in emerging technology and critical incidents are relevant to today’s world. They train on the operation of the equipment they supply to other emergency responders in order to stay proficient.

Indiana EMAs find ways to help protect the lives and property of Hoosiers. They make sure recovery after a disaster runs smoothly and as quick as possible.

THANK YOU TO ALL OUR PORTER COUNTY EMA RESPONDERS!

02/19/2024

Governor Eric Holcomb has declared the week of February 19th as EMA Appreciation Week. Throughout this special week, Porter County EMA will be publishing posts to focus on our appreciation for our personnel and their relentless dedication. EMA currently operates with 3 Command Staff personnel and 14 Volunteer Emergency Responders. These individuals come together in what are often the darkest days in order to help bring light to Porter County and make it safe. Stay tuned for featured articles. Thank you to all of our personnel for your unending dedication.

01/30/2024

Recently, Porter County EMA held our year-end agency celebration. During this event, the following awards were presented to our Volunteer Emergency Responders:

Volunteer of the Year Award: George Rebus
The winner is selected using a 3-tiered scoring system. The system consists of a Volunteer vote, Command Staff vote and Points total using the EMA participation scale. The winner is presented with a plaque to take home as well as being put on a perpetual plaque displayed at our agency.

Best Uniform: Rick Bohan
The winner is selected by vote of the Command Staff of who has maintained the sharpest uniform throughout the entire year. The winner is presented with a plaque to take home.

Phillip W. Griffith Leader's Leader Award: Carlos Vargas
This new award is being given in the name of Phil Griffith, who was the 1st EMA Director for Porter County and who still volunteers for the agency. The winner is selected by vote of the Command Staff of who has displayed the most Leadership throughout the year. The winner is presented with a plaque to take home as well as being put on a perpetual plaque displayed at our agency.

Congratulations to all of our 2023 award recipients. Thank you to all of our Volunteer 1st Responders for their dedicated service.

12/05/2023

Winter driving conditions change the way we need to approach driving in order to stay safe. Researchers say that 70% of the fatalities related to ice and snow occur in automobiles. Here are some helpful general winter driving tips that can assist you.

10/31/2023

Every year, many children and their families travel house to house, seeking candied treats. We at Porter County EMA want to share some of these quick tips with you so your family can stay safe this Halloween. Some of these tips are courtesy of the Indiana Department of Homeland Security.

10/17/2023

Porter County Emergency Management is holding a Memorial Brick sale for the new flagpole area at EMA, located at 1995 South State Road 2 in Valparaiso. The flagpole area was built by Girl Scout Oliva Lozano to remember First Responders and Military Personnel. The bricks can be purchased for those who are, or have been, either in the military or first responder fields (i.e.: Police, Firefighter, Medic, Hazmat, Dispatch, EMA, etc.) Sales will be available until November 30th! Scan the QR code or click the link below to order the perfect gift to honor your favorite hero.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdPUdnqKhhIibQE-GFK0kt9CNmt9l81cDQimEsLjVhaC9CDWA/viewform?pli=1

10/12/2023

FUNDRAISER:
Our agency is once again, selling goodies for the holiday season. You can order your favorite butter braids, cake rolls, cookies and now AMISH PRETZELS in time to receive them before Thanksgiving. Orders will be accepted from now through October 25, 2023. Proceeds will go to the Porter County Emergency Management Agency and be used to purchase items that support our agency's volunteer 1st responders.

Click the link below to see the delicious possibilities available:

Porter County EMA is raising funds. Please help me reach my goal by purchasing some delicious products. Sale ends on 10/25/2023, so don’t wait to order! I will deliver your order when they arrive. Thank you in advance for your support!

10/04/2023

Porter County Emergency Management was notified that there will be a Nation-Wide Emergency Alert System Test. On October 4th there will be an alert at 2:20pm ET. Starting at approximately 2:20 p.m. ET, cell towers will broadcast the test for about 30 minutes. During this period, WEA-compatible wireless phones that are powered on, within range of an active cell tower, and linked to a participating wireless provider should be capable of receiving the test message. The message on consumers' phones will read: "THIS IS A TEST of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is needed." For phones set to Spanish, it will display: "ESTA ES UNA PRUEBA del Sistema Nacional de Alerta de Emergencia. No se necesita acción." WEA alerts come with a unique tone and vibration to ensure accessibility for everyone, including individuals with disabilities.

09/29/2023

Porter County Emergency Management wants to congratulate a valuable member of our organization. Phil Griffith received the Golden Hoosier Award granted by Lt. Governor Suzanne Crouch. This award is to acknowledge and recognize outstanding Hoosiers for their lifetime of service to their communities.

Phil served in the United States Navy, served as a fireman and the fire Chief for Valparaiso Fire Department, then served as Fire Chief for US Steel, where afterwords he was the Director for Porter County Emergency Mangement for 12 years. After all of this hard work and dedication that he has but in he is not done. Phil is still a volunteer for the Porter County EMA where he still works just as hard as he ever has.

Phil Congratulations and Thank you for everything you have done and will continue to do!

09/25/2023

On Saturday, September 23, Porter County Emergency Management personnel conducted an open house at our facility.

The open house included demonstrations of the Emergency Operations Center and Porter County Emergency Management deployable assets. Some of these assets included the Command Truck, Response Boat, Rehabilitation Trailer, 4-Wheeler, Generators, Sandbag Filler, Light Tower and more.

Guests learned about how and under what circumstances assets can be deployed.

Guests were also provided with a free lunch, courtesy of 1-800 Board Up with John Jarka serving up the food.

We appreciate all who came out to learn about how Porter County Emergency Management helps our community prepare for, respond to, and recover from hazardous incidents and disasters.