Letcher County Emergency Management

03/03/2026

🚨 Kentucky Statewide Tornado Drill – Wednesday, March 4 🚨

The Annual Kentucky Statewide Tornado Drill will take place TOMORROW, Wednesday, March 4th, at 10:07 AM EST / 9:07 AM CST. The drill will activate the Emergency Alert System (EAS) on NOAA Weather Radio, local TV, radio stations, and cable.

This is a great time to practice your tornado safety plan, whether you’re at home, at school, or at work. If severe weather is expected at that time, the drill will be postponed to a fair-weather day.

Take a few minutes to review your safe place and emergency plan. Being prepared makes all the difference. 🌪️

03/03/2026

As part of KY Severe Weather Awareness Week, the statewide tornado drill will take place on March 4 at 10:07 AM EST (9:07 AM CST). This will be a great opportunity to practice your tornado safety plan, whether you are at home, school, or work. For more info and FAQ, visit https://www.weather.gov/lmk/KentuckyTornadoDrill

02/27/2026

02/23/2026

🚨PUBLIC SAFETY ALERT🚨 Fentanyl-Laced Tablets Shaped as Cartoon Characters. 🚨Please SHARE this post!🚨

📌The Paintsville Police Department, KY, would like to alert the community. The violent Crime Drug Task Force with the Huntington WVA Police Department seized 900 multi-colored tablets pressed into the shape of popular cartoon characters.

📌The tablets were molded to resemble an emblem from the ‘Transformers’ series. They were bright colored and approximately the size of a child’s vitamin, increasing the likelihood that they could be mistaken for candy.

📌Preliminary field testing conducted indicates the tablets tested positive for M**A (commonly known as”ecstasy” or “Molly”) as well as Fentanyl, a highly and potentially lethal synthetic opioid that has been linked to hundreds of thousands of overdose deaths nationwide.

🚨The Paintsville Police Department strongly urges parents and guardians to speak with the children and teenagers about the serious dangers of consuming unknown substances.

📌These tablets are intentionally designed to appeal to younger individuals, and there candy like appearance poses a particular risk to small children who may unknowingly ingest them.

📌We strongly urge anyone with information regarding the distribution of illegal substances, drug activity, or other criminal behavior to contact us!

📌Emergency / crimes in progress: Call 911
📌Non-Emergency: 606-789-4221
📌Anonymous tip line: 606-792-2706

📌A photograph of several of the seized tablets is attached for public awareness and identification purpose.

https://www.facebook.com/61573164643562/posts/122167989560772154/?app=fbl

02/22/2026

McRoberts, Ky. (February 21, 2026) - On Saturday, February 21, 2026, at approximately 7:41 a.m., Kentucky State Police, Post 13 in Hazard received a report of a structure fire on KY Highway 343 in the McRoberts community of Letcher County.

Troopers and local first responders arrived at the scene and observed the residence fully engulfed in flames. After the fire was extinguished, emergency personnel conducted a search of the structure for the homeowner, Robert Mullins, 70, of McRoberts.

During the search, the remains of one individual were located inside the residence and are believed to be those of Mr. Mullins. He was pronounced deceased at the scene by the Letcher County Coroner’s Office.

At this time, no foul play is suspected. The remains were transported to the Medical Examiner’s Office in Frankfort for an autopsy. The investigation remains ongoing and is being led by Detective Scott Caudill. He is being assisted by the State Fire Marshal’s Office.

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02/20/2026

🚨 Public Safety Advisory: Cychlorphine Detected in Kentucky 🚨

The Kentucky Office of Homeland Security warns that Cychlorphine, a highly potent synthetic drug approximately ten times stronger than fentanyl, has been detected in central Kentucky and is contributing to overdose deaths in neighboring regions, including eastern Tennessee.

This substance is frequently mixed with other illegal narcotics, placing users at extreme risk of unintentional exposure. Its presence is expected to expand to additional areas within the Commonwealth.

Advisory for First Responders, Healthcare Providers, and Law Enforcement Personnel:

* Exercise extreme caution when handling any unknown or illicit substances.

* Utilize appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) to prevent accidental exposure.

* Treat all suspected Cychlorphine-related overdoses as medical emergencies.

* Immediately report any confirmed or suspected cases to local public safety authorities.

The Kentucky Office of Homeland Security urges the public to remain vigilant, avoid contact with unknown substances, and report suspicious activity to law enforcement.

02/19/2026

02/17/2026

🚨💧 BOIL WATER ADVISORY LIFTED 💧🚨

The City of Whitesburg is pleased to announce that all boil water advisories have officially been lifted.

Water testing has confirmed that the City of Whitesburg’s system is safe, and our customers may now resume normal water usage without boiling.

We appreciate your patience and understanding while crews worked diligently to resolve the issue and ensure the safety of our community’s water supply.

As always, thank you for working together to keep Whitesburg strong. 💙

— City of Whitesburg

02/16/2026

02/11/2026

Update on Southeast Road Slide:

Southeast Road is partially open, with a large rock still in the road. We are bringing in another piece of equipment to assist with removal of the larger rock. Please use caution while traveling until all debris is removed.
We appreciate Mark Energy's assistance with cleanup efforts and KSP's support in maintaining traffic flow.