Mercer County EMA Director Urges Residents To Be Ready For Summer Storms And Heat

Mercer County Emergency Management Director Chad Wilrath says summer is one of the busiest times of year for emergency preparedness, with severe storms, flooding, heat, festivals, fairs and outdoor events all creating potential safety concerns.

Wilrath appeared on WCSM’s Spectrum and said the EMA works year-round on emergency planning, including the county emergency operations plan, hazmat planning, fair safety planning, exercises with local agencies, and damage assessments after storms.

When it comes to summer weather, Wilrath said wind and flooding are among the biggest concerns. He pointed to the June 11 storms that brought straight-line winds through Celina, causing tree damage, damage to a commercial roof, and bringing down utility poles. Wilrath said even when damage is not caused by a tornado, winds of 60 to 90 miles per hour can still be dangerous and destructive.

Wilrath also stressed the importance of having multiple ways to receive weather alerts. Those can include weather apps, credible social media sources, local media, NOAA Weather Radio, and Mercer County’s Nixle alert system. Residents can sign up for Nixle through the Mercer County Sheriff’s Office website.

A new alert tool is also expected to come to Mercer County. Wilrath said the county is working toward using IPAWS, the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System. It would allow emergency alerts to be sent to cell phones in the area for major situations such as weather warnings, hazmat releases, 911 outages, missing endangered persons, or certain law enforcement emergencies.

Wilrath said residents should also prepare before storms hit by having enough supplies to be self-sufficient for up to 72 hours. That includes water, non-perishable food, flashlights, batteries, medication, first aid supplies, pet supplies, important documents, cash and charged cell phones.

He also reminded residents with medical equipment, oxygen, CPAP or BiPAP machines, refrigerated medication or other special needs to have a backup plan before an outage happens.

With heat returning, Wilrath said people should watch for heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Heat stroke is a medical emergency and can include confusion, slurred speech, loss of consciousness, seizures or a dangerously rising body temperature.

Wilrath also reminded people to take lightning seriously. If thunder can be heard, the storm is close enough to be dangerous.