What is an Emergency?
- An emergency is defined as a sudden or unexpected event or situation that threatens the health, safety, and/or property of an individual or community. An emergency can also be small incident that involves only one person or maybe a major incident that can involve a few families or the whole community.
- Emergencies are not new to Clinton County. we have seen our share of winter snowstorms and heavy summer rains that have resulted in flooding. We have also seen fires that take away a family's home and belongings, as well as a major fire that completely destroys a local business or industry. In addition to the effects of mother nature and the obvious threat of fire, Clinton County also has a tremendous potential to suffer the fate of a hazardous materials incident or chemical spill.
- How we prepare for and respond to an emergency can be the difference between a major catastrophe and a manageable incident, which could potentially be the difference between life and death.
How will you be informed?
Clinton County's emergency warning procedure is to sound the fire sirens continually for five to seven minutes. In some areas, police and fire department personnel may also travel through the affected areas or neighborhoods alerting residents of the emergency that is occurring and informing them about appropriate actions to take using one or more of the following methods:
- Continual sounding of a fire siren for five to seven minutes
- Door to door notification
- Telephone call
- Cable television Emergency Alert System
- AM/FM radio Emergency Alert System
- Emergency vehicles using public address systems
What should you not do?
- If you are notified of an emergency, remain calm. DO NOT listen to rumors.
- DO NOT use your telephone unless you have a significant call to make. Unnecessary calls may prevent essential and official calls from getting through.
- During cases of a severe emergency a phone number will be established by the County's Office of Emergency Management. This phone number will serve as a number for rumor control, and people will be able to call and obtain accurate and factual information concerning the situation at hand.
- You may be alerted to a problem that may or may not pose an immediate danger to the community. You will be advised if there is a potential for escalation into a more serious situation. If you are informed of a potential problem, you should "stand by" until advised of what action to take.
- If you are alerted about an emergency, immediately turn on a radio or television and tune to a local station for further information and instructions.
Emergency Alert System messages may be heard on the following radios and television station:
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