TERRE HAUTE —
Vigo County motorists for the first time were introduced to emergency weather travel warnings during this week’s ice storm.
Early Wednesday, the Vigo County Emergency Management Agency issued a “Level Two Warning,” meaning road conditions are threatening to the safety of drivers, advising travel only for essentials, such as going to work or for medical needs.
It was a downgrade from a “Level One State of Emergency” issued about 10 p.m. Tuesday, under which only emergency personnel, such as ambulances or fire trucks, should be on roadways.
The least of three levels is a “Level Three Watch,” which advises motorists to use caution and avoid areas that might be restricted.
“During the flood of 2008, we didn’t do this [warning system] because we were in an emergency condition,” said J.D. Kesler, deputy director of the county’s EMA. At that time, Gov. Mitch Daniels had already declared a state of emergency in a large portion of west-central and southern Indiana, which included Vigo County.
The travel warnings are a result of regulations established through the Indiana Department of Homeland Security. “It is more regulatory rather than a statute. Once we activated our Emergency Operations Center, we had Sheriff [Greg] Ewing out here, we had some folks from different county-based fire departments, and we were in telephone conference with county commissioners and the county highway,” Kesler said.
Commissioners, as elected officials, make the final determination to issue the warnings, Kelser said, “based on input from public safety.”
“We did this to keep as many people as we can off the road,” Commissioner President Michael Ciolli said of the travel warnings.
“I had four to five conference calls. Our decision was based on information from law enforcement and highway plus the road conditions and the weather,” Ciolli said. “Apparently something worked right, because based on what law enforcement said, the accident rate was down.”
Kesler said most drivers complied with the warnings.
“The reality is that most folks know when the weather is bad. The volume of traffic was way down, as reported by the sheriff deputies out last night, in the evening and morning hours. It is a road travel advisory,” Kesler said.
“People are still allowed to drive, depending on what they are doing and what they have to do,” Kesler said, such as emergency personnel or utility workers. “People just need to use good judgment, and they did,” Kesler said.
The county’s Emergency Operations Center is housed at the Vigo County Emergency Management Agency’s building at the Terre Haute International Airport-Hulman Field. The center has 15 seats and large television sets and is equipped with Internet updates and information from the Indiana Department of Homeland Security.
Tuesday through Wednesday morning, EMA workers and volunteers, manned the center. In addition, members of the Amateur Radio Emergency Services (ARES) group manned ham radios.
On Wednesday, Doug K. Mullens, emergency coordinator for ARES, manned a radio at the EMA office to maintain communication to shelters at Terre Haute North Vigo High School and with other American Red Cross sites.
“We’ll direct traffic back and forth as needed, if they need more cots or equipment there. Cell phones do not work there well in the gymnasiums [at North high school],” Mullens said.
In addition, members of ARES serve as weather spotters to provide fast updates on changing storm conditions. There are 35 ARES members, Mullens said.
“We work hand in hand with EMA to expand some of their capabilities,” Mullens said.
Kesler said the use of ham radio operators during emergencies “is a great asset to have.”
On a side note, Ciolli said county highway workers were clearing public parking lots Wednesday in preparation for county offices to be open today. City government offices were also to be open today.
Kesler said weather conditions would still bring frigid overnight temperatures, but more precipitation was not expected.
“It looks like we dodged a bullet on the amount of ice. It could have been worse,” Kesler said.
Howard Greninger can be reached at (812) 231-4204 or howard.greninger@tribstar.com.
Top Story 2
Related Photos
-
Radio room: Doug Mullens mans the radio system at the Vigo County Emergency Management headquarters Wednesday morning.
Discussion
Vigo's 3-level warning system debuts in storm
- Top Story 2
-
-
Clay City woman injured in I-70 accident
A Tuesday afternoon crash on Interstate 70 near the Brazil exit sent a Clay City woman to the hospital and blocked east- and westbound traffic for more than an hour.
-
UPDATE: Suspect arrested in Dugger shootings
Indiana State Police have arrested the alleged shooter in the early Sunday shootings of Patrick D. Ruff and LeighAnn Lovelace at Dugger.
-
Monkees singer Davy Jones dies in Florida at 66
Davy Jones, the lead singer of the 1960s group The Monkees, died of a massive heart attack today in Florida, his spokeswoman said. He was 66.
-
FULL STORY: ISU administrator faces charge of soliciting sex
Brian Hasler, special assistant to Indiana State University’s president, was arrested Wednesday in Indianapolis for allegedly offering to pay an undercover police officer for sex acts, according to Marion County court documents.
-
BREAKING: John Gregg makes campaign for Governor official
John Gregg, who this past May formed an exploratory committee to run for governor of Indiana, filed paperwork with the state today to change his committee to an official statewide campaign for governor, states today’s Gregg for Indiana email release.
-
VIDEO: Storm takes out power in Vigo County, downs trees in Collett Park area
Power remained out this morning to 9,343 customers of Duke Energy in Vigo County following Wednesday night’s powerful storms that swept through west central Indiana.
-
Fundraisers hope to make strides against cystic fibrosis (See VIDEO)
A rain shower may have dampened their clothes, but it couldn’t diminish the enthusiasm of this year’s participants in the Wabash Valley Great Strides Walk, which had its best turnout ever.
-
NEW: Potential foe Daniels greets Obama on Indiana arrival
President Barack Obama has arrived in Indianapolis, where Gov. Mitch Daniels was among those meeting him at the airport.
-
UPDATE: Bin Laden’s death brings joy, reflection
After nearly a decade of anger and fear, America rejoiced Monday at the demise of Osama bin Laden, the terror mastermind behind the horrific 9/11 attacks.
-
Americans gather joyfully to mark Osama bin Laden's death
Joyous at the release of a decade’s frustration, Americans streamed to the site of the World Trade Center, the gates of the White House and smaller but no less jubilant gatherings across the nation to celebrate the death of Osama bin Laden — cheering, waving flags and belting the national anthem.
-
Trio caught on video robbing convenience store
Police are seeking three suspects in an early Tuesday armed robbery at the Express Mini Mart in the 1800 block of North Third Street at Maiden Lane.
-
PHOTO UPDATE: Contractor arrested for home improvement fraud
A contractor who received more than $80,000 in grant money to do home repairs for seven clients affected by the June 2008 flooding in the Wabash Valley has been arrested for home improvement fraud.
-
Sullivan teams compete to 'Lighten Up'
Icy roads might not seem conducive to exercise, but Sullivan County organizers plan to put the heat on couch potatoes this spring. “We started advertising last week,” Carly LeDune, director of the Sullivan County Community Hospital Fitness Center, said Thursday afternoon.
-
Vigo's 3-level warning system debuts in storm
Vigo County motorists for the first time were introduced to emergency weather travel warnings during this week’s ice storm.
-
After crushing loss, MSU coach praises Miles’ Sycamores
Missouri State football coach Terry Allen was crestfallen.
-
State parks use marketing campaign to combat bug
State parks officials looking for creative ways to counter budget cuts have partnered with a national marketing campaign to replace trees lost to a tiny but destructive insect.
-
Hundreds turn out to support new ISU coach
Greg Lansing has been on Indiana State’s men’s basketball staff for nine years over two stints and has waited three years for the opportunity to be the head coach of the program after he was a finalist for the same position in 2007.
-
For ‘family reasons’: Indiana State made effort to keep coach, but McKenna decided to leave
When Kevin McKenna was mulling a decision to leave the head coach position at Indiana State to take an assistant coach position at the University of Oregon late last week, ISU Director of Athletics Ron Prettyman was at ... the University of Oregon.
-
52 slicked-up rides journey to Sullivan for the 2nd annual Southern Indiana Vintage Camper Rally
The stereo was playing Jimmy Buffett on a smoldering Sunday afternoon, with pink flamingos in the grass and Glen Houser rocking the 1976 Fairstream Argosy.
-
American Red Cross Wabash Valley Chapter unveils Hero’s Tree mural
A yellow ribbon tied around an old oak tree marks the focal point of a new Hero’s Tree mural honoring military veterans and family members on a wall at the American Red Cross Wabash Valley Chapter.
-
81st Vigo County Fair to feature truck and tractor pull, game shows
The action is heating up already at the Wabash Valley Fairgrounds, as planning is under way for the 81st annual fair.
-
Historic Collett Park Pathway on schedule for end of the year
Completion of the Historic Collett Park Pathway is on schedule for the end of this year, with design of a concrete path around a 17-acre lake under way, and is expected to be bid out for construction by the end of July, Terre Haute officials said Wednesday.
-
TH tops Quincy: Tale of tape doesn’t tell winning story for Rex
The Terre Haute Rex game-winning hit on Tuesday against the Quincy Gems might have been the first tale of the tape where there was more tape inside the tape measure than there was on the field itself.
-
Vigo man killed in accident
A Vigo County man was killed late Monday afternoon in a traffic accident on Indiana 46 near the eastside Walmart store
-
Downtown marketplace packed for opening day of Farmers Market
Summer’s bounty had parking lots overflowing Saturday morning, as the Farmers Market opened to a roaring start.
-
Rex bats come alive for franchise’s first victory
After the Terre Haute Rex struggled at the plate in their inaugural game against Springfield on Thursday, many of the Rex players said they were having trouble adjusting to wooden bats after using aluminum during their collegiate seasons.
-
Downpour doesn’t dampen fans’ enthusiasm for Rex debut
If baseball players are superstitious, then the Terre Haute Rex couldn’t ask for a better omen than the rainbow spread across 1,300 fans at their inaugural game.
-
Brazil police chief resigns, returns to patrol ranks
The police chief for the Brazil Police Department has abruptly stepped down to rejoin the regular patrol ranks of the department.
-
Gone but not forgotten: When it comes to rural cemeteries, families and trustees who care seem to make all the difference
Keith Childress dipped his handbrush into a bucket of water, scrubbing Kyle’s headstone clean.
“I have to clean some stuff up before I can do anything else,” he said just before noon Sunday. Inside the Durham Cemetery on Indiana 63, U.S. flags lined the markers of veterans along a well-groomed lawn. -
Senior class president: It’s an ‘honor and a privilege’ to graduate from Rose
It was standing-room only in the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology’s Sports and Recreation Center, as the largest class in school history marched into alumni status before family and friends.
- More Top Story 2 Headlines
-
Boy to Rescuers: 'Do You Have a Plan?'
Doctors and Devotees Debate Barefoot Running
Ex-Rutgers Student Gets 30 Days in Webcam Case
Blacks Seek to Find Their Own Missing
Obama Sees Inspiration in Joplin Graduates
Chicago Police: 90 Arrested in NATO Protests
Ravi Spared Prison in Rutgers Webcam Case
Miss. Prison Quiet After Riot; 1 Dead
Raw Video: Deadly Bombing at Yemen Parade Preps
4 Arrested After Man's Beating at Dodger Stadium
Obama Confident Afghans Can Take Security Lead
Tiger's Ex-Wife Bares Her Bod
Gerard Butler: the Good, the Bad and the Cannes
Ring of Fire Eclipse Seen in U.S., Asia
Raw Video: Dramatic 270-Foot Waterfall Rescue
Professor: Chinese Activist's 'Spirit Is Good'
NATO: Afghan Exit 'Irreversible'
Catholic Groups Sue Over Contraception Mandate
Raw Video: Private Rocket Blasts Off
Raw Video: Man Saved After Niagara Falls Plunge
Neighbor Feud Results in Dog Poop in Mailbox
'PLL' First Look Clip!
VIDEO | Zoo Chimp Charges Children
Howard Stern Makes Kid Cry on AGT
Child locked in washing machine after father put him there
Fired for being 'too hot'
Ashley Olsen is a Bikini Babe
'Part of Me' Details 'Bumpy' Marriage, Says Katy
Music downloader owes nearly $700K in fines
Kardashian Sisters Pose in Lingerie
"House" Says Farewell After 8 Seasons
Swingers: Hooking Up With Strangers
Donald Driver Goes Country
Bar Takes It Off For Maxim
Man ties himself to trees to get anonymous sex
