Posey County EMA Director taking proactive approach to severe weather threat
'Never assume that it's not going to happen to you,' says Thompson. She says that is one of the major lessons learned from last year's tornado. Thompson is also taking that lesson to heart.
'I've worked for emergency management for over 12 years now,' explains Thompson, 'and for the first 11 years that I was in my position, we were very lucky. We had severe storms, there was some tornadoes, but they didn't really do any major damage, and then we kind of got the double whammy last year with a total of 7.'
This year, severe weather risks look to wrap up the preparedness week and Thompson says this is the perfect opportunity to make a plan and make sure you have multiple ways to be alerted of severe weather.
The latest forecast from Your Weather Authority
'Plenty of time in advance, you want to know where your safe place is,' says Thompson. 'Make sure you have blankets, maybe extra water, snacks. Make sure your devices are charged. That's more of a day-of type of thing. Just make sure everything's ready to go and in your safe place.'
In response to the July 9th tornado, Thompson is already making calls with severe weather looming, just in case. 'We had people that needed somewhere to go. And, while we had possible shelter locations in mind,' says Thompson, 'We're starting to make those contacts now where, if this happens, can we send people to you?'
Mount Vernon Mayor Steve Loehr says the city and he, personally, have taken severe weather more seriously since last year's tornado. His statement to Eyewitness News can be read below.
'After last year's tornado we now realize that we are just as vulnerable as any other community. I also believe that people will take warnings a little more seriously now, including myself.' –
One weather notification option Thompson recommends for Posey County residents is 'Code Red'. Residents can sign up for that service here.
Posey County EMA Director taking proactive approach to severe weather threat
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Within 40 minutes, two weather cells combine, creating a dramatically more dangerous situation. A flash flood warning goes out at 1:14 a.m. With the storm making already spotty cellphone service worse, some people report receiving the first National Weather Service notification on their phones, while others say they never received it. The water rises quickly at Camp Mystic. A spokesperson for the camp would later say staff began evacuating campers and counselors between 2 and 2:30 a.m. The girls leave their cabins and try to wade to safety. None of the emergency communications between midnight and 6 a.m. reviewed by the AP were about responses to the camp. Kerr County emergency dispatchers request the first water rescue at 3:35 a.m. Emergency calls come in for homes flooding along Highway 39. 'Caller's house flooded,' a dispatcher radios. 'All the residents are on their house.' A later call from Camp La Junta staff reports dozens of boys are in the water after a cabin flooded. 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As daylight breaks, emergency personnel are able to see the catastrophic scope of the flooding from the air, but rescuers keep struggling to find and reach survivors. They scan the water from bridges and crossings. 'I have multiple people in backyards hanging onto trees yelling at us, but we can't see them,' a rescuer tells dispatch. As the morning stretches on, dispatchers start getting calls from people spotting possible survivors. 'We've been contacted by a passerby,' a Kerr County dispatcher tells rescuers. 'There's a person flashing a signal light in the trees in the vicinity of Tranquility Island. I believe they're summoning rescue.' Rescues, including by helicopter, continue into the afternoon. Crews also begin recovering bodies. For many families holding out hope of having their loved ones returned, it would take days or weeks due to the massive amount of debris and the widespread search area along the Guadalupe River. 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