PRESS RELEASE

                                                                                      December 15, 2011

On December 15, 2011 the Town of Highland hosted a table top exercise in anticipation of what the National Weather Service is predicting to be another winter with heavy lake effect snow and colder than normal temperatures.  Just this past February, nearly two feet of snow fell across Northwest Indiana and the Chicagoland area in a short amount of time.  Roads became impassable, motorists were stranded, businesses and schools closed, and power outages were experienced.  At that time, members of the Highland Town Council, School Town of Highland, Prompt Ambulance Service, both the Police and Fire Departments, VIPS (Volunteers In Police Service), Public Works, Inspections, and Parks established an Emergency Command Post which was staffed throughout the day and night monitoring the situation closely, and adjusting priorities as deemed necessary.  At that time, all of the above Departments shared information and resources to ensure we met our commitment to both the residents of this community, and those passing through it. 

Today’s exercise, coordinated by Fire Chief William Timmer, covered a similar topic, a major “blizzard”, but with added twists which included high winds and an ice storm before the snow started.  The exercise allowed its 20 members in attendance an opportunity to share ideas and suggestions such as the School Town interacting closely with the Public Works Department to ensure students arrive and depart school safely.  Policies and best practices were discussed to further establish protocol for dealing with concerns such as: medical emergencies, evacuation of students, personnel staffing issues, media notification, internal communication, transportation concerns, emergency food/shelter, creating contact/equipment lists, and putting a name with a face, to better prepare us when disaster strikes, and cut through the red tape. 

Since just this past February, we have determined additional assets now exist that will inevitably aide our Departments collectively, in an emergency response.  The Parks Department’s Lincoln Center is now equipped with a commercial kitchen and emergency back-up generator and can be used as an emergency shelter, the Police Department and VIPS have now acquired some four wheel drive vehicles, and the OPTICOM emergency transportation system will allow first responders to more safely and efficiently reach an emergency situation through traffic.  The Fire Department has also acquired a four wheel drive vehicle and an all terrain type vehicle.  

We all learned some things from last year’s storm and hopefully are better prepared to not only handle another snow storm but any major incident that comes our way.  By facing the elements first on paper it will undoubtedly be easier facing them head on.  We tend to prepare for the worst yet hope for the best.