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Home > Blogs > Butler County News and Issues > Archives > 2008 > September > 22 > Entry
After the storm - Cont’d
In this story that ran Sunday, Sept. 21, we take you moment-by-moment through the early hours of the Sunday, Sept. 14, storm that toppled trees and knocked out power countywide.
It includes these revelations, among others:
- The county Emergency Operations Center was never activated because the computer servers didn’t work.
- Five of Hamilton’s six fire stations didn’t have backup generators.
- Neither the county nor the Middletown fuel stations had backup generators.
- Tornado sirens never activated.
- Sheriff Richard K. Jones had no way of informing the public that it was illegal to be on the roads at one point.
- Cell phones and radios don’t work in the Emergency Operations Center.
It also includes some criticism of Emergency Management Director William Turner’s performance by both Jones and County Commissioner Donald Dixon. While some accuse Turner of doing too little to prepare for and respond to the storm, Turner apparently was never asked for assistance by any local fire or police department.
But, says Dixon:
“When a disaster hits, I don’t think you should have to be asked if you’re responsible for those services.”
Counters Dennis Conrad, EMA board chair:
“They (Turner’s critics) are trying to make a political point I believe, rather than worry about the issue of helping the public.”
Conrad does not want the sheriff taking over the EMA. And even some that are concerned about emergency response, such as County Commissioner Gregory Jolivette, are also worried about handing over the EMA as an emergency response.
This story touches on some of the same themes, plus how close the county’s water department came to shutting down and this thought: what if it had rained, what if this were a blizzard?
I live this quote by County Administrator Tim Williams:
“We’re lucky we had good weather, despite the wind.”
What do you think needs to be done to prepare for the next emergency, potentially this winter?
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