The mission of the Monroe County Emergency Management Agency is to protect the lives and property of Monroe County citizens before a disaster strikes through planning, training and mitigation and to reduce human suffering after a disaster strikes by coordinating Monroe County’s response and recovery efforts with assistance from local agencies, neighboring counties, the State of Illinois, Federal Agencies and volunteer organizations.
CodeRED is an ultra-high-speed telephone communication service for emergency notifications such as chemical spills, missing child or evacuation notices.
The service also allows consumers to opt-in for weather warnings.
To sign up for CodeRED and/or the weather warning portion, click here or the picture above.
We encourage all residents to add their cell phones and choose the text message options for the alerts that you would like. Text message notifications are faster than the calling features.
Standard text messaging fees apply from your carrier.
Monroe County Citizens Corp Council
The mission of Citizen Corps is to harness the power of individuals through education, training, and volunteer service to make communities safer, stronger, and better prepared to respond to the threats of terrorism, crime, public health issues, and disasters of all kinds.
For more information about the Monroe County Citizen Corps Council, contact Ryan Weber at 618-939-8681 x 531.
IEMA Highlights Holiday Safety in December
Tips offered for shopping, travel, winter heating and more
SPRINGFIELD – With the holiday season in full swing, the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) is offering tips to help people stay safe now and into the new year. From decorating the tree to traveling to grandma’s house with a sleigh full of new toys, be sure to take simple steps to keep your family safe.
Holiday Decorating
Whether decorating for Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa or New Year’s Eve, candles and strings of colored lights create a festive atmosphere but it’s important to be careful when using them. Candles should never be left unattended, and placed far away from flammable materials. Candles should also be placed on stable furniture in fire-safe holders that will catch dripping wax. Holiday lights and electrical decorations should bear the name of an independent testing lab to prove they were safety tested.
Winter Heating
While the stockings are hung by the chimney with care, be sure that your fireplace is ready for the winter heating season. Chimneys, fireplaces and wood and coal stoves should be regularly inspected and cleaned when necessary. Additionally, furnaces should be checked every year by professionals to ensure mechanical parts are functioning properly and that nothing is blocking the flue. Malfunctioning furnaces increase both the fire and carbon monoxide risks.
Under Illinois law, homes should be equipped with working smoke and carbon monoxide detectors within 15 feet of each sleeping area. The detectors should be tested monthly to ensure they’re functioning and the batteries are still good. Never use a gas or charcoal grill inside your home or attached garage because of the danger of carbon monoxide poisoning.
Holiday Shopping Safety
Whether shopping online or in the store, be sure to utilize smart shopping techniques this holiday season. If shopping online, connect with care. Make sure your home wireless network is password protected, and set strong passwords that make it hard for cyber criminals to guess. Also, remember the old adage, if it’s too good to be true, it probably is. During the holidays, scammers may send fake emails requiring you to click a link for a special offer. Shop online through trusted retailers to avoid these scams, and do not click on links from unknown senders.
Holiday Travel
When traveling over the river and through the woods, whether by car, train or plane, be sure to utilize smart travel tips.
If traveling by car, remember to pack an emergency supply kit with essentials for all your passengers. Fill out an emergency communications plan and let your in case of emergency (ICE) contact know your plan. Also, before you hit the road, check local road conditions and avoid traveling during winter storms.
If traveling by plane for the holidays, be sure to review the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) security screening tips. When packing for your flights, consider a small emergency kit that includes a flashlight and spare USB power bank.
Follow IEMA on Facebook (www.Facebook.com/ReadyIllinois) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/ReadyIllinois) for additional #HolidaySafety preparedness information. You can also find additional information on emergency preparedness at www.Ready.Illinois.gov.