Emergency services has plan to keep residents warm in event of power outages

 With the latest weather predictions calling for a combination of freezing rain, sleet, snow and ice Friday night and into Saturday morning, emergency personnel in Knox, Laurel and Whitley counties have made contingency plans to help residents in the event of mass power outages.

Whitley County Emergency Management Director Danny Moses said Cedar Ridge Ministries in Williamsburg and the McBurney Center in Corbin may be opened if the need arises.

In addition, fire departments across the county, which have already served as warming shelters as the temperatures plummeted this week, will be available.

Moses said residents who lose power and are seeking alternative shelter should contact Whitley County Dispatch at 549-6017, their local fire department or use a portable device to check Facebook or other social media.

“We are so luck here in Whitley County that we have fire departments all over the county and those people can get the word out,” Moses said.

Moses added should the shelters be opened, it will mark the first time in his seven years as emergency management director that they have been opened.

“I hope we don’t have to,” Moses said.

Laurel County Emergency Management Director Albert “Abby” Hale said seven fire departments across the county, including Campground, Keavy and Lily in southern Laurel County, are prepared to take in residence should the power fail.

Other departments on the list include: Bush, East Bernstadt, Laurel County and London City, along with the Laurel County Rescue Squad.

West London Baptist Church and Hawk Creek Baptist Church officials have also agreed to open their doors to members of the community should the need arise.

Hale said emergency management personnel will be monitoring the situation from the operations center in London.

Hale is asking anyone with access to Facebook to like the Laurel Co. Emergency Management page and/or send a friend request to Abby Hale.

“I will accept all friend requests and will post updates on both pages,” Hale said.

With the heavy snow trapping many residents in their homes, Hale said area fire departments have been constantly running to help those in need. Because of that, the fire stations have been regularly manned.

“Our fire departments have been working this whole time, so I would be shocked if there wasn’t someone manning every fire department tonight,” Hale said.

Hale said London Mayor Troy Rudder and the Laurel County Sheriff’s office will also be sending out messages on their Facebook pages.

For anyone who experiences and outage but doesn’t have access to social media, Hale said they are encouraged to contact Laurel County dispatch at 878-7000, the emergency management office at 862-7904, or Hale at 682-4352.

“I will do everything I can to ensure the residents of this county are taken care of during this upcoming storm,” Hale stated.