Brought to you by WBIW News and Network Indiana
Last updated on Thursday, August 30, 2012
(UNDATED) - As Isaac pounds Louisiana, Indiana officials are preparing for possible flooding and power outages and strong winds, this weekend.
Officials with the Indiana Department of Homeland Security emergency management teams across the state to prepare for what Isaac might bring.
"Flooding can occur in those areas that we rarely see it. That's why we ask people to... use common sense, be prepared for power outages, those kinds of things," said Joe E. Wainscott, executive director of Indiana's DHS.
Emergency management teams in Lawrence and surrounding counties say they're paying particular attention to areas prone to flooding and taking steps to be ready.
Emergency management teams across Indiana are holding planning meetings, and many have prepared sand bags.
Some experts are comparing Isaac to 2008's Hurricane Ike, which brought flooding and wind damage to Indiana.
"Many of these storms turn into tropical depressions and so forth that affect us," Wainscott said. "In 2008, Hurricane Ike came up and affected Indiana really quite differently in different parts of the state. Down in Southern Indiana, it was a wind storm and we had a lot of trees down, power lines down, so forth... The same (storm) caused some flooding in the western part of the state."
Lawrence County Emergency Management Director Valerie Luchauer says, it's also important for residents to prepare for flooding, power outages and high winds.
She suggest people stock up on 72 hours worth of canned and non-refrigerated food and drinks, including bottled water, powdered milk and baby formula.
She added residents should also stock up on batteries for flashlights and battery-powered radios.
"We could get hit hard this weekend with rain from Hurricane Isaac," Greene County Emergency Management Director Roger Axe says. "The National Weather Service (NWS) in Indianapolis predicts rain from three to five inches for Central Indiana. That could produce flash flooding, power outages, damage from falling trees, and wind damage. ...wind field remnants will create favorable conditions for small, brief tornadoes, primarily Saturday afternoon and night."
Axe recommends filling important prescriptions before the weekend and advised homeowners to clean debris from their yards and filling your gas tank.
"Cause without power, gas pumps will not work," he added. "We are encouraging our citizens to prepare now."
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