A new survey has been launched by Berrien County to help the area plan for emergencies. Berrien County Emergency Management Coordinator Rockey Adams says this will help the county update its Hazard Mitigation Plan. Hazard Mitigation is the practice of assuming that disaster hazards will happen and finding a way to make the damage less severe. Some of those strategies could include constructing barriers for flood waters, improving storm drainage systems to prevent floods, or hardening facilities from high winds. Adams says survey asks the community to identify where the worst and most frequent spots are after disaster events happen in Berrien County. It’s available on a newly launched website called BerrienPREPARED.com. The survey will be open through July 1.
February 10, 2021
A test of Berrien County’s emergency alert systems was done this past Friday, although some residents have been wondering why they didn’t receive it. The county switched from the emergency sirens to the mobile device-based Integrated Public Alert and Warning System, or IPAWS, system this year. Berrien County Emergency Management Coordinator Rockey Adams tells WSJM News for people to receive the tests of the system, they need to set up their phone to receive them.
“Our best advice would be to get with the phone stores so that they could give advice about the particular phone, make, and model that you have,” Adams said. “Each one, especially with the Android platform, is a little bit different on how to turn those test alerts on.”
Berrien County testing alert system Feb. 5
and last updated 2021-01-30 16:59:27-05
ST. JOSEPH, Mich. â The Berrien County Emergency Management Office wishes to remind residents that they will be testing the public warning system on Friday, Feb. 5 at 3 p.m.
They say the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System will send out an alert to all devices that are subscribed to receive the alerts, adding that the alert may be delayed until 4 p.m. under certain circumstances.
âIt is important to understand how to turn your device on to receive test alerts,â says Emergency Management Coordinator CPT. Rockey Adams. âUsers may need to do an internet search or call their phone service provider to learn how their phone can be turned on to receive test alerts.â
January 6, 2021
The Cook nuclear power plant’s emergency siren system is being deactivated. That’s because the Berrien County Sheriff’s Department Emergency Management and Homeland Security Division is switching over to two mobile device-based systems to alert people to emergencies and tests. Emergency Management Coordinator Rockey Adams tells WSJM News the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System, or IPAWS, and B-WARN! will ensure more people will be directly notified of emergencies thanks to cell phones.
“It’ll ring, much as people have become familiar with Amber Alerts that go across their phone,” Adams said. “So you’ll get an annoying tone to get your attention and you’ll get a message as to what to do with that alert.”