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I
found some old cans of chemicals in my garage. What can I
do with them?
First of all you try to determine through
markings on the containers or other clues what types of chemicals
are in the cans (i.e. pesticides, old oil or gas, cleaning
solutions, etc.). The best way to dispose of these old chemicals
is at the annual “Household Hazardous Waste Day”
held every year in September at the Allen County Fairgrounds.
Contact our office at 993-1404 for this year’s date and
time.
Can you tell me what the Snow Emergency
Level was on a certain day? What is it now? Can you write
me a note for my employer?
The Snow Emergency Levels are usually published
daily in the local newspaper, The Lima News. This is the best
source of documentation of past Snow Emergency Levels. To
find out the current condition you can check this website
for official information or listen to local radio and TV stations.
Neither the Allen County EMA or the Allen County Sheriff’s
Office will write letters to employers concerning weather
conditions nor Snow Emergency Levels. It is the responsibility
of each individual to acquire their own documentation from
the various local media outlets.
I notice a strange smell outside my
house and it’s coming inside now. Can you check it out?
Yes! You should report any unusual odors
immediately to your local fire department or this agency.
The Allen County EMA and your local fire department will both
respond to investigate the unusual odor.
I noticed a shiny substance and unusual
color on the creek down the road. Can you check it out?
Yes! Just as with an unusual odor, any unusual
appearance of a local waterway should also be reported immediately
to your local fire department or this agency. The Allen County
EMA and your local fire department will both respond to investigate
the unusual occurrence.
I didn’t hear the community warning
siren during the monthly test today. I was in my house at
the time. What’s wrong with the siren?
Perhaps there is nothing wrong. Remember,
the community warning sirens are designed to warn persons
outdoors that they should take shelter and go indoors. If
you usually hear the warning siren in your home however, there
may be something wrong with the siren and we’ll send
our repair crews out to the siren in your area to check it
out immediately.
Is the Allen County EMA like the local
office of FEMA?
Not exactly. While the Allen County EMA,
the Ohio EMA and FEMA are all part of the same “Emergency
Management Agency” family we all very unique and charged
with different and separate functions to perform. FEMA (Federal
Emergency Management Agency) is a federal agency charged with
coordinating federal agencies response to disasters. Our nearest
FEMA office is in Chicago. The FEMA director answers to the
President of the United States and sits on the President’s
Cabinet. The Ohio EMA is the state agency charged with coordinating
Ohio’s response to major incidents and is based at the
Ohio Emergency Operations Center in Columbus. The Ohio EMA
director is appointed by the Governor. The Allen County EMA
is the local government agency charged with coordinating the
initial response to disasters and emergencies that occur here.
The local EMA director is appointed and reports to the Allen
County Board of County Commissioners.
In the event of a major disaster, all three
of these agencies will work together to protect and serve
the people affected.
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