EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD: Flood tragedies nobody talks about

Everybody in south suburban Cook County is aware that on April 18, the area was drenched with rain from the storm that knocked out power in many households, caused huge traffic delays and flooded basements.

EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD: Prompt helped NYC during, after hurricane

It has been more than two months since Hurricane Sandy hit the East Coast. However, we are still being asked about our involvement.

New radios enhance communications

WHITING | The Whiting Fire Department recently received a $23,616 Federal Emergency Management Agency grant to purchase 20 portable P25 digital radios.

GUEST COMMENTARY: Sandy, humanitarian relief and American tradition

Cyclone Sandy was technically downgraded from hurricane status just before striking the U.S., but remains highly disruptive. Both the Obama and Romney presidential campaigns temporarily suspended their frenetic activity. In part, this reflected the practical impossibility of moving through t…

Marine 1 has assisted in 10 calls so far

PORTAGE | Portage's new fire/rescue boat, launched just this summer, has seen its share of duty.

Old school Civil Defense programs live on with new names

Hobart's Civil Defense, a program first formed during World War II, has taken a new direction.

EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD: Actions speaking loud and clear

In my column back in May I reported on several notable human service programs being implemented in south suburban communities this summer.

Abandoned trailers removed from flood-ravaged Lake Station mobile home park

LAKE STATION | All the trailers have been removed from the abandoned, flood-ravaged Riverside Mobile Home property.

Emergency readiness program today for Hobart senior citizens

HOBART | Seniors are invited to attend an emergency preparedness program from 10 a.m. to noon today at Maria Reiner Senior Center, 705 E. Fourth St.

Emergency Management Fair scheduled Thursday in Gary

GARY | Calumet Township Trustee Mary Elgin is partnering with the Federal Emergency Management Agency to host an Emergency Management Awareness Fair designed to increase awareness and disaster preparedness in Northwest Indiana.

Public safety agencies seek to meet FCC bandwidth mandate

Some public safety departments in Northwest Indiana are already prepared to meet the FCC's Jan. 1 deadline for narrowbanding. Some -- like Portage -- are in midstream, and others are still investigating what they have to do to meet the deadline.

EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD: NWI needs regional disaster preparedness plan

In the wake of the devastating and lethal tornadoes in southern Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio, I am compelled to advocate for a regional disaster preparedness plan.

Lake Station residents, officials frustrated with trailer park cleanup efforts

LAKE STATION | Despite his best efforts, Jose Poce finds it nearly impossible to maintain his neatly kept front yard on the corner of 29th Avenue and Utah Street.

Students deck out fireboat with original decals

PORTAGE | Portage High School printing technology students carefully aligned the big, bold letters across the side of the Portage Fire Department's new dive/rescue/fire boat Tuesday afternoon.

Dyer working to retain that small-town feel

DYER | The town began its life as a small farming community, but is now a town of neighborhoods and local businesses "living in the shadow of Chicago," as lifelong resident Paul Benninghoff puts it.

Local fire departments to share in federal grant

Six local fire departments will share $741,150 in federal funds to help buy updated radio equipment.

EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD: Still no movement toward emergency preparedness

A year ago, I presented the fact that there are very few community emergency response teams in south suburban Cook County. Chicago Heights and Tinley Park are the only two of 50-plus communities.

Keep flood insurance, residents urged

HIGHLAND | Although portions of Hammond and Highland have been removed from the Little Calumet River flood plain, officials from the Federal Emergency Management Agency encouraged residents of those areas to keep some flood insurance protection for "peace of mind."

EDITORIAL: FEMA acts, now it's Legislature's turn

It is good to see more than 1,000 properties along the Little Calumet River removed from the flood plain, erasing a costly flood insurance obligation.

FEMA takes Cabela's, other Hammond property out of flood plain

HAMMOND | More than 1,000 homes and businesses adjoining the Little Calumet River has been taken out of the flood plain by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, city officials announced Monday.