Dubois County could add emergency notifications for large-scale emergencies

In light of difficulties notifying the public of an emergency in a nearby county, Emergency Management Director Tammy Humbert requested that the county support a new alert system to send government alerts directly to cell phones without requiring residents to sign up.

Humbert presented the proposal for the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System, known as IPAWS, during the commissioners’ meeting. The system would cost $1,800 annually and integrate with the county’s existing dispatch and notification platform.

“I don’t want to be the county that’s stuck on trying to just utilize social media,” Humbert said.

The system would send alerts similar to Amber Alerts that appear automatically on cell phones within designated geographic areas. Unlike other notification systems that require residents to sign up, IPAWS reaches all cell phones in the targeted zone without any action needed from users.

Humbert cited the recent hazardous material incident in Warrick County that lacked a mass notification system. Officials had to rely on the state of Indiana to issue alerts, causing significant delays in warning residents to shelter in place.

“I just don’t want this to happen in our county,” Humbert told commissioners. “I am the emergency manager and I don’t want that to happen.”

The county currently utilizes a limited notification system through Rave Dispatch, which reaches approximately 220 key personnel, including fire chiefs, police chiefs, and other community leaders. The new system would expand that capability to reach all residents in affected areas.

Stuart Wilson, director of Dubois County 911, joined Humbert in supporting the proposal. He noted the county has experienced about five hazardous material incidents where such a system could have been useful.

“We do have hazmat situations. They’re pretty rare to have one the size of the more recent one in District 10,” Wilson said. “But in my tenure, we have probably had, in four and a half years, probably five incidents, most of them gas leaks, where we could have used a tool like this to make a notification.”

Wilson emphasized the county’s vulnerability to hazardous material incidents, noting that 77 facilities in Dubois County contain hazardous materials on-site. He also pointed to significant rail traffic carrying hazardous materials across the county as a concern.

The IPAWS system would allow officials to create precise geographic boundaries for alerts, ensuring only affected areas receive notifications. If an ammonia truck were to overturn on a specific street, for example, only residents in that immediate area would receive the alert, rather than the entire county.

“It’s not going to go out to all of Dubois County. It’s going to be by GIS,” Humbert explained.

The system requires extensive training and monthly testing to maintain certification. Officials who fail to complete the required testing will be removed from the program and must restart the entire certification process.

Humbert stressed the system would be reserved for dire emergencies such as shelter-in-place orders or major incidents requiring immediate public notification. The county would develop a standard operating procedure governing when and how alerts are sent.

The proposal comes as traditional communication methods become less reliable. Humbert noted that local newspapers no longer deliver to many homes and fewer people listen to the radio, while not all residents use social media platforms.

Commissioner approval would allow Humbert to submit an application to the federal government for IPAWS certification. The state of Indiana has already indicated it would approve Dubois County’s participation in the program.

The $1,800 annual cost would be added to the Emergency Management Agency’s budget, increasing it from $1,250 to $3,050 per year. Humbert plans to request the funding from the county council for inclusion in the 2026 budget.

Commissioner Chad Blessinger made a motion to support the proposal pending creation of a standard operating procedure governing the system’s use. The motion passed unanimously.

“I think for $1,800 a year, that’s a bargain,” said Commissioner Nick Hostetter.

The system would complement existing emergency notification methods rather than replace them. Officials would continue to use social media, local media outlets, and other communication channels, while also adding direct cell phone alert capability.