What are the opening hours?

Monday 8am - 4:30pm Tuesday 8am - 4:30pm Wednesday 8am - 4:30pm Thursday 8am - 4:30pm Friday 8am - 4:30pm

Whitley County Emergency Management Agency

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Columbia City, IN
Whitley County Emergency Management Agency

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In the coordination and cooperation of all phases.

Whitley County Emergency Management Agency serves all of Whitley County Indiana with the 5 phases of Emergency Management: Prevention, Protection, Mitigation, Response and Recovery.

10/31/2026

🎃 Busy Halloween for Whitley County EMA! 🎃

This afternoon, our Command Trailer and Utility 92 were at the Churubusco Halloweenfest from 12–2 PM. Thanks to everyone who stopped by to say hello!

Tonight from 5–8 PM, our EMA volunteers are staffing the Emergency Operations Center (EOC). They’re monitoring traffic across the county’s trick-or-treat events, updating equipment, and spending some time together. There’s pizza, some catching up, and conversation about how we can grow and help make Whitley County more ready and resilient.

🙋 Ever thought about volunteering? There’s no commitment and no special requirements, just a willingness to help when you can. Fill out our interest form to learn more: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/g/yT598Xxs0u

Stay safe and have a happy Halloween, Whitley County! 👻

10/30/2026

HONK! Sgt. Ryan Goosling reporting for Halloween duty!

Listen up, trick-or-treaters! The Sarge left the Whitley County Emergency Management Agency and Whitley County Veterans Service Office-Indiana office and has been patrolling the Government Center pond all week, and I've got some orders for you before you hit the streets this weekend:

🔦 Be seen! Grab a flashlight, glow sticks, or reflective tape. Dark costumes after sunset make you harder to spot than a goose in the fog.

🎭 Masks off, eyes up. Face paint beats masks that block your view. And keep costumes short enough that you don't trip. Trust me, waddling is harder than it looks.

🚸 Cross smart. Use sidewalks and crosswalks, look both ways, and never dart out between parked cars. No phones while walking!

👨‍👩‍👧 Fly in formation. Little ones need a grown-up. Older kids should stick with a group, stay on a planned route, and only visit well-lit homes.

🍬 Inspect the haul. Parents, check treats before anyone digs in. Toss anything opened or homemade from someone you don't know. Watch for allergens too, and look for teal pumpkins for non-food treats!

🚗 Drivers, slow your roll! Expect kids popping out everywhere, especially at dusk. Take it easy in neighborhoods and watch driveways.

Stay safe, have fun, and save a candy corn for the Sarge. Not that geese are supposed to eat candy... but I won't tell if you won't. 😉

HONK OUT! 🪿

10/29/2026

11:35 PM UPDATE: The remaining twelve people now have power. All power has been restored.

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9:05 PM UPDATE: Good news! We've been able to reroute power and restore service to all but 12 members!

The remaining 12 members are directly affected by the damaged poles and will need to wait until repairs are complete before their power can be restored. Our crews are continuing their work to replace the poles and restore power to those still affected. Thank you for your patience!

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8:00 PM UPDATE: We've shared a photo from the scene in a separate/new post. The accident brought down two utility poles, both of which will need to be replaced. Due to the extent of the damage, we anticipate restoration could take approximately four hours. Thank you for your continued patience!

⚠️ Safety reminder: If you're in the area, please stay far away from the damaged poles and any downed power lines. Always assume downed lines are energized and dangerous.

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7:35 PM UPDATE - A vehicle accident that brought down two poles is the cause of the outage north of Columbia City. We've called in an additional crew to assist with restoration efforts.

Thank you for your patience as our crews work to safely restore power.

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7:20 PM - Nearly 600 members north of Columbia City are currently without power. A crew is on the way to investigate and begin restoration efforts.7:35

10/29/2026

This costume is giving us nightmares. 👻

Don’t let this be you. A little planning can make things less spooky: ready.gov/plan

10/28/2026

REMINDER: On Tuesday, November 17, 2026, around 2:20 p.m. ET, FEMA and the Federal Communications Commission will conduct a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System (EAS).

The test will air on radio and TV only and will not be sent to mobile phones. No action is needed from the public.

Federal law requires FEMA to conduct a nationwide EAS test at least once every three years. Routine tests help ensure the alert system is ready to provide timely information when it matters most.

Following the test, FEMA and our partners will review the results and identify opportunities to strengthen future alerting capabilities.

Learn more about the Emergency Alert System: fema.gov/emergency-managers/practitioners/integrated-public-alert-warning-system/public/emergency-alert-system

10/28/2026

Congratulations, Deputy Director Rittenhouse

Whitley County Emergency Management is proud to congratulate Deputy Director Rittenhouse on receiving his FEMA National Emergency Management Basic Academy certification, presented at the 2026 EMAI Conference!

The Basic Academy is FEMA's foundational program for emergency managers, and it takes real commitment. Graduates must complete five classroom courses, totaling 120 hours of instruction:

📘 L0101 – Foundations of Emergency Management (40 hours)
🌪️ L0102 – Fundamentals of Threats and Hazards (24 hours)
📋 L0103 – Planning: Emergency Operations (16 hours)
🧪 L0146 – Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (16 hours)
📣 L0105 – Public Information Basics (24 hours)

That's the equivalent of three full work weeks in the classroom, on top of the online FEMA prerequisite courses required just to apply.

Those hours translate directly into a stronger, better-prepared Whitley County. Thank you, Deputy Director Rittenhouse for your dedication to our community. Well done! 👏

10/23/2026

🚨 Heads up, Whitley County! 🚨

Tomorrow morning, Saturday October 24, the Whitley County Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) and Parkview Health are teaming up for a training exercise at Parkview Whitley Hospital.

You may see more police, fire and EMS vehicles and personnel at the hospital. This is only an exercise. The LEPC holds one every year at sites around the county.

✅ Hospital services, treatment and patient safety will not be affected.

Thank you for your understanding as we train for a safer, more resilient Whitley County! 💪

10/22/2026

We are entering the season when deer are moving, and unfortunately this means they often end up injured in the roadway. We are currently working on updating our contact list for when a deer is struck and would be good for a family to fill the freezer. If you would like to be added to the list, please call our dispatch center with your information. If you have already spoken to our dispatchers updating the current list, there is no need to call in. You can reach us at 260-244-6410 option 1.

10/21/2026

Good news: the gas leak on S Line Street in Columbia City has been stopped and the hazard is contained.

• Affected residents are working directly with NIPSCO to safely return to their homes.
• Crews will remain on scene into the evening, so please continue to use caution and give workers room in the area.

A big thank you to the Columbia City Fire Department, Columbia City Police, NIPSCO, and everyone who assisted with this incident. Great teamwork keeping our community safe!

Address

220 West Van Buren Street, Ste 111
Columbia City, IN
46725

Opening Hours

Monday	8am - 4:30pm
Tuesday	8am - 4:30pm
Wednesday	8am - 4:30pm
Thursday	8am - 4:30pm
Friday	8am - 4:30pm

Telephone

+12602483167

Website

http://www.whitleygov.com/

Alerts

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