INDIANAPOLIS — As the potential for heavy rain and severe weather continues this weekend, cities and counties in central Indiana are on standby to respond to any weather-related issues.
Starting Friday, the Indianapolis Department of Public Works has dispatch teams, barricade crews, forestry staff and traffic signal technicians all on standby in case of downed trees or flooding in the roadways or traffic light go out.
“We’re going to have staff on standby and on call throughout the weekend,” Hannah Scott-Carter, a spokesperson for DPW said.
Carter said street flooding can happen quick even after just short, heavy bursts of rain. With the possibility of flooding in the forecast for the next several days, they’re prepping for the worst.
In Noblesville, the Hamilton County Emergency Management team is making sandbags available to help keep water out.
“We have some communities that are in some low lying areas and even if it’s just a few sandbags to help keep water out of the garage, we want to make sure that we are providing that service to them,” Shane Booker, Hamilton County Emergency Management Executive Director explained.
Scott-Carter said people can also do their part in minimizing the risk of flooding.
“Residents can be proactive in helping mitigate any sort of localized flooding in residential streets by going out before all this rain starts and checking their storm drains,” she said.
“And it’s also really important for people to make sure that they have a plan so when they do here there’s a chance for severe weather or there may be flooding, think through what would you do if you did have flooding at your home or where would you go for severe weather and making sure that you review that with everybody in the household especially kids,” Booker added.
If a road is impassable because of high water or a downed tree, you should contact the Mayor’s Action Center or Citizens Energy Group.
As for the sandbags in Hamilton County, they’re available 24/7 on a first-come, first-serve basis to residents at the Household Hazardous Waste Center off of Pleasant Street in Noblesville.
