Monroe County CERT, Indiana

05/20/2026

⛈️With all the rain hitting the Midwest, stay tuned to local alerts and know the difference between a flood watch and a warning. Flood watch means keep an eye out, flooding can happen. A warning means flooding is happening and it's time to take action!

05/18/2026

Extended to 12:15 am

432 PM EDT Mon May 18 2026
..FLOOD WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 845 PM EDT THIS EVENING.....REPLACES FLOOD ADVISORY...

* WHAT...Flooding caused by excessive rainfall is expected.

* WHERE...Monroe County in south central Indiana...
Daviess County in southwestern Indiana...
Greene County in southwestern Indiana...
Knox County in southwestern Indiana...
Northwestern Martin County in southwestern Indiana...
Southern Clay County in west central Indiana...
Owen County in west central Indiana...

* WHEN...Until 845 PM EDT.

* IMPACTS...Flooding of rivers, creeks, streams, and other low-lying and flood-prone locations is imminent or occurring.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...
- At 432 PM EDT, emergency management reported heavy rain in the warned area due to thunderstorms. Flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly. Between 1 and 2 inches of rain
have fallen.
- Additional rainfall amounts of 1 to 2 inches are possible in the warned area.
- Some locations that will experience flooding include...
Bloomington, Vincennes, Washington, Linton, Bloomfield, Spencer, Ellettsville, Bicknell, Worthington, Odon, Gosport, Lyons, Elnora, Oaktown, Monroe City, Wheatland, Bruceville, Plainville, Sandborn and Edwardsport.

05/16/2026

Showers and scattered storms will continue into the evening. A few strong to severe storms are possible through the evening, mainly south of I-70. Damaging winds will be the main threat along with a lower-end threat for flooding or large hail. Isolated tornadoes cannot be ruled out across far southern portions central Indiana.

05/16/2026

A severe thunderstorm watch has been issued for southern Indiana, SE Illinois, and northern Kentucky. Severe storms capable of wind gusts up to 60mph, large hail up to 1.5" and an isolated tornado are possible.

05/16/2026

Cancelled at 8:00PM

Monroe County is under a Severe Thunderstorm Watch until approximately 11PM.

05/14/2026

05/14/2026

Our very own Libbi Coover participated in this exercise with her husband and CERT Training Instructor Steve Coover. We at Monroe County CERT thank these two for their dedication to serving the citizens of Monroe County.

05/14/2026

COMING UP!
FREE Emergency Communications preparedness workshop at the Monroe County Public Library (Indiana) Downtown branch, 5:30-6:30pm on Monday, May 18th.

Learn how to stay connected when cell and internet networks fail, using amateur and emergency radio systems to send and receive critical information during storms, disasters, and other incidents.

Pre-registration is required: https://forms.office.com/g/Tg6YXLp5P7

Children are welcome but will need to be accompanied by an adult and should register individually (please be sure to indicate age on the registration form).

Questions? Reach out to Preparedness Coordinator Bryce Bookwalter at [email protected]

05/14/2026

HEALTH ALERT: Suspected Case of Meningococcal Disease at Bloomington High School South

The Monroe County Health Department is following up on a suspected case of meningococcal disease that occurred at Bloomington High School South. The case is under medical supervision and can no longer spread the disease. A person must have direct contact an infected person’s saliva during the 7 days prior to the onset of illness in order to become infected, the disease is not spread through casual contact or by simply being in the same room as an infected person.

The Monroe County Health Department is in the process of identifying and contacting persons who have had close contact with the case, who will be provided antibiotics as clinically appropriate. Close contacts include persons:
• Living in the same household as the infected person
• Who have kissed the infected person on the mouth
• Who have items that came in contact with an infected person’s saliva, such as drinks from the same container (i.e. water bottles, cups, glasses), eating utensils, cigarettes/vapes, or lipstick.

For all other persons, including those who had casual contact as would occur in most school related activities, the risk of infection is very low. Preventive antibiotics are not recommended for casual contacts of infected persons.
Although the risk of disease to other students is quite low, parents are advised to be alert for signs of meningococcal disease, including (but not limited to):
• Sudden onset of fever
• Headache
• Stiff neck
• Confusion
• Sometimes a rash
If any of these signs or symptoms develop, the student should be taken immediately to a physician or emergency room to be evaluated for potential meningococcal disease. Antibiotic treatment is usually successful, especially if started early after symptoms begin.

To reduce the risk and spread of any communicable disease, it is recommended that students and staff not share items that come into contact with another person’s saliva, such as foods, drinks, lipstick/balm, or cigarettes/vapes. Additional preventive measures include washing hands frequently and thoroughly both at home and in school and covering noses and mouths when coughing or sneezing and washing hands well afterwards.

The most effective way to protect yourself/your child against certain types of meningitis is to get vaccinated. Consult with your healthcare provider to determine if you or your child are up-to-date on available vaccinations. For more information about which vaccines are recommended for you and your child, please consult the CDC’s Vaccine Scheduled for You and Your Family at https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/imz-schedules/index.html.

If you have questions, please reach out to your/your child's healthcare provider or call Monroe County Health Department Nursing Services at 812-803-6364.

05/11/2026

BIG THANK YOU to all the law enforcement officers who keep us all safe, especially to those who go above and beyond to make sure our youth has positive influence in their lives. Stay safe always.