Logan County’s Emergency Management (LCEM) director Rodney Harkleroad and deputy director Terry Cole are very proud and impressed at how the emergency services and volunteers pulled together during the treacherous ice storm that hit the county last week.

Harkleroad said he was amazed at response times, organization and number of people willing to help get their community back in shape.

“I am so proud of all the emergency service employees and volunteers out there who didn’t hesitate when this natural disaster hit our county. The LCEM is pretty much in charge of organizing the emergency efforts, but after the initial set up the firefighters, first responders, dispatchers and law enforcement of Logan County just took over and did what needed to be done,” said Harkleroad.

Deputy Cole said it was because of the Logan County Search and Rescue Squad, the volunteer firefighters in Auburn, Adairville, Lewisburg, Russellville Rural and the city of Russellville along with firefighters from Logan Aluminum, the Community Emergency Rescue Team (CERT), the Emergency Communications Center (ECC), the local American Red Cross, and the Chaplains organization that Logan County made it through this disaster.

“Of course there were situations that we ran into where we couldn’t do certain things,” said Cole speaking about downed power lines and electrical outages. “Some people didn’t realize that we could not touch a tree in the road if it had an electric line wrapped up in it,” said Cole.

The LCEM did; however; supply generators to those households who needed electricity for medical purposes.

“You train and organize for these types of disasters but you really never know how it will all come together until it actually happens,” said Harkleroad adding, “You just hope and pray that all your training will kick in and thank God it did.”

Logan County’s firefighters cleared over 400 downed trees, the Red Cross set up shelters and supplied them with hot cocoa and coffee and the Agape Center and local churches opened their doors supplying shelter and food.

“I am amazed at this community and all the people in it. This goes to show you that not only are we ready but we have some of the most dedicated and resourceful individuals and groups in the state,” said Cole. “This kind of comfort only comes from people who care enough to prepare for the worst, hope it doesn’t happen and dedicate their time and efforts to be there if it does. I can’t say enough about these people and organizations.”