Highland County, Ohio Emergency Management Agency

10/08/2026

Remnants from Hurricane Isaias will impact the Ohio Valley this weekend. Breezy conditions will develop on Saturday as the system approaches, with the strongest winds Saturday evening into early Sunday (gusts of 25-35 MPH). Widespread rain and some storms possible as well, mainly Saturday night into Sunday. A swath of 1-2" of rain is expected, but some locally higher amounts cannot be ruled out, primarily SE of I-71.

10/06/2026

Come see us at the HCSCC's Annual Senior Expo Event, Presented by Southern Hills Community Bank today, Tuesday October 6, 2026 from 10am-2pm at Southern State Community College Patriot Center- 100 Hobart Drive, Hillsboro, Ohio. Admission is free!

📅 Tuesday, October 6
⏰ Senior Expo: 10:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m.
🔵 Bingo starts at approximately 2:20 p.m. 18 and older only
📍 Patriot Center at Southern State Community College
100 Hobart Drive, Hillsboro
🎟️ Admission is FREE!
Bring some extra cash for lunch and additional bingo cards

Seniors, their adult families and caregivers from Highland, Adams, Brown, Clinton, Fayette, Pike, Ross and surrounding counties are invited! Meet area businesses and organizations, discover helpful resources and enjoy:
🎃 Over 60 vendors
🎁 Free prizes & giveaways throughout the day
🎶 Live music
🏐 Chair Volleyball with prizes
👻 Guest Costume Contest with prizes for first, second and third place
🍽️ Lunch available for purchase
🎃 Vendor Costume and Pumpkin-Decorating Contests
🔵 Bingo immediately following the Expo at approximately 2:20 p.m.!

Your first bingo card is FREE, and additional cards will be available for purchase. We’ll have more than 60 bingo prizes! Please bring cash if you plan to purchase lunch or additional bingo cards.
Come dressed in costume if you’d like—but costumes are not required. Bring your friends, adult family members and caregivers for a fun and informative day!

📢 Please share this video and help us spread the word about our new, larger location with more room, more parking, more prizes and more fun!

10/01/2026

09/30/2026

Sharing the road with horse-drawn vehicles safely requires a shift in your usual driving habits. Because horse-drawn vehicles interact differently with traffic, keep these critical warnings and safety guidelines in mind:

Extreme Speed Differential: Buggies typically travel at only 5 to 8 miles per hour. A car traveling at highway speeds will close the distance between your vehicle and a slow-moving buggy incredibly fast. Treat a buggy sighting like you are approaching a stationary object and reduce your speed immediately.

Low Visibility Conditions: While most modern buggies are equipped with reflective tape and battery-powered lights, the horses themselves are dark and highly invisible
at dawn, dusk, and nighttime. Also be mindful of the sun; driving directly into sunlight can make it hard to see.

• Never Honk Your Horn: Horses are easily spooked by sudden, loud noises like car horns, revving engines, or screeching tires. A spooked horse can bolt directly into oncoming traffic or flip the carriage.
• Give Extra Clearance When Passing: Pass only when pavement markings allow, and visibility is entirely clear around the buggy. Pull out wide and allow at least 20 feet of clearance ahead of the horse before merging back into the travel lane.
• Watch for Left Turns: Buggies should stay as close to the right shoulder as possible during normal travel. However, they must drift toward the center of the lane to execute a left turn. Look closely for mechanical turn signals or the operator's manual hand gestures before attempting to pass.
• Vulnerable Passengers: Keep in mind that many buggies transport whole families, and children frequently operate smaller, low-profile pony carts that sit lower to the ground and are even harder to spot.

09/29/2026

September is National Preparedness Month, and this year's theme is “Americans Stand Ready.” Preparedness starts with a plan.

Preparedness is stronger when it's a community effort. Consider taking the next step by learning a new skill: sign up for a first aid or CPR course, join a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), or take a free course through FEMA's Emergency Management Institute.

When neighbors are prepared, our whole community stands ready.

09/26/2026

September is National Preparedness Month — "Americans Stand Ready"

A solid emergency plan isn't complete without a way to get warned when danger is on the way. Add "sign up for local alerts" to your household's preparedness checklist — Highland County Alerts (powered by Hyper-Reach) sends weather and community emergency notifications straight to your phone or email, so your family knows to act.

Sign up today:
📱 Call or text "Alert" to 937-500-0648
💻 signup.hyper-reach.com/hyper_reach/sign_up_page_2/?id=109102
📷 Scan the QR code

Make it part of your plan today — it takes less than a minute.

09/22/2026

September is National Preparedness Month, and this year's theme is “Americans Stand Ready.” Preparedness starts with a plan.

A well-stocked emergency kit doesn't have to be expensive or built all at once. Start with what you already have at home — canned food, water, a first-aid kit, flashlights, and batteries — and add a little at a time.

Don't forget medications, copies of important documents, and supplies for pets.
Find a full checklist at ready.gov/kit.

09/20/2026

🚜 This coming week (Sept 21–25) is National Farm Safety and Health Week! Farming remains one of the most dangerous jobs in the country, and this annual campaign — running since 1944 — turns awareness into action.

Follow along all week for a daily safety topic:
🗓️ Monday: Equipment & Rural Roadway Safety
🗓️ Tuesday: Health & Wellness
🗓️ Wednesday: Generations of Farming
🗓️ Thursday: Confined Spaces
🗓️ Friday: Cancer Prevention

Highland County is a strong agricultural community, and we want everyone to have a safe, successful 2026 Harvest!