Emergency Management

Emergency Management is charged with updating our City's emergency response plans, coordinating efforts during disasters or other citywide emergencies, and ensuring all personnel has received federally required National Incident Management System (NIMS) training.

Blackboard Connect enables city officials to quickly deliver critical messages, including emergency alerts and important city announcements, via phone, text, and email. There is absolutely no cost for you to subscribe and the information is secure and not used for any other purposes.

Outdoor Warning Sirens

The outdoor warning sirens located throughout Portage were purchased through a federal grant and managed/maintained by the Porter County Emergency Management Agency (EMA). These sirens are intended to notify people outdoors of impending dangerous weather conditions (tornado warnings) or other dangerous civil emergencies (toxic chemical release as an example). When the siren is heard, residents should seek shelter and gather information from local radio, TV, or the internet. You should not call 911 or the dispatch center unless you are experiencing an emergency yourself.

Porter County tests the Outdoor Warning Siren System on the first Tuesday of each month. The sirens are activated at approximately 11 am for three minutes.

You can visit Porter County EMA's website for more information on the siren or to report a siren near your home or business that is not functioning.