Emergency notification sign ups encouraged

  • GRASS FIRE - Levelland-Hockley County Emergency issued a notification of a large grass fire near Barton Lane and Delaware Road Sunday morning around 9:45 a.m. Travelors were advised to avoid the area as a heavy presence of emergency vehicles attempted to contain the fire. The LFD called for mutual aid from the Smyer Fire Department, Hockley County and the state. Burning roughly 160 acres, fire crews were able to leave the scene around 2 p.m. (Photo courtesy of Hockley County Emergency Management)
    GRASS FIRE - Levelland-Hockley County Emergency issued a notification of a large grass fire near Barton Lane and Delaware Road Sunday morning around 9:45 a.m. Travelors were advised to avoid the area as a heavy presence of emergency vehicles attempted to contain the fire. The LFD called for mutual aid from the Smyer Fire Department, Hockley County and the state. Burning roughly 160 acres, fire crews were able to leave the scene around 2 p.m. (Photo courtesy of Hockley County Emergency Management)

    With recent events in the Levelland and Hockley County area, Levelland-Hockley County Emergency Management Coordinator Cole Kirkland is continuing to earch community members to sign up for emergency notification alerts.

    Community members can expect notifications on their smart phones when dealing with serious events within the county such as wrecks, road closures, etc. Additionally, severe thunderstorm warnings can be expected and updates regarding grass fires and other natural disasters if they happen.

    Emergency management utilizes KLVT radio, Facebook and Twitter as well as the Integrated Public Alert & Warning System (IPAWS). That system uses e-mail, texts, and popup reports. Citizens can go to RUAWARE.US to register for alerts in 16 area counties including Hockley and Cochran.

    In addition, if a wireless device has “emergency alerts by location” turned on, it will allow for alerts to local emergency situations similar to amber alerts. The alerts are cell tower based so individuals will get them based on their actual location.

    Much of the West Texas area continues to face very high fire danger levels due to the lack of humidity and fast winds. Community members are encouraged to be mindful of controlled burns as they can get out of control. While those have not been an issue, the LFD is reminding that burning is not allowed within the City of Levelland and controlled burns should be called into the LFD before proceeding.

    In addition to burning, individuals are also encouraged to be mindful of the weather and the conditions that could pose a serious threat to starting a grass fire.

    Grass fires could also be prone to starting to due to oilfield or farming equipment malfunctioning along with power lines.

    Typically, those examples are linked to more of the grass fires that occur in the area according to Kirkland.

    In dry conditions with a lack of humidity, small sparks are all that is needed to ignite a grass fire and depending on wind speed and direction, the situation can escalate quickly.