With severe weather expected overnight and Saturday, emergency crews across the region are making final preparations to ensure they are ready for whatever comes our way.

In Butler County, the rescue squad is taking a proactive approach, inspecting equipment, reviewing response plans and preparing for all modes of severe weather.

When severe situations occur, having the right tools ready can make all the difference. That’s why the Butler County Rescue Squad is conducting thorough checks on chainsaws, hand tools and other emergency equipment before the storms arrive.

“We’re going to check the chainsaws. We’re going to check all the hand tools and anything that we might need. We’re going to check it and double-check it again. And then we’ll go and check it one more time to make sure we have everything ready for a situation, whatever it might be,” said Brandon Keown, chief of the Butler County Rescue Squad.

These tools are essential for clearing debris from roads, reaching stranded residents and ensuring emergency crews can navigate the area safely in the aftermath of a storm.

Emergency responders say the key to their work is always expecting the worst-case scenario and being ready to act. Even if the storm’s impact turns out to be minimal, they approach each situation as though it could be severe in the days ahead.

“We just go ahead, think about the worst. And that’s—we just work whatever level we need to, to work to get the job, the situation taken care of,” Keown explained.

This mindset ensures that no matter what happens, they have the personnel and resources in place to respond actively and quickly.

Officials are urging residents to take the same precautions and prepare for the storms ahead of time. While emergency responders will be on standby, they stress that personal preparedness is just as important.

“Go ahead and start preparing yourself. Go ahead and get your stuff ready. Go ahead and be in that area before the storm even gets to them. Go ahead and prepare yourself,” Keown said.

Butler County officials also emphasize the importance of staying informed. While the county’s tornado sirens, or “COWS” as some call them, will sound during a warning, they aren’t always enough.

“We have one here in Morgantown, right by the courthouse. So that will go off if any part of Butler County goes under a tornado warning. Even if it’s in northern or southern Butler County, this siren will still sound off,” the chief explained.

Since sirens may not always be heard indoors, residents are encouraged to have a NOAA weather radio or a phone with emergency alerts enabled such as on the WNKY Weather App (Apple/Google).

As the region braces for potential severe weather, the Butler County Rescue Squad and other emergency teams are making sure they are ready. They urge the public to do the same by having a safety plan in place, staying aware of the forecast, and knowing where to take shelter if needed.