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EMA director urges winter preparations and outlines multi‑million communication upgrades
Summary
Brad Medaf, Nelson County EMA director, advised residents to check on elderly neighbors, carry car‑kits and avoid indoor generators; he also summarized radio‑tower leases and dispatch system upgrades that have cost about $800,000 this year and may require $2–3 million more in coming years.
Brad Medaf, Nelson County's emergency management director, joined Judge Tim Hutchkins on WBRT to outline winter‑weather safety steps and to summarize ongoing communications infrastructure upgrades.
Medaf recommended residents check on elderly and disabled neighbors, assemble a winter car kit (jumper cables, blanket, reflective gear, phone charger), and avoid operating generators or kerosene heaters indoors due to carbon‑monoxide and ventilation risks. He said warming shelters are opened only for extended multi‑day deep‑cold events or prolonged power outages and that use of the civic center as a shelter presents engineering and safety constraints.
On communications, Medaf said the county has completed leases for two new radio towers (Holy Cross and Howardstown) with additional sites planned to address dead spots in the southern part of the county. He said the county has invested about $800,000 in its new dispatch/108 system this year and estimated a conservative multi‑year upgrade need of roughly $2 million (possibly higher) to keep radios, licenses and dispatch capabilities current.
Why it matters: Improved communications and winter readiness directly affect first‑responder coordination and public safety. Medaf emphasized that tourism inflates summer population numbers (to an estimated 60–70,000) and that communications must scale to handle higher seasonal demand.
Next steps: Medaf urged listeners to sign up for county alerts (Smart911) and to follow county social channels; he said tower construction and technology upgrades will continue as funding permits.
