Winter Storm Fern: Hardin County Storm Response Update

Key Takeaways

• Hardin County road crews were out treating roads during the broadcast, working with about 6 large salt trucks and 5 smaller pickups across 570+ miles and 900+ county roads
• As of that morning, roughly 80% of county roads had been treated — but crews are removing volume, not clearing to bare pavement, which would take multiple passes the county can't make on every road
• The county used about 700 tons of salt in this event, with another 700 tons ordered, putting the salt budget 50% over for the year
• First responders staffed up: 9 full-time ambulances plus extras in the southern and western county, with 911 dispatch answering calls 24/7
• Two county roads were closed — Miller Road and Upper Colesburg Road; there are no curfews in Hardin County and no arrests for driving

Summary

Hardin County Judge-Executive Keith Taul joined Hardin Local Weekly at the top of the show for a brief public-safety update on the county's response to Winter Storm Fern. Host Rachel Brantingham led the conversation, focused entirely on storm operations: road conditions, crew deployment, resources, and what residents should do to stay safe.

The core message was caution. Heavy ice — not just snow — made this event especially difficult to clear, and the county's road crews were working through it with limited equipment and a single shift. Residents were urged to stay home if they could, and to drive slowly and carefully if they had to be out. The county also confirmed there were no curfews in place and no arrests being made for driving during the storm.

Watch this segment: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pa_bI8aPZQM&t=300s Full episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pa_bI8aPZQM

Full Article

At the top of the episode, Rachel Brantingham welcomed Hardin County Judge-Executive Keith Taul for a short update on how the county was handling Winter Storm Fern. The segment stayed squarely on storm response — road conditions, crews, resources, and public safety.

The road situation: ice, not just snow

Asked for a read on conditions across the county, the Judge-Executive was direct about the roads. "Anyone that's been out on the roads, there's some difficulties," he said. "You'd like to say, 'Hey, all the roads have been cleaned off, they're all clear, it's all safe.' But that's just not the case." This event carried a lot of ice, which made clearing far harder than a typical snowfall. His advice to residents was plain: "If you don't really have to be out, unless you're gonna be on a very well-traveled state road, I would try not to go out. It's still fairly slippery in spots."

Conditions varied across the county. There was more snow to the north — up into Rineyville, Vine Grove, and Radcliff — and more ice to the south, each presenting its own challenge for crews trying to remove material from the road.

Who's working right now

The Judge-Executive described a county response running on limited resources. "Our road crews are out working right now," he said, noting the county doesn't have the budget for multiple shifts the way some cities do. The county was working with about 6 large trucks carrying salt and another 5 or so smaller pickups with salt in smaller amounts, with crews rotating in for rest before getting back at it.

Beyond the road department, the county staffed up its emergency services. "We staffed accordingly," he said, describing extra ambulances positioned in the southern and western parts of the county and an extra person added to many ambulance crews during and after the event. He credited the county's Director of Emergency Management, Joey Scott, and deputy Richard DeWitt for running the Emergency Operations Center, along with sheriff's deputies, police, and volunteer fire departments handling downed trees and other calls. He also singled out the county's 911 dispatchers: "No matter what the weather, they gotta be there and they're answering those phones 24/7."

Clearing the roads: volume, not bare pavement

The Judge-Executive set realistic expectations about what crews can accomplish on county roads. "We're about 80%" treated, he said, out of "about 570 miles, over 900 different roads. It's a lot to cover. It's a big, big county." Even after a truck passes, the road isn't cleared down to pavement. "The only way that could happen is multiple passes over hours, maybe days," he explained — passes the county doesn't have the resources to make on every road the way the state does on critical routes like Ring Road. "We try to remove volume," he said, urging drivers to expect material still on most county roads and to "take it very cautiously."

The ice made even that harder. "There's some significant chunks of ice that are like an inch thick," he said, describing how the scrapers hit those chunks and crews had to pull trucks back in to adjust them, slowing the work down.

Resources: salt and equipment

On supplies, the Judge-Executive said the county was fully staffed and its trucks were holding up, with mechanics on hand for repairs. The salt usage was the headline number. "We've used a massive amount of salt in this one event alone — I think last count was maybe 700 tons," he said. Road supervisor Dwight Morgan ordered another 700 tons to stay ahead of the storm, at roughly $110 to $120 a ton. "After he made that order, we're already 50% over our budget for the year for salt," the Judge-Executive said. "It's not cheap, but we've gotta do it." He added that the county was confident it would have enough, with the vendor already delivering more.

Closures and what residents should do

On closures, the Judge-Executive said only two county roads were closed — Miller Road and Upper Colesburg Road — both of which he noted can be dangerous even without snow and ice. A "road closed" sign on Stovall Road, he clarified, was due to unrelated construction work, not the storm. He could not speak to state or city road closures.

His guidance to residents centered on caution and prioritization. Drive slowly — he said he didn't exceed 30 miles per hour coming into the government building that morning — and avoid steep hills where possible. "If you have another route that you can go around those types of hills, I would take the other route, even if it's twice as far," he said, because "that ice creates some problems on inclines." He also reminded residents that clearing apartment-complex lots falls to property managers, not the city or county, and that anyone with a specific road concern can call the road department to flag it.

A practical tip he offered: a road with a number is a state road, not a county road — a distinction that's easy to get confused, even for him.

Looking ahead

If the storm extended or worsened, the plan was to take it day by day, maintain the trucks, and call in additional staff as needed, with Emergency Management monitoring the weather and the EOC ready to reconvene. He noted the county was fortunate that only one ambulance slid off the road during the event, with no damage and a quick recovery.

The Judge-Executive closed by crediting the wider community — neighbors helping neighbors, farmers clearing roads with grader blades on their tractors, and people checking on the elderly. He also recognized the county team, including Public Information Officer Brian Walker and Jailer Josh Lindblom. For up-to-date information as conditions change, residents were pointed to the official Hardin County government channels.