The National Weather Service says most of Indiana, including Jackson County, is forecast to get hit with a wintry mix beginning this evening and continuing through late Thursday night.

Travel could be very difficult, and the hazardous conditions could impact the morning or evening commute.

There remains some uncertainty on the path of the storm, which could impact precipitation types and amounts.

Duane Davis, director of the Jackson County Emergency Management Agency, said there are a lot of things a person can do to get ready.

“Snow can be handled pretty well by our crew, but what gets to be a challenge is the accumulation of ice that could be coming in,” Davis said. “It’s possible we could get around one-half inch of ice, and ice is very difficult to deal with.”

He suggested anyone who has a nonurgent appointment over the next couple of days might consider calling to reschedule it and try to stay indoors.

Think about what you might need if you were going to be stuck inside for a couple of days, and that typically would be food, water and medications for yourself and your animals, Davis said.

“Try to do what it takes to be able to stay inside during this time, and it looks like the biggest concern will be ice. When ice is on tree limbs and power lines, there is always the potential to lose electricity,” he said. “You need to have ways to keep warm in your house and be cautious of using gas-powered devices in your home because they can create fire hazards and possibly carbon monoxide, which could create its own hazard.”

If the power goes off, freezers are usually good for 24 hours when the freezer door is kept closed, he said.

Duke Energy said if customers lose power, they can text OUT to 57801, report online at duke-energy.com/outages or through the mobile app or call 800-521-2232. The utility has called in 300 additional response workers from out-of-state utilities, including linemen, damage assessors and vegetation crews, to supplement local crews and speed restoration.

For those living on a farm, Davis said to make sure animals have water and food and are able to get out of the weather. Also, he said to take care of the needs of indoor pets, and remember to check on relatives and neighbors, especially if they are elderly.

For those who must go out and the roads are slick, Davis said call and tell someone you are leaving your house, where you’re going, the route you’ll be taking and when you expect to arrive and then check back with that person.

“If someone else knows you’re traveling and doesn’t hear back from you, they will at least know the route you’re taking in case you need help,” he said. “If you do get stuck somewhere, stay in your car until help comes because some people might try to get out and walk and could fall on the ice.”

Davis said if road conditions are icy and someone needs medical assistance or help from law enforcement, it’s going to take emergency services a little longer to get there because they’ll need to drive slower and drive around traffic.

“Another thing people can do is check weather information through the National Weather Service,” he said. “That’s where we get our information that we post on the EMA Jackson County Facebook page.”

Jackson County Highway Superintendent Jerry Ault said while he is monitoring how the weather is changing, his department is preparing for Thursday’s storm.

“I told the guys this morning we’ll probably come in at around 4 a.m. (Thursday) because the heavy rain is supposed to stop at 4 a.m.,” he said. “Then there’s going to be a slight little window before there’s freezing rain.”

County highway trucks are pretreating hills and bridges before Thursday so vehicles will have traction in those spots.

In February 2021, a snowstorm had county highway truck drivers in long lines to be able to bring more salt to Jackson County’s 770-plus miles of road.

Ault ordered more salt after taking care of the county’s roads last year to make sure he has enough to get through this winter. The county highway garage is currently holding 650 tons of salt, which Ault said would be plenty, and an order has been put in for 300 more tons.

Rick Phillips, supervisor for the Seymour Department of Public Works, said the city has five dump trucks and two pickups ready to go and about 100 tons of salt, and they are trying to make sure everything’s in working order.

“With ice, salt only works to a certain degree, so we’ve just got to kind of baby it and try to get the roads cleaned off as quick as we can to get it slushed up and pushed off,” he said. “Also, please don’t park on the road unless you absolutely have to.”

The Indiana Department of Transportation was at a full call with nearly 1,000 trucks treating and plowing highways across the state Tuesday night and into this morning. Trucks will remain out in full force for the duration of the winter storm and afterward to continue cleanup efforts.

According to weather.gov/safety/winter-before, it’s a good idea to have an emergency supply kit for your car that includes the following items: Cellphone and charger, first aid kit, jumper cables, tire chains or snow tires, flares, full tank of gas, bag of sand or kitty litter, snow shovel, ice scraper, snowbrush, tow rope, blankets, boots, gloves and warm clothes, flashlights and batteries, drinking water and snacks.

The American Heart Association encourages Hoosiers to protect their hearts while shoveling snow and to seek immediate treatment if they experience any signs or symptoms of a heart attack.

Tim Harms, senior director of communications for the AHA, offered a few suggestions to help make snow removal safer: Take frequent rest breaks during shoveling so you don’t overstress your heart, pay attention to how your body feels during those breaks and don’t eat a heavy meal prior or soon after shoveling. Eating a large meal can put an extra load on your heart.

Use a small shovel or consider a snow thrower as the act of lifting heavy snow can raise blood pressure acutely during the lift. It is safer to lift smaller amounts more times than to lug a few huge shovelfuls of snow. When possible, simply push the snow, Harms said.

“Shoveling snow can be a very vigorous activity, and you’re basically doing it ‘in a freezer,’” said Dr. William Gill, a cardiologist who is immediate past president of the AHA board of directors in Indianapolis. “Those conditions can very quickly lead to stress on the heart.”

Gill said he can’t stress enough the urgency of getting proper treatment for a heart attack.

“Don’t die of doubt, whether that is doubting your symptoms could be a heart attack or whether you have doubts about going to the hospital during the COVID pandemic,” He said. “Hospitals are safe and offer life-saving treatment.”

Tribune reporter Mitchell Banks contributed to this story.