The Dallas County EMA scored another victory when 24,000 bags of ice came in on four trucks yesterday at 6 a.m.

“After trying to get this in the last four or five days, begging for it, we finally got it,” EMA Director Brett Howard said. “I just hope it ain’t too little too late.”

From 8 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. yesterday, the EMA, firefighters, police and the Salvation Army has distributed four bags of ice to each family that wanted it at two different staging areas: the Food World parking lot and the Dallas County Softball Complex.

The truckloads of ice are the first outside help the Dallas County EMA has received since Ivan hit Selma Thursday.

“Until this ice got here we ain’t had no outside help,” Howard said. “I think that (in) Dallas County, everybody has done an excellent job.

We held our own.”

Howard has tried since Thursday to get ice into Dallas County.

Cosby Ice, a local ice producer, got power earlier this week, but couldn’t begin production until sometime Friday. Even with the ice plant running at full capacity, Cosby can only produce about 1,500 bags a day, which only lasts about an hour and a half.

Howard hopes the shipment from the state and FEMA officials will help Cosby catch up.

Still, the production has helped, since law enforcement, firefighters, road crews and others have been working around the clock. Despite the cooler temperatures – the high was in the 80s yesterday – they’ve all needed ice to prevent dehydration and to help keep their own food as safe as possible.

“They got ice,” Howard said. “I made sure they got it first. Everybody that was out working during the storm they got the ice first.”

The ice will probably be used to help preserve food, as many residents of Dallas County are without power.

Howard and Probate Judge John Jones have tried every means available to get ice into the County. It wasn’t until both of them called the governor’s office that the trucks were finally brought into town.

“Johnny Jones and I both talked to the governor’s Chief of staff yesterday and we got ice in here today,” Howard said.

Howard was visibly pleased with the shipment of ice and said he hopes to have at least one more truckload – 6,000 bags – available tomorrow.

“There’s people coming here trying to get double ice and stuff like that, that’s disappointing,” Howard said. “We’re trying to give it to you (the public) don’t do this junk.”

Anyone who needs ice in the next few days can call the Dallas County EMA and find out when it arrives. Ice is available throughout the county and the EMA is trying to get it out to wherever its needed. Volunteers are pitching in whenever possible to transport the ice.

“Help like that is indispensable,” Howard said. Police officers and Rescue Squad is taking ice out. If you can’t get here let us know and we’ll try to get you some ice.”

Howard sent out 2000 bags of ice to Plantersville first thing, as residents there lost water because of a broken water main.

He said water should be restored before the end of the day.

The Dallas County EMA can be reached at 874-2515.