Severe Weather Awareness Week kicked off yesterday in Georgia, just one month before the springtime tornado season hits. Gov. Nathan Deal, GEMA and the National Weather Service asked families in Georgia to get ready and prepare for possible natural disasters. The entire week is devoted to making Georgians prepared should a weather emergency strike. Severe Weather Awareness Week is especially important and timely, as the tornado prone spring season is right around the corner.
The most important things a family can do to prepare for severe weather are:
- Create a family plan
- Get a kit together
- Purchase and program a NOAA weather radio
A NOAA weather radio will sound loudly when a weather watch or warning is issued in your area. It can be lifesaving when trackers or radar spot a tornado in the middle of the night when everyone is sleeping. Once it sounds, your family will have enough time to take cover in a safe area.
To help families get prepared and stay informed, GEMA has posted useful tools on its website. By logging on, you can easily and quickly create a personal profile for early responders that includes basic family member data (medical instructions, disabilities, pets) and contact information (work, school, emergency contacts, meeting place). After you create your plan, a custom checklist will be generated with recommended amounts of food and water that your family will need to survive for 72 hours, plus a personal emergency communication plan with specific meeting places.
For preparedness on the go, families in Georgia can download Ready Georgia’s free mobile app to learn how to prepare for emergencies, create family communication plans, receive weather alerts, and more.
Local news stations began broadcasting severe weather preparedness PSA’s yesterday. TV station WXIA aired a report with the following severe weather tips for families:
- Make your kit: Be sure to include enough food and water for each family member for 72 hours. Include blankets, flashlights and extra batteries in your kit. Place it in your safe room.
- Make a plan: Be sure that all family members are well aware of your family’s emergency plan, including designated meeting places.
- Be informed: A NOAA weather radio is the best thing families can buy to stay informed of approaching and potentially dangerous storms. Weather.com for iPod and iPad is also a handy app for busy families on the go. When a watch is issued, stay tuned for potential warnings. When a warning is issued, go into your home’s safe room (underground or an interior space with no windows) until the warning is lifted.
This week's severe weather observations in Georgia are as follows:
- Monday, February 6th - Family preparedness and NOAA weather radio
- Tuesday, February 7th - Thunderstorm safety
- Wednesday, February 8th - Tornado safety and statewide tornado drill (issued by NWS)
- Thursday, February 9th - Lightning safety
- Friday, February 10th - Flood safety
Georgia has experienced a wide array of weather emergencies, including an historic 100-year flood in 2009, a massive and crippling snowstorm in January 2011, and a deadly tornado outbreak in April of 2011.
Make sure your family is ready for any type of severe weather. Think like a Boy Scout and be prepared.
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