Severe Weather Preparedness Week under way in Ga.

Published 4:50 pm Monday, February 6, 2017

ATLANTA — Gov. Nathan Deal, in coordination with the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency and the National Weather Service, recently issued a proclamation calling on Georgians to educate themselves and understand the threats of severe weather during Severe Weather Preparedness Week (Feb. 6-10).

“Within the first month of 2017, much of the state was hit with tornadoes and severe storms,” said GEMA/HS Director Homer Bryson. “As a result, we saw the devastating effects severe weather can have on a community. With this in mind, we want Georgians to be aware of the risks associated with severe weather and provide them with information that will help our citizens be better equipped for the unexpected.”

Though tornadoes and severe thunderstorms can occur year round, the threat of high winds, hail and lightning from these storms greatly increases through spring. The state urges you to take advantage of Severe Weather Preparedness Week to review your own family’s emergency procedures and prepare for weather-related hazards.

• Monday, Feb. 6 – Family Preparedness/NOAA Weather Radio Day: Purchase a life-saving NOAA Weather Radio and choose an out-of-state friend as a “check-in” contact to call if your family gets separated.

• Tuesday, Feb. 7 – Thunderstorm Safety: Learn the difference between a thunderstorm watch and a thunderstorm warning.

• Wednesday, Feb. 8 – Tornado Safety (and PrepareAthon! drill for tornado safety at 9 a.m.): Determine in advance where you will take shelter in case of a tornado warning.

• Thursday, Feb. 9 – Lightning Safety: Learn the 30/30 rule. If after seeing lightning, you cannot count to 30 before hearing thunder, go indoors. Stay indoors for 30 minutes after hearing the last clap of thunder.

• Friday, Feb. 10 – Flood Safety: Copy important documents, seal them in a watertight container and add them to your Ready kit.

To help Georgians prepare for severe weather, GEMA/HS’s Ready Georgia campaign offers resources and information residents can use to be informed about potential threats, develop a communications plan and create an emergency supply kit. An interactive website at ready.ga.gov provides detailed information on Georgia-specific emergency preparedness and allows users to create a personal profile and receive a customized checklist and family communications plan. Employers can use the Ready Your Business guide to create custom contingency plans, and children can visit the ReadyKids page for age-appropriate information, videos and games. For preparedness and severe weather alerts on the go, families can also download Ready Georgia’s free mobile app.