Politics & Government

Severe Weather Awareness Week starts today

County and state officials want families to be prepared during weather emergencies.

It could take emergency workers up to 72 hours to reach your home during a severe winter storm, flood or tornado. If such an emergency occurred, could your family survive the wait? Does your household have everything it needs to sustain itself?

These are questions that a statewide emergency preparedness campaign want to help families answer during this year’s Severe Weather Awareness Week which runs today through Friday, Feb. 11. Today's focus is on family preparedness as part of the campaign's effort to encourage families to learn emergency preparedness and response procedures for severe weather events.

The Ready Georgia campaign was established by the Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA) – Office of Homeland Security and offers the tools needed to make an emergency supply kit, develop a communications plan and stay informed about potential threats. Tips include implementing an emergency plan by posting emergency telephone numbers in key places, inspecting your home for potential hazards, and educating family members about basic safety measures including learning CPR and first aid, and how to use a fire extinguisher.

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"Family preparedness is the focus on Monday, Feb. 7," DeKalb County Public Safety Director William Miller said in a prepared statement Monday. "Family Preparedness Day is a time for every family to plan and rehearse what they should do during the first 72-hours of any severe weather-related event or disaster.”

Ready Georgia's interactive web site, provides Georgia-specific emergency preparedness tools and ideas and allows the user to create a personal profile, according to the press release.

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Once the plan is developed, the campaign  emphasises the importance of asking questions to ensure that everyone in the household knows meeting places, phone numbers, and safety rules.

"With a little time and effort, families can prepare for severe weather hazards affecting our area. Developing a family disaster plan is the first step," Miller said.

For more information about severe weather preparedness, contact DEMA at 770-270-0413 or DEMA@dekalbcountyga.gov or visit www.gema.ga.gov, www.ready.ga.gov, or www.srh.noaa.gov/ffc/.


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