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Severe Weather Awareness Week is a time when Georgians should practice emergency preparedness and response procedures for all types of severe weather events that could occur, and residents can learn more about those threats throughout the week.

The week’s activities will kick off with Family Preparedness Day on Feb. 1, when all Georgia households are encouraged to get a NOAA Weather Radio and program it for their county. On Wednesday, when tornado safety is emphasized, a statewide tornado drill will be issued by NWS. Severe Weather Awareness Week’s specific observations are:

Monday, Feb. 1 - Family Preparedness and NOAA Weather Radio
Tuesday, Feb. 2 - Thunderstorm Safety
Wednesday, Feb. 3 - Tornado Safety and Statewide Tornado Drill (issued by NWS)
Thursday, Feb. 4 - Lightning Safety
Friday, Feb. 5 - Flood Safety (alternate drill date)

To help Georgians prepare for severe weather, GEMA’s Ready Georgia - a statewide emergency preparedness campaign - offers tools that residents can use to create an emergency supply kit, develop a communications plan and stay informed about potential threats. Ready Georgia’s interactive Web site, 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.

“Georgians who take the time to educate themselves on possible threats are twice as likely to be prepared than others,” continued English. “In the event of severe weather, you can be your own first responder if you’ve taken simple steps to prepare, plan and get informed.”

During winter storms, floods, tornadoes or hurricanes, it could take emergency workers 72 hours or more to reach certain areas in order to open roadways and restore utilities. The benefit of being self-sufficient for three days, or longer is that residents can survive circumstances that might otherwise be tragic. GEMA offers this information from its Ready Georgia campaign:

Prepare for Severe Weather:
Make your own Ready kit of emergency supplies. Most of the items are inexpensive and easy to find, and any one of them could save your life.

• Water: at least three gallons per person for drinking and sanitation
• Food: at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food
• Manual can opener if kit contains canned food
• Battery-powered or hand crank NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert and extra batteries
• Flashlight and extra batteries
• First aid kit
• Whistle to signal for help
• Face mask to help filter contaminated air and plastic sheeting and duct tape to shelter in place
• Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties for personal sanitation
• Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities
• Local maps
• Specific items for children, family members’ special needs or pets
• Cash or travelers checks
• Important documents in a waterproof container
• Blankets and warm clothes

Plan for Severe Weather:

• Be sure every family member knows important phone numbers for schools, offices, home and emergency services.
• Identify an out-of town contact. It might be easier to make a long-distance phone call than to call in town, so an out-of-town contact is in a better position to communicate among separated family members.
• Identify a meeting place near your home where family members can meet if separated during severe weather.
• Identify a meeting place away from your home where family members can meet if your neighborhood in not accessible.
• Map out evacuation routes in case you are ordered to evacuate, and always keep at least a fourth of a tank of gas in your car.
• Know your insurance policies and whether your home is in a flood zone.

Stay Informed about Severe Weather:

• Find out what type of disasters could occur and how you should respond.
• Learn your community’s warning signals and evacuation plans.
• Familiarize yourself with the terms that are used to identify severe weather, such as advisories, watches and warnings.
• Monitor NOAA Weather Radio, commercial radio, television and the Internet to stay informed of severe weather conditions.

For more information, contact your local EMA, call GEMA at 1-800-TRY-GEMA, or visit these Web sites: www.gema.ga.gov, www.srh.noaa.gov/ffc, www.redcross.org.

Dogs and cats end up in shelters for many reasons, death of an owner, divorce, financial reasons, etc. Shelter animals are some of the most devoted and grateful animals in the world. Please remember our four legged friends at the Lumpkin County Animal Shelter this holiday season. They are in need of new homes but while they temporarily live at the shelter, they need dry and canned food (both dog and cat), cat litter and bedding to sleep on. Monetary gifts are always welcome and EVERY donation is greatly appreciated.

Donations can be mailed or delivered in person to 1363 Red Oaks Flats Road, Dahlonega, GA  30533.  Please make checks payable to “Lumpkin County Animal Shelter” or “PAWS”.