Severe Weather Awareness Week

Know Your Risk,  Take Action,  Be a Force of Nature

This week is Severe Weather Awareness Week and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) are teaming up to prepare the public and help save lives from severe weather.

In August 2011, Chester County experienced the devestating storms, Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee.  These two storms rocked communities due to the widespread flooding.  Also, our community experienced the impact of the multi-state earthquake.  The earthquake reminded everyone that severe weather is unpredictable and that we must plan for every type of weather event.

"Severe weather can happen at any time and often with little or no notice. " said FEMA Regional Administrator Mary Ann Tierney.  "We can't control where and when severe weather will hit but we can control how prepared we are as individuals and communities." 

To "be a force of nature" FEMA and NOAA encourage citizens to prepare:

Know Your Risk:  understand the type of weather that can affect where you live and work, and how the weather can impact you and your family.  Sign up for alerts from Emergency Management Officials by going to http://www.readynotifypa.org/ 

Take Action:  develop an emergency plan with your family based on your local weather hazards.  Practice your plan, including how to shelter-in-place.  Create or refresh you emergency kit for food, water and medicine.  Get a NOAA Weather Radio so you can receive severe weather alerts in your area.  Understand the difference between the weather warnings and watches.  For more information on shelter-in-place go to http://emergency.cdc.gov/preparedness/shelter/

Be a Force of Nature:  once you have taken action, tell you family, friends and co-workers how they can prepare.  Share the resources and alert systems that you have discovered with your social media network of friends.  When you do shelter-in-place during an emergency, send a text, tweet or post a status update so that your friends and family know.  You might save their lives too.

For more information on Severe Weather Awareness Week and how you can be prepared - go to www.ready.gov/severeweather

Note:  information provided in this blog posting came from a FEMA press release that was released on April 23, 2012.