Severe Weather Awareness Week is March 3 – 7. This week we’ll examine a different topic each day.
Preparedness is the topic for Monday. Are you prepared for this storm season? Here are some key points to remember heading into the spring storm season.
• Be weather aware. Know what conditions are expected for the day. Get your forecast from a reliable source such as the National Weather Service or local media. Don’t rely on those apps to provide an accurate picture of the day.
• Sign up for notifications, you can sign up for notifications from local media. In Reno County you can sign up for Everbridge. You can sign up for notifications at this link.
• Have a family plan. Have a plan that includes an emergency meeting place and related information. If you live in a mobile home or home without a basement, identify a nearby safe building you can get too quickly, such as a church or family member.
• Determine your safe room. If you have a basement, find a room there that you can go to if severe weather strikes. If you don’t have a basement, put as many walls between you and the outdoors as possible. Think of a small room with no windows on the lowest floor of your home.
• Have a plan and practice it. Meet with your family and make a plan. Determine that “safe place” in your home and make sure that everyone knows where it is.
• Have an emergency kit. Your kit should contain a wireless radio, flashlight, and at least three days of water for each person in your home. That's one gallon per person per day. You’ll also need any medicines, important documents, and food. Remember you may not have power following the storm so have foods that don’t need to be heated or kept cold.