April 21-25th is Severe Weather Awareness Week. This year’s focus for Severe Weather Awareness Week is a simple but important concept: “What if…?” This question can apply to almost any emergency situation but thinking through the answer now could be a life saver later. Being informed about the threats and having a plan to deal with them can often be the most important protection anyone can have. For example: What if…?
- A tornado warning is sounded while kids are playing ball at the park. Does the park staff or coaches have clear plans to Shelter everyone quickly?
- Storms have damaged your EOC building and power (including cellphone service) is out. What are your plans to communicate with your communities?
- Your staff returns to a damaged home or neighborhood after work. What should they do or not do?
- Flooding impacts a local senior living facility. What are the plans to inform families and evacuate if necessary?
Making sure everyone clearly understands the potential threats and knowing what to do in an emergency can save lives and minimize suffering. Please, take advantage of Severe Weather Awareness Week to make yourself aware of the most common weather-related threats and how to prepare now to minimize them. The week of April 21-25 is a great time to make and practice your emergency plan and build an emergency kit.
Two of the most important events during Severe Weather Awareness Week are the annual statewide tornado drills. These drills are scheduled for Thursday, April 24, 2014 at 1:45 p.m. and 6:55 p.m. Outdoor warning sirens and NOAA Weather Radios will sound in a simulated tornado warning. The first drill is intended for institutions and businesses. The evening drill is intended for second shift workers and families.
If you are interested in some ideas on how you, your family, business, or your community can participate in Severe Weather Awareness Week, check out some of the ideas on this list.
Educators, leaders or communicators may want to use this Severe Weather Awareness Week PowerPoint Presentation to help deliver this information.
ALERTS AND WARNINGS
We are fortunate to live in an age and country where our technology can now communicate with us almost anywhere and give us advanced warnings of impending hazards or other important information.
Knowing where and how you can receive the warnings and what to do when you get them can mean the difference between life and death.
The information on these pages is designed to provide some background on how citizens, business and communities can be sure they receive critical warnings, what they mean and how to react.
HAVE YOU SIGNED UP FOR CODE RED?
The best way to be notified when actions are required to protect your safety due to weather, a natural disaster, or man-made incident in the CIty of Moorhead is to sign up for CodeRed. You can choose which alerts to sign up for and be notified whether at home or away.
Check out our Code Red Page for more information or to sign up for the service.
RECEIVING TOO MANY ALERTS?
Login to Code Red and uncheck some of the alerts you have signed up for.
Keep in mind that many other weather aps send out their own notifications in addition to those published by Code Red. Also be aware that under recent federal regulations, your cell phone carrier can also send out alerts to your phone during emergencies. You also have options with these alerts. Check with your cell phone provider for your available options.
