National Severe Weather Preparedness Week
Know your
risk, take action and be an example
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[April 23, 2012]
CHICAGO -- Sunday was the start of the
first National Severe Weather Preparedness Week. The National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the U.S. Department of
Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency are
partnering to help save lives from severe weather by delivering an
important message to the public: Know your risk, take action and be
a "Force of Nature" by taking proactive preparedness measures and
inspiring others to do the same.
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To "be a Force of Nature," NOAA and FEMA encourage citizens to
prepare for extreme weather by following these guidelines:
The first step to becoming weather-ready is
to understand the type of hazardous weather that can affect where
you live and work, and how the weather could affect you and your
family. Check the weather forecasts regularly and sign up for alerts
from your local emergency management officials. Severe weather comes
in many forms, and your shelter plan should include all types of
local hazards.
Take action: Pledge to develop an emergency plan based on
your local weather hazards, and practice how and where to take
shelter before a severe weather event. Create or refresh an
emergency kit for needed food, supplies and medication. Post your
plan in your home in a place where family and visitors can see it.
Learn community evacuation routes. Obtain a NOAA Weather Radio.
Download FEMA's mobile app so you can access important safety tips
on what to do before and during severe weather. Understand the
weather warning system and become a certified storm spotter through
the National Weather Service.
Be a "Force of Nature": Once you have taken action, tell your
family, friends, school staff and co-workers about how they can
prepare. Use your social media network to share the resources and
alert systems you have discovered. Studies show that individuals
need to receive messages a number of ways before acting -- be one of
those sources. When you go to shelter after a warning, text, tweet
or update your status so your friends and family will know. You
might just save their lives, too. For more information on how you
can participate, visit
www.ready.gov/severe-weather.
Join the conversation: Using #imaforce and #imprepared, add
your story to Twitter, Facebook, the FEMA blog and YouTube. Every
photo, video and story helps to inspire those around you to take
action and prepare.
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Public service announcements (video):
National Severe Weather Week Video:
http://www.fema.gov/medialibrary/
media_records/8206
FEMA Region V administrator calls upon everyone across the region to
be a "Force of Nature" in their communities.
Community Weather Alerts Video:
www.fema.gov/medialibrary/media_records/8246
FEMA Region V administrator calls upon everyone to understand
alerts and warnings in their communities.
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About NOAA:
NOAA's mission is to understand and predict changes in the
Earth's environment, from the depths of the ocean to the surface of
the sun, and to conserve and manage coastal and marine resources.
Join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter and NOAA’s other social
media channels.
About FEMA:
FEMA's mission is to support citizens and first responders to
ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain and
improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to,
recover from and mitigate all hazards. Take the pledge and learn
more information at www.ready.gov/severe-weather -- and encourage
the rest of your community to join.
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Online:
Weather-Ready Nation:
http://www.nws.noaa.gov/com/weatherreadynation/
Ready.gov -- Severe Weather:
http://www.ready.gov/severe-weather/
[Text from file received from
FEMA, Region V, U.S.
Department of Homeland Security] |