LAFOLLETTE, TN (WLAF) – Campbell County Emergency Management Agency (EMA) Director Jay Muncy reminds us that this is Tennessee’s Severe Weather Awareness Week (Feb. 23 to Feb. 29, 2020).  The week is to promote preparedness to Campbell Countians and Tennesseeans.

Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) Director Patrick Sheehan said, “Preparedness is critical to helping Tennesseans be resilient when faced with disaster or in its aftermath.”  Sheehan goes on to say that “Resiliency means understanding hazards and threats, like severe weather, making sure you have multiple ways to receive disaster warnings and information, and having an emergency plan and supplies so you can keep yourself and your loved ones safe before and after an emergency.”

Campbell County’s local National Weather Service office at Morristown, along with other Tennessee NWS offices, is planning a series of education and training events, using each day of Severe Weather Awareness Week to focus on a different severe weather threat. Information on the NWS activities is available HERE.

Some basic weather advice includes:

  • Never venture into high water, either on foot or in a vehicle.
  • If you’re outside and hear thunder, go indoors immediately.
  • Go to a basement or an innermost, first floor room in your home if you’re told to take shelter during a tornado warning.
  • Know the location of and route to your office or building’s tornado shelter.
  • Never try to outrun a tornado.
  • Have an emergency plan ready at places where your family spends time – work, school, daycare, commuting and outdoor events.
  • Emergency plans should include where to meet, and who family members should check in with, f you are separated from family members during a severe weather emergency.

TEMA’s ReadyTN mobile application, available for Apple and Android devices, provides emergency preparedness, response and recovery information.  A complete list of ReadyTN’s features, as well as direct links to download, is available on TEMA’s website HERE.

At a minimum, emergency preparedness kits should include one gallon of water per-day, per-person, and per-pet, for three to five days.  The kit should also have enough non-perishable food for each family member, and pets, for three to five days.

Other items for an emergency kits include:  flashlight, battery-powered radio, extra batteries, first aid kit, personal hygiene items, cell phone charger or solar charger, copies of important family documents, and extra supplies of medications, especially for those with chronic health conditions.

TEMA’s mission is to coordinate preparedness, response and recovery from man-made, natural and technological hazards in a professional and efficient manner in concert with our stakeholders.  You can follow TEMA on Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter.  Online, connect to TEMA HERE.  (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED – 02/25/2020-6AM)

 

 

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