Planning is the key in preparing for the worst weather can bring. With the official arrival of spring coming next week, severe weather potential increases. The forecast for this weekend will see potentially dangerous severe storms across North Georgia.
SEE RELATED: Damaging winds, tornadoes possible Saturday night
Severe weather expected
Now Habersham’s weather reporter Tyler Penland forecasts “A severe weather outbreak is likely across the southeastern US on Saturday with the storms bringing the potential for damaging winds and tornadoes to North Georgia overnight Saturday night.”
Being informed
According to White County Assistant Public Safety Director Don Strength, being weather aware is the first step in being prepared for severe weather. “Remain weather aware, I can’t stress that enough,” he said. He advises people to know where your county is on the map and know where your house is located within the county so you can keep track of storms as they approach.
Strength said that the base line defense for being prepared for severe weather is having a NOAA weather radio. He explains that you can set the radio to receive weather alerts from the nearest National Weather Service (NWS) office to your location. For Northeast Georgia, that is the NWS office out of Greenville-Spartanburg, SC. He cautions to be prepared. “That thing will wake the dead at 2 a.m. in the morning,” he said.
The second thing that an individual should do is sign up for your local county’s and/or city’s mass information notification system. White and Habersham counties both utilize the CodeRed notification system.
The third thing he recommends is for an individual to download a good weather app on their phone. Strength said that most news broadcast television stations have an app that can be downloaded and send out weather alerts to keep people informed.
He reiterated the importance of people needing to be weather aware. “Most people who are injured and lose their life in severe weather, had no concept of what was happening around them,” Strength said.
Remaining safe
In his experience, he cautions those that live in a mobile home during severe weather events. “Most fatalities are in mobile homes during high wind and tornado events,” he said. ”It’s always a good idea to find a more substantial structure to be in during severe weather versus a mobile home.”
Over the course of his life, he has lived in a mobile home. However, they are not as structurally sound as a “brick and mortar” structure during high winds or tornadoes.
He explained that the safest place to be is on the lowest floor. “Being in the center of the lowest floor of your home or workplace when a warning is issued.”
Strength advises people to know the difference between a watch and a warning. According to him, a watch means “look out, it is possible.” A warning means “it’s happening.”
He also cautions people to never rely on outdoor sirens as a means of notification. “Never, ever, ever, ever rely on outdoor warning sirens for your only means of notification when a warning is issued.”
Strength explained that they are designed to warn people that are outdoors such as in their yard or on a ballfield. They are not designed to wake you in the middle of the night inside your home when pouring rain is hitting your roof.
He said that outdoor sirens serve their purpose but “it is not intended in any shape, form, or fashion for indoor warning.”
Have a plan
Strength recommends that families need to develop a plan of what to do during a severe weather event. Discuss with family members where the safe place is in the home, which is in the center of the lowest level, preferably a basement.
Once in the safe place, have available items that can protect you from debris. Having a helmet of some type is ideal to protect your head but it is not something that everyone has. Strength recommends having blankets, pillows, and cushions available in the safe place for protection.
He recommends that when you evacuate to the safe place to be fully clothed and wear hard sole shoes.
Strength also recommends having a whistle or marine air horn in your safe place. In the event your home is hit with high winds or by a tornado, you can alert first responders to your location.
Again, he stresses the importance of being weather aware as severe storms are forecasted for your area and have a plan that is shared with family members.
