If you hear the sirens on Wednesday, don’t panic, it’s only a drill.
Emergency Management Agencies across Georgia will sound their outdoor warning sirens on Feb. 6 at 9 a.m. as part of a statewide tornado drill. The drill is being held in conjunction with Severe Weather Preparedness Week.
“Our tornado sirens will be activated for a warning period just to make sure we have everything in place ready for those potential weather threats that usually come in the spring,” White County Emergency Management Agency Director David Murphy tells WRWH news.
The National Weather Service will also issue a Routine Weekly Test on NOAA Weather Radio.
Preparing now could save your life later
Throughout this week, the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency (GEMA/HS) encourages Georgians to take steps to protect lives and property in the event of severe weather.
- Monday, Feb. 4 – Family Preparedness/NOAA Weather Radio Day: Purchase a life-saving NOAA Weather Radio and choose an out-of-state friend as a “check-in” contact to call if your family gets separated.
- Tuesday, Feb. 5 – Thunderstorm Safety: Learn the difference between severe weather “Watches” and “Warnings”.
- Wednesday, Feb. 6 – Tornado Safety (and PrepareAthon! drill for tornado safety at 9 a.m.): Determine in advance where you will take shelter in case of a tornado warning.
- Thursday, Feb. 7 – Lightning Safety: Learn the 30/30 rule. If after seeing lightning, you cannot count to 30 before hearing thunder, go indoors. Stay indoors for 30 minutes after hearing the last clap of thunder.
- Friday, Feb. 8 – Flood Safety: Copy important documents, seal them in a watertight container and add them to your Ready kit.
“This state has an unpredictable history when comes to severe weather,” says GEMA/HS Director Homer Bryson. “Whether it’s hurricanes, tornadoes or severe thunderstorms, Georgians need to be sure of one thing … that they’re prepared for any disaster. During Severe Weather Preparedness Week, we’re dedicated to educating our citizens on how to better prepare for sudden weather events.”
