With the severe weather season closing in the Allen County Emergency Management is all about educating community members on being safe.
Storm Fury on the Plains is at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Bowlus Fine Arts Center.
The program, presented by the National Weather Service, will provide severe weather training and education for community members.
Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) team will also be at the program. They are local community members who are certified to respond to emergencies. Pam Beasley, emergency management director, said she trusts the CERT team whole-heartedly.
“I really want to stress, be prepared,” Beasley said. “Make sure you have an emergency kit in your house, car and your work if you can” — a rule Beasley said she lives by herself.
Though March is the official beginning of the severe weather season, in 2012 severe storms were spotted as early as February.
The peak month for severe storms is May and the stormy weather can last until as late as October.
“Kansas weather is weird,” she said. “As late as December we saw a really bad storm.”
Bad weather will always come. Being prepared and reacting appropriately will be the only difference between life and death, she said.
“You can never be too prepared. Follow a list provided by Ready.gov or FEMA.gov. Be sensible,” Beasley said.
There are lists on Ready.gov, FEMA.gov and weather.gov, that will help community members lay out a plan appropriate for them in an event of an emergency.
Plans for individual households and those with families exist.
Make sure children know what the plan is in case of emergencies.
Beasley said if you have a pet to make sure to have bottled water and a baggie of dog food in your kits.
People who are vulnerable in that need special assistance should register with United Way at www.211.org.
“This will tell us we need to come get you,” Beasley said. “If you don’t register, we don’t know.”
Each year emergency kits should be reevaluated. Some of the suggestions Ready.gov gives to maintain an emergency kits are to replace any canned foods that have become swollen and replace stored food and water supplies every six months.
For more information see Ready.gov, FEMA.gov and weather.gov.
‘Be prepared,’ good advice in bad weather
