Whitfield County encourages you to plan for emergencies

DALTON, Georgia (WDEF) – Whitfield County Emergency Management urges residents to have a kit prepared in case of a weather disaster.

This is Severe Weather Preparedness Week, and the Whitfield E-M-A will be in schools and various businesses, stressing the importance of planning in advance for families.

News 12’s Ashley Henderson has the story.

During the legendary Blizzard of ’93, which struck the tri-state area…..some residents were without power for a full month!

During the tornado outbreak of 2011, many were stranded and without power for several days.
Not having a plan for your family could be a big mistake.

CLAUDE CRAIG EMERGENCY SERVICES DIRECTOR WHITFIED CO.
“Our big thing is to have a plan, dating back to twenty-eleven, when we had the very unfortunate tornadoes in Ringgold, there was people that, got separated from their family, and it took us for a long time to get everybody back together to where they were.

With a widespread outage from a weather disaster, emergency personnel are spread thin, and resources are finite. Families also need to have an emergency kit.

“In your plan you need to have what we call a “to go” kit, and that is enough to sustain you for three days, seventy-two hours, on your own. Because, in the event we have a major, weather related something, it could be an earthquake, it could be a tornado it could be something of that nature, it may be seventy-two hours before we as first responders can get to you.”

Families are asked to spend a few minutes each day this week, learning about various aspects of how to handle each type of weather emergency. Today, families are encouraged to put new batteries in their NOAA Weather Radios, and make sure they are working.

CRAIG:
“We have partnered with the Georgia Emergency Management Agency, and they have produced the app for your phone, it’s Ready Georgia.”

Tomorrow..the focus is on thunderstorm safety.
In Whitfield County, Ashley Henderson, News 12 Now.