Photo courtesy of Flickr user Javier Ruiz
This Thursday, April 14th, marks the start of an annual spring severe weather campaign to encourage the people of Wisconsin to be prepared for any possible tornados or other severe weather that comes with the season.
For the first time ever on Thursday, sconnies can expect multiple mock tornado warnings to occur throughout the day. ReadyWisconsin, an initiative of Wisconsin Emergency Management, hopes that this will give families and businesses a chance to test their emergency severe weather plans.
Severe weather is unpredictable and inevitable and can happen anytime, anywhere. Being prepared for such emergencies is vital to ensure yours and your family’s safety. Here’s how you can be prepared for when disaster strikes.
Have a plan. First and foremost, it is important to have a plan you discuss with your family, friends, or neighbors on what you will do in the event of an emergency. It is important to discuss how you will communicate, where you will go and how you will find each other.
Have a kit. Second, it is important that you have an emergency kit in both your home and vehicle. This kit should include basics such as water, food that does not need preparation, batteries, flashlight, first aid kit, medicines, money, etc. For a comprehensive list of supplies provided by ReadyWisconsin, click here.
Know who to call. In the event of an emergency, you may find yourself or a family member in need of extra help. Have a list of numbers on hand in your home, car, and tool kit that will put you in touch with medical professionals, local police, fire department, and the number for an emergency response hot line. For a list of Wisconsin county emergency response directors, click here and select your county.
Sign up for alerts. Stay ahead of any severe situation coming your way by signing up for Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA). Signing up for WEA alerts will forewarn you of potential dangerous conditions and will alert you when you are in an affected area by sending automatic messages directly to your cell phone. These messages include Tsunami warnings, hurricane/typhoon warnings, tornado warnings, flash flood warnings, and extreme wind/dust storm warnings. These messages will be delivered to users at no charge
