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It’s getting a lot colder in Northeast Georgia as we move further into the winter months.
Winter Weather Preparedness in Georgia is Dec. 4-8 and it’s important for citizens to stay informed on weather conditions in the area.
The Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency, in partnership with the National Weather Service, is preparing for Winter Weather Preparedness Week. Rabun County also is preparing for the week.
Rabun County EMA Director Brian Panell encourages anybody who has not signed up for CodeRed to sign up to receive pertinent information from the county in the event of an emergency and also special weather statements when released from the National Weather Service (NWS).
Winter Weather Preparedness Week is designed to raise awareness of winter weather hazards and reinforce understanding of winter weather terminology, according to a news release from the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency.
“I would encourage everyone to have an emergency preparedness plan, learn the differences between watches/warnings/advisories and know what to do before an emergency occurs,” Panell said.
Panell said a good resource and tool is the National Weather Service (NWS) website of https://www.weather.gov/gsp/. It is filled with different weather related topics, forecasts, radar and special weather information/conditions when issued by the NWS.
“Always have means of receiving emergency weather information via cellular device or NOAA weather radio,” Panell said. “We also always suggest for each family to have a ready kit that best suits them. Everyone is different — what works in your kit might not work for your neighbor or other family members.”
During the week, Georgians are encouraged to learn about winter weather threats, review or create a family communications plan and consider what items are best for their Ready Kits in preparation for the potential inclement weather this winter, according to the news release.
“At a minimum your kit should include non perishable food, drinking water, your medications, blankets, flashlight with extra batteries and means of charging your communications device. If you have pets also include food for them too,” Panell said.
He said it’s also important to have a mobile ready kit in your vehicle.
Motorists should exercise extreme caution if traveling in inclement weather.
“Please use extreme caution if you must travel in inclement winter weather conditions, be vigilant to your surroundings and changing weather conditions,” Panell said. “If traveling alone in inclement weather, make someone aware of your travel plans and an approximate time you should arrive.”
“Now is the ideal time to start thinking and preparing for any emergency this upcoming season due to the winter months in Georgia being so unpredictable,” said GEMA/HS Director Chris Stallings in the news release. “In previous years, we’ve seen extreme cold, snow, ice and freezing rain, which is why we encourage everyone to use WWPW to prepare and educate themselves on how to respond before, during and after winter weather occurs.”
GEMA/HS will distribute winter weather preparedness information via social media channels and provide toolkits to local emergency management directors for sharing this information in their counties all week long during the WWPW campaign, according to the news release.
Each day of the campaign will address the following topics:
-Monday, Dec. 4: Winter Weather in Georgia – learn about winter weather hazards that can impact the state of Georgia.
-Tuesday, Dec. 5: Winter Weather Terminology – learn about winter weather “alerts” (watches, warnings and advisories) and what they mean.
-Wednesday, Dec. 6: Winter Weather Preparation Tips – learn how to best prepare for winter weather events, and put together a Ready Kit while making a plan before winter weather strikes.
-Thursday, Dec. 7: Winter Weather Driving Tips/Safety -- learn “best practices” for driving (if necessary) in winter weather conditions and how to pack a mobile Ready Kit.
-Friday, Dec. 8: Winter Weather Outlook for 2023-24 season -- resources for learning where and how to stay informed of weather forecasts.
Helpful resources
To sign up for Rabun County CodeRed alerts, visit https://public.coderedweb.com/CNE/en-US/BFBC1D587AD2
Rabun Countians can also find resources at https://rabuncounty.ga.gov/ema.
The mission of the Rabun County Emergency Management Agency is to provide mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery to emergencies. Its mission is to protect life and property in the event of a natural or man-made disaster in Rabun County.
Georgians can also visit https://gema.georgia.gov/plan-prepare/ready-georgia for more information and helpful resources.