The time is now to prepare for the next storm

The weather this week offers a reminder of the importance of being prepared for extreme weather, says Spencer Hawkins, the director of the Macon-Bibb County Emergency Management Agency.

“You can see how the weather can change so quickly,” he said. “We had huge severe weather and tornadoes on Sunday, and Monday we (were) talking about snow. We need to be prepared and we need to be ready. When you are talking about the changes of weather, it can happen so very fast.”

People typically think more about storm preparedness in the aftermath of a storm, like the one Sunday that spawned a deadly tornado in Alabama, as well as a, tornado that damaged homes in Crawford County. In addition to signing up for phone alerts, Hawkins had a few other tips for storm preparedness.

The first, he said, is to have a plan. That includes identifying a spot in the center of home as a safe room to retreat to in the event of severe weather. Families should discuss what they are going to do.

Another key element is to have an emergency kit, ideally stored in the safe room. The EMA website has a list of everything that should be in the kit.

It includes flashlights for each member of the family, three days of food and water for each person and pets, and a battery powered cellphone charger, as well as other supplies.

Most of it can be bought at a dollar store, Hawkins said, but if people don’t want to spend the money on a whole kit at once, he urges them to start with something and build it up over time.

A key, Hawkins said, is to keep it all stored in a container and avoid using it unless there is an emergency. Otherwise, flashlights and other supplies can be scattered around the house and be tough to locate in an emergency, especially if the power goes out.

“You probably have 85 percent to 95 percent of what you need around your home,” Hawkins said. “It’s just about getting in all in a bag, in a box and in one place.”

Once the kit is formed, he said it’s important to keep it all maintained, such as swapping out expired cans of food and replacing batteries.

This story was originally published March 5, 2019 at 4:30 PM with the headline "The time is now to prepare for the next storm."