Many Cook County residents may feel like they spent the first two months of the year preparing for severe weather. Yet, we’re officially kicking off National Severe Weather Preparedness Week, Mar. 2 – 8.
We have heard the mantra many times this winter: being prepared to act quickly in an emergency could save your life. Residents have heeded the warnings and prepared for the onslaught of snow and ice that made travel dangerous and also damaged cars and homes. I realize we have experienced a series of snowstorms, but as preparedness week kicks off, it is time to start talking about spring storms.
As temperatures rise, we head into a new season for severe weather. Cook County residents are no strangers to the thunderstorms and tornadoes that often accompany spring. And just last November, our state was hit by a series of powerful storms producing damaging tornadoes. We were not alone – seven Midwestern states recorded a total of 74 tornadoes that day, making Nov. 17 the most active tornado day of 2013.
Find out what's happening in Palatinewith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Here is what you can do to prepare:
Know Your Risk: Keep up with local news and weather reports to know when severe weather is forecasted for our community. That way you will not be caught off guard.
Find out what's happening in Palatinewith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Take Action: Take the next step in severe weather preparedness by creating a family communications plan, putting an emergency kit together, keeping important papers and valuables in a safe place and learning about Wireless Emergency Alerts.
Be an Example: Once you have taken action to prepare for severe weather, share your story with family and friends on Facebook or Twitter. Your preparedness story will inspire others to do the same.
National Severe Weather Preparedness Week is sponsored by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Visit www.ready.gov/severe-weather or the Spanish language website www.listo.gov for more information.
Michael Masters is the executive director of the Cook County Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (DHSEM). Under the leadership of Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, DHSEM integrates first responders, their departments and resources from 134 Cook County municipalities, and serves as the central agency in Cook County for coordinating efforts to prevent, protect against, mitigate the effects of, respond to, and recover from all incidents, whether man-made or natural. For more information, visit our website at www.cookcountyhomelandsecurity.org.
