Do at least one thing to prepare
BY SEPTEMBER MURPHY
LINCOLN COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT DIRECTOR
April 4-8, 2022 is Tornado and Severe Weather Awareness Week in Wisconsin. Lincoln County Emergency Management is encouraging every resident to take time during the severe weather awareness week to do at least one thing to prepare yourself or family.
Recommendations to prepare for disasters can seem overwhelming with the price hikes with the economy and our busy schedules. But here are a few practical ideas to help prepare:
∙ Replace batteries in your flashlights.
∙ Keep an old pair of shoes where you seek shelter from a tornado in your home.
∙ Extra sanitizer around from COVID? Store one in your emergency kit.
∙ Keep the mini toothpaste/brush from the dentist for your emergency kit.
∙ Keep/store expired water bottles to use to help flush the toilet when the power goes out.
∙ Keep old children’s stainless steel cooking sets; they can be used on a rack over a campfire, if power is out.
∙ Fill spray bottles to keep you cool in the heat.
∙ Purchase flameless candles or glow sticks.
∙ Memorize important phone numbers or addresses; many of us are lost if we lose the charge to our phones.
∙ Get to know your neighbors and exchange phone numbers.
∙ Conduct emergency drills at home and in the workplace.
On Thursday, April 7, 2022, a statewide mock tornado drill will take place at 1:45 p.m. and 6:45 p.m.
The Wisconsin statewide drills no longer include a test of the Emergency Alert System, which means there will be no alerts triggered on weather radio and broadcast TV/radio stations. These are times to exercise a tornado drill at both work/school and home. Take pictures and share how your family drills on social media.
Here are a few tornado safety tips to remember as you practice your own safety drills:
Tornado Safety Tips:
∙ Go to a safe room, basement, or storm cellar.
∙ If there is no basement, get to a small interior room on the lowest level.
∙ Stay away from windows, doors, and outside walls.
∙ If outside, get to a sturdy building.
∙ Do not get under an overpass or bridge. You’re safer in a low flat location.
∙ Watch for flying debris that can cause injury or death.
∙ Use your arms to protect your head and neck.
∙ Stay informed. Monitor local weather reports.