Forsyth County: Be Prepared if Disaster Strikes

September is National Preparedness Month and the Forsyth County Emergency Management Agency (EMA) encourages citizens to take time during the month to plan and prepare for disasters and emergency situations.

“We highly encourage all residents and businesses to spend some time this month developing an emergency plan and assembling a disaster supply kit,” said EMA Director and Fire Chief Danny Bowman in a press release. “Taking these proactive steps and being prepared can prove to be of tremendous benefit in times of emergencies.”

Develop a Plan:

Whether you are at home, at work or on the go, it is important to create a plan in case of an emergency. Planning ahead will ensure you will know what to do and have the supplies you need to be safe wherever you are.

Before an emergency happens, sit down with family members and decide how you will get in contact with each other, where you will go and what you will do in an emergency situation. Keep a copy of this plan in your disaster supply kit or another safe place where you can access it in the event of an emergency.

Assemble a Kit:

Every household is encouraged to assemble a disaster supply kit. Some items recommended for inclusion are:

• Water: one gallon per person per day, for at least 3 days
• Food: at least a 3-day supply of non-perishable food
• Can opener
• Radio: battery-powered or hand crank radio and a NOAA weather radio with tone alert, and extra batteries for both
• Flashlight and extra batteries
• First aid kit
• Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities
• Local maps

Stay Informed: Weather Alert Notifications and Emergency Notification Calls

The Forsyth County EMA encourages residents to sign up for weather alert notifications, for use in concert with the county’s outdoor severe weather sirens and a NOAA weather radio.

Forsyth County residents can sign up to receive these time-sensitive weather alerts for severe thunderstorm warnings, flash flood warnings and tornado warnings. Citizens can elect to be notified when alerts are issued via telephone calls, emails or text messages. There is no cost for citizens to sign up to receive these weather alerts, but phone usage or text charges may apply.

To sign up for the alerts, visit the Forsyth County website and look for the ‘Sign up to receive Forsyth County Weather Alerts’ icon on the home page.

For more information, call the Forsyth County EMA office at 770-205-5674 or visit the Ready Georgia website.

You might also be interested in reading:

County Adds More Severe Weather Sirens

New Weather Alerts Available to Forsyth County Residents