For Immediate Release
(February 17, 2011, Paris, TN) Henry County Emergency Management wishes to announce the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency, and the National Weather Service have declared February 20-26, 2011, “Severe Weather Awareness Week”. Henry County will be participating in several events through out the week relating to severe weather preparedness.
Henry County has been designated a “StormReady Community” by the National Weather Service in Memphis. This designation was received in December 2008. NWS designed the StormReady program to help communities better prepare for and mitigate effects of extreme weather-related events. StormReady also helps establish a commitment to creating an infrastructure and systems that will save lives and protect property. Receiving StormReady recognition does not mean that a community is storm proof, however these communities are better prepared when severe weather strikes. Watkins adds, “This designation was achieved by the combined effort of all local emergency response agencies, 911 and sheriff’s dept dispatchers, and the community warning systems in place. Without the cooperation and support of local emergency preparedness activities by our community, we would not have achieved this recognition.”
Henry County Emergency Management officials will be participating in a regional communication drill on Tuesday morning, February 22. The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency is nearing completion of a statewide 800 MHz two way radio network that will allow emergency officials to communicate from one end of the state to the other. This system along with other equipment such as local public safety radio networks, amateur radio equipment, satellite phones and the county’s National Warning System (NAWAS) located at the county 911 Dispatch Center will be tested as well.
On Wednesday, February 23, Henry County will once again participate in “State Wide Drill Day”. Watkins has asked local schools to practice facility tornado preparedness plans by conducting a tornado drill in each school. This gives the students and faculty an opportunity to practice the actual motions to
go through if a real warning were given for their area. Each school in the county now has a NOAA Weather Radio, Alert FM receivers, and access to immediate warning information. The “test warning” will be broadcasted by the National Weather Service between 9 and 9:30 AM Wednesday morning.
Additionally, The Henry County Schools and Paris Special School District radio emergency communication systems will be tested by having our 911-dispatch center pass along the “mock warning information.” The City of Paris warning siren atop city hall will also be tested as well as the City of Henry and City of Cottage Grove warning sirens. Residents should be mindful these local outdoor warning sirens are manually operated. When a siren is activated, consider moving indoors and seek
information on local weather conditions or other important emergency information. Local daycares, nursing homes, manufacturing plants, and government agencies are urged to participate by conducting drills on Wednesday as well.
To coincide with Severe Weather Awareness Week, the National Weather Service in Memphis has scheduled SKYWARN® Spotter classes to train those interested in learning more to identify potentially hazardous weather. The NWS will be here on March 29, 2011 at the Krider Performing Arts Center, 650 Volunteer Drive, to conduct both the Basic Storm Spotter Course (6PM) as well as the Advanced Storm Spotter Course (7:30PM). If you have a strong interest in weather or an interest in public service with access to communications, such as a Ham Radio, you can help the National Weather Service (NWS) obtain critical weather information when severe weather threatens or strikes your area. Although SKYWARN® spotters can provide essential information for all types of weather hazards, the main responsibility of a SKYWARN® spotter is to identify and describe severe weather in your local area. SKYWARN® storm spotters are part of the ranks of citizens who form the Nation's first line of defense against severe weather. Current volunteers include police and fire personnel, dispatchers, EMS
workers, public utility workers and other concerned private citizens.
The classes are free and open to the public and typically last for about two hours with training that covers the basics of thunderstorm development, the fundamentals of storm structure, identifying potential severe weather features, the information to report, how to report the information and the basics of severe
weather safety. The event will begin at 6:00 PM.
Watkins wishes to remind citizens that preparedness is important. One easy way to prepare includes purchasing a NOAA Weather Radio. Our area transmitter is located in the Vale community using the frequency 162.450 MHz and can be received on any standard NOAA Weather Radio. The broadcast transmission originates from the regional National Weather Service office in Memphis and provides a coverage radius of approx. 40 miles. Counties included in the coverage area are Benton, Carroll, Henry and Weakley. The 1000-watt transmitter provides up to the minute weather forecasts and advanced warning of approaching severe weather such as a tornado. Weather radio receivers are available for low cost that will instantly turn it self on when important warning information is issued by
the National Weather Service in Memphis. Watkins states, “Advanced warning of severe weather is important to the safety of your family. An advanced warning could provide that extra time desperately needed to react and take cover.”
A new warning system is now in place and operational in Henry County. According to Watkins, the Northwest Tennessee District 9 Homeland Security Council was awarded a $300,000 grant through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for an early warning system in 2008.
The council purchased a system called Alert FM, which uses local FM radio station sub carrier frequencies to disseminate emergency warning information. All nine counties of Northwest Tennessee will be supplied with receivers to give out to local emergency response agencies, schools, hospitals, nursing homes, and government agencies free of charge. The receivers are the size of a pager and a desktop model and a computer USB model are available. The public has the ability to purchase receivers at www.alertfm.com . The system is web based and a text message is displayed on the receiver for the given warning. Additionally, local officials will have the ability to send out specific local information such as a road closure or what specific area of county severe weather is occurring.
This will be another tool in the emergency manager’s tool bag for emergency information dissemination. The company is currently seeking local vendors to sell receivers to the public.
Watkins suggests families make preparedness plans and practice sheltering in safe areas of your home for severe weather preparedness. “Get to the lowest level possible and try to put as many walls as you can between yourself and outside. Use pillows and cushions to cover yourself when sheltering.” Consider creating an emergency supplies kit with extra food, water, flashlights, and batteries. Stock with blankets and first aid supplies as well. Small tools can be useful in an emergency situation.
For additional information, please contact the Henry County Emergency Management at 644-2678 or visit the Henry County Emergency Management website at http://www.henrycountytn.org
Henry County Severe Weather Week 2011.pdf (159.91 kb)