America's PrepareAthon! Events Recap
Thank you for making the spring 2015 America's PrepareAthon ! and the April 30 National PrepareAthon! Day such a success. More than 7.5 million people have been participating in PrepareAthon! events so far this year. We appreciate your efforts in creating a more resilient nation. Here's a recap of some of the exciting activities from across the country.
Several communities practiced p reparing for tornadoes. Spartanburg County, South Carolina held its first America's PrepareAthon! event which included a countywide tornado drill involving several schools, businesses, and two hospitals. According to local officials, nearly 60,000 people participated in the drill. At the same time, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Weather Service and the South Carolina Emergency Management Division conducted the South Carolina Statewide Tornado Drill. Local media coverage included stories on WSPA-TV (CBS) , WFXG-TV (Fox) and in the Spartanburg Herald Journal .
Schools in Louisa County, Virginia held their second America's PrepareAthon! event where more than 6,000 students participated in preparedness activities, including a statewide tornado drill and sheltering-in-place.
Students at Jouett Elementary School learned about tornadoes and safety procedures. During mini-assemblies, students in kindergarten through fifth grade learned how to identify the early warning signs of a tornado and made emergency kits and communications plans to share with their families. Louisa County plans to continue its participation in America's PrepareAthon! during National Preparedness Month in September and the Great Shakeout Earthquake Drill in October!
Other communities prepared for earthquakes. Nearly one million residents in Utah participated in the Utah ShakeOut Earthquake Drill . Held each spring, the Utah ShakeOut helps residents practice how to “Drop, Cover, and Hold On” in response to an earthquake. The event also included preparedness fairs across the state in support of America's PrepareAthon!
During the America's PrepareAthon! event in Los Angeles County, California, participants experienced simulated earthquakes in a shake trailer and watched an earthquake preparedness video. Also, the American Red cross hosted a puppet show and talked to children about the Pillowcase Project , a disaster preparedness education program that teaches students in grades 3 – 5 about personal and family preparedness. Students received a sturdy pillowcase after completing the program, and they were encouraged to store their personal emergency supplies kit in the pillowcase. In addition, FEMA and the Los Angeles County Office of Emergency Management held an interactive preparedness quiz and distributed emergency preparedness brochures.
On National PrepareAthon! Day, many families, business, and organizations shared their activities on Twitter using #PrepareAthon. Take a look at our collection of photos to see their preparedness in action.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hurricane Season Begins Soon
National PrepareAthon! Day may be over, but the start of hurricane season is right around the corner. The Eastern Pacific hurricane season runs May 15 through November 30 while the Atlantic hurricane season runs June 1 through November 30.
Now is a good time to become familiar with the hurricane-related notifications issued by the National Weather Service (NWS), including watches and warnings.
- Hurricane Watch: An announcement that sustained winds of 74 mph or higher are possible within a specified area. Watches are issued 48 hours in advance of the anticipated onset of tropical storm force winds. During a watch, tune in to your NOAA Weather Radio, local radio, or television for information and conduct outside preparedness activities. You can use the America's PrepareAthon! How to Prepare for a Hurricane Guide for help with storm preparations.
- Hurricane Warning: An announcement that sustained winds of 74 mph or higher are expected within a specified area. Warnings are issued 36 hours in advance of the anticipated onset of tropical storm force winds. During a warning, complete storm preparations and immediately leave the threatened area if directed by local officials.
Threats from hurricanes include high winds, heavy rainfall, tornadoes, coastal and inland flooding, and storm surge. According to NWS, storm surge produced by hurricanes is one of the greatest threats to life and property along the coast. To learn more about storm surge, take a look at this clip from the National Hurricane Center.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Evacuation Occasion
Fires and floods cause evacuations most frequently in the U.S. and almost every year, people who live along coastlines evacuate when a hurricane approaches. In some circumstances, local officials decide that hazards are serious and may require a mandatory evacuation. When community evacuations occur, local officials provide information mainly through media sources, although, sirens, text message alerts, emails, and automated telephone calls are also used.
In addition, many disasters allow little to no time for people to gather basic supplies, so planning ahead is essential. Ready.gov offers tips to prepare your family for evacuation, including:
- Plan places where your family will meet, both within and outside of your immediate neighborhood. Use the Family Emergency Plan to decide these locations before a disaster;
- Take your emergency supply kit unless you have reason to believe it has been contaminated;
- If you have a car, keep a full tank of gas in it if an evacuation seems likely. Keep a half tank of gas in it at all times in case of an unexpected need to evacuate. Gas stations may be closed during emergencies and unable to pump gas during power outages; and
- If you do not have a car, plan how you will leave if you have to. Make arrangements with family, friends or your local government.
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Dates for Your Calendar!
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