Jackson, MISS– It’s National Preparedness Month. Since Mississippi is known for intense weather, News Mississippi gathered the facts for how you can prepare yourself.
When you think of bad weather in Mississippi, you think tornadoes and hurricanes.
“You’ll get wall-to-wall media coverage when a hurricane is coming,” says Steve Wilkinson of the National Weather Service, “and with a tornado we can tell days before that one could happen. We just don’t know where until minutes before.”
That’s why September is National Weather Preparedness Month. Wilkinson says there’s plenty to keep around the house that could help you out if disaster happens.
“Food that you can cook if the electricity is out. Water if your water system fails. Flashlights and batteries,” Wilkinson says, just to name a few. A battery operated weather radio and extra batteries for that are great to have as well. Wilkinson says to have it all and have lots of it in case you can’t get assistance right away.
“With something like Katrina, it’s overwhelming, Wilkinson says, “first responders can be everywhere but not always quickly. They may have to clean up just to get to you.”
Even though batteries, food and flashlights are great to have, Wilkinson names the most important tool for bad weather safety.
“The best thing you can do to prepare,” he says,”is be aware.”
Know your forecast, know the conditions and have a plan. You can find more on weather preparedness here.
