You might be relieved that the temperatures are rising and winter is another day behind us. However, spring weather brings a news set of problems, severe weather.
The threat of violent weather is not one to approach unprepared. Make sure you have a plan for your family before the first rain drop ever falls.
First you need a plan, and a preparedness kit. Inside your kit include a smart phone, with previously installed weather apps to monitor conditions. Don’t forget weather radios with loud alarms to alert you when severe weather is near.
“If you have a kit together already that has water, flashlights, blankets, things of that nature, you’re ready for just about anything,” said Ray Coleman, External Affairs Officer with MEMA.
Coleman said that March, April and May serve as the greatest months for severe weather. He also recommended a family communication plan. This is as simple as knowing who you will call or where you will meet in the event of a weather emergency.
“I think the main thing is getting that notification as early as possible. If give folks time, if you know ahead of time that something bad is going to happen then you can start to plan accordingly,” said Coleman.
One of the first things to go during severe weather is power.
“When serious weather threatens, we mobilize for round-the-clock outage restoration,” said Robbin Jeter, Entergy Mississippi vice president of customer service. “Mississippians need to prepare as weell – for personal safety and for the potential of extended power outages.”
If you do experience an outage make sure to report it as soon as possible so crews can begin restoration. There are several ways to do that:
- Download the Entergy App for Apple or Android
- Call 1-800-9outage (1-800-968-8243) to report outages and downed power lines.
- Check the View Outages map on Entergy’s website.
- Visit the Entergy Storm Center for updates and information.
- Register for MyAccountAnywhere to get outage info on your phone.
And for more information regarding a preparedness plan and an example of a disaster kit visit MEMA’s website at www.msema.org.
