Spring Weather

As we enjoy the longer sunshine hours and watch for the flowers to bloom, Safe Electricity reminds us of the dangers that sometimes come with spring weather.

Spring can bring dangerous weather conditions and volatile storms with tornadoes, heavy rains, high winds, and lightning. To be prepared and stay ahead of the danger, we can check weather forecasts and stay up to date on weather conditions. One way to do so is through handheld devices and the weather resources that they provide.

Digital technologies that provide instant weather alerts can help us take the necessary precautions when weather conditions suddenly change for the worse.

One weather alert you can subscribe to is the Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA). These notifications are sent much like a text message to all subscribers’ WEA-enabled devices. The messages are authorized alerts sent from government agencies such as the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the Department of Homeland Security, and the National Weather Service (NWS).

The types of alerts include extreme weather warnings and local emergencies requiring evacuation or immediate action. After receiving an alert, follow the action advised by the emergency message. Get more information from a news website or station or by turning on your weather radio. Consider having everyone in your family who has a mobile phone register for these alerts.

You can take additional precautions by installing a weather safety app so you can receive up-to-date weather information at all times. NOAA Weather Radar has continuous weather information available. It shares official NWS information on warnings, watches, forecasts, and other hazards 24/7 with coverage in 96 percent of the country.

Some of the other free applications that you can download include:

• The Red Cross app allows you to monitor 35 different severe weather and emergency alerts.
• The Weather Underground App is a network of personal weather stations. Users can submit their own weather observations alongside the professional forecasts.
• The Weather Channel also has an application that provides all of the information from their television station at your fingertips.

Create an emergency preparedness kit, including necessary supplies for a potential power outage. Your kit should include items such as water, food, a flashlight, batteries, blankets, and a first aid kit. A full list of suggested items can be found at the SafeElectricity website.

Develop a family communication plan to keep in touch in case of a disaster. Select an accessible safe meeting space where you can meet up if an evacuation is called.

Most severe storms do not last more than a half hour; however, just because a storm has passed does not mean the danger is over. Never touch downed power lines or objects that could be in contact with those lines. Just because power lines are damaged doesn’t mean that they are dead. Stay away and instruct others to do the same. If you come across downed power lines, call 911 to have the utility notified immediately.

For more safety information, visit the SafeElectricity website.