The observance of Winter Weather Preparedness Week in Georgia is slated for December 4th through 8th. It is spearheaded by the Georgia Emergency Management/Homeland Security Agency, in partnership with the National Weather Service.
Tim Herrington, the Director of the Floyd County Emergency Management Agency, is committed to keeping the public informed throughout the months of December, January, and February on any potential for Winter weather.
Herrington offers advice to locals as we head into the Winter months – create an emergency preparedness plan/kit, and make sure vehicles are prepared for wintry conditions.
Herrington also urges the public to stay updated on area weather conditions via a NOAA weather radio, Floyd County’s CodeRed emergency notification system, or the Floyd County EMA mobile app.
Wet weather is in the forecast to start the month of December here in Rome and Floyd County with chances for showers and possibly thunderstorms over the weekend, according to the National Weather Service.
According to a release from the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency –
The Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency, in partnership with the National Weather Service, is preparing for Winter Weather Preparedness Week on Dec. 4-8. Georgians will be encouraged to learn about winter weather threats, review or create a family communications plan and consider what items are best for their Ready Kits in preparation for the potential inclement weather this winter.
“Now is the ideal time to start thinking and preparing for any emergency this upcoming season due to the winter months in Georgia being so unpredictable,” said GEMA/HS Director Chris Stallings. “In previous years, we’ve seen extreme cold, snow, ice and freezing rain, which is why we encourage everyone to use WWPW to prepare and educate themselves on how to respond before, during and after winter weather occurs.”
Winter Weather Preparedness Week is designed to raise awareness of winter weather hazards and reinforce understanding of winter weather terminology. GEMA/HS will distribute winter weather preparedness information via social media channels and provide toolkits to local emergency management directors for sharing this information in their counties all weeklong during the WWPW campaign.
Each day of the campaign will address the following topics:
Monday, Dec. 4: Winter Weather in Georgia – learn about winter weather hazards that can impact the state of Georgia.
Tuesday, Dec. 5: Winter Weather Terminology – learn about winter weather “alerts” (watches, warnings and advisories) and what they mean.
Wednesday, Dec. 6: Winter Weather Preparation Tips – learn how to best prepare for winter weather events, and put together a Ready Kit while making a plan before winter weather strikes.
Thursday, Dec. 7: Winter Weather Driving Tips/Safety — learn “best practices” for driving (if necessary) in winter weather conditions and how to pack a mobile Ready Kit.
Friday, Dec. 8: Winter Weather Outlook for 2023-24 season — resources for learning where and how to stay informed of weather forecasts.
Residents are encouraged to visit gema.georgia.gov/plan-prepare/ready-georgia for more information on winter weather preparedness tips.
