Planning ahead is the best thing you can do to stay safe once severe weather approaches your area. Begin thinking now about where you would go and what you would do if severe weather were to strike your area.

Get a NOAA Weather Radio. Think of these as being just as vital as a smoke detector. Newer models (look for the word "SAME" on the box) allow you to program the radio to alert you only to storms affecting your county. Older models will sound alerts for any county in the range of the weather radio station (which might make you want to turn it off early in a severe weather event, missing important warnings later on).

Keep an ear on Magic 98.1, 720 The Voice, and AM 1400 WCOH for the weather forecast so you'll know ahead of time if severe weather is epected. If severe weather is occuring, tune in for updates from the Coweta-Fayette EMC Storm Center.

Learn more about your local geography. Know what counties are around you so you can better picture weather warnings delivered over the radio. For instance, if we say that a storm is in Heard County and headed east, you'll know that Coweta is next. You'll also want to know where your county is on a map, even if it doesn't show county names. This is vital for determining if a storm or warning will affect you.

Prepare a home disaster kit. It contains items you'll need to survive if a disaster strikes. A good disaster kit includes clean water, medical supplies, and other important items.

Consider becoming a Skywarn Storm Spotter. Not only will you be able to learn more about severe weather (so you can better protect yourself), you'll also be helping the National Weather Service warn others about approaching severe weather.

Start learning more about what to do to protect yourself from the different types of severe weather...