Be a Force of Nature during National Severe Weather Preparedness Week

March 3rd-9th is National Severe Weather Preparedness Week. During this week, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) are highlighting the importance of planning and practicing how and where to take shelter before severe weather strikes. Being prepared to act quickly can be a matter of life and death.

Know your severe weather risk and take action in order to be prepared. You can also Be a Force of Nature in Northfield Township during National Severe Weather Preparedness Week as well. Being a Force of Nature goes beyond taking appropriate preparedness action. It’s about inspiring others to do the same.

I’m aking Northfield Township residents not only to be prepared, but to Be a Force of Nature and share your story with your family and friends. Encourage your social network to act by texting, tweeting, or posting a Facebook status update. Involve your children and create a video and post it to YouTube or another video sharing site,

One way you can become better prepared is to obtain a (NOAA) All-Hazards Alert Radio. Having a NOAA All-Hazards Alert Radio in your home or business is just as important as having a working smoke detector. Each of these devices can alert you to hazards, even while you’re sleeping, and give you time to get to a safe place.

When an alert is issued for our area, the device will sound a warning alarm tone followed by the broadcast message. Besides weather information, the National Weather Service also broadcasts warnings and post-event information for all types of hazards, including natural, environmental and public safety hazards, such as chemical spills and AMBER alerts.

In an effort to increase public awareness of NOAA All-Hazards Alert Radio, local and state emergency management officials have launched a statewide contest. The Illinois Emergency Services Management Association (IESMA) and the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) are sponsoring the “Weather Alert Radios Save Lives” contest, in which participants will take an online quiz for a chance to win one of 100 weather alert radio to be awarded.

The contest is available on the Ready Illinois website (www.Ready.Illinois.gov),
the IESMA website (www.iesma.org). A total of 100 weather alert radios will be awarded to participants who register after reading information about the radios and successfully completing a five-question quiz.

The contest runs through March 31. Winners will be announced in April.ood luck

Good luck; and Be a Force of Nature in Northfield Township during National Severe Weather Preparedness Week