Arkansas Severe Weather Awareness
February 22-26 is Severe Weather Awareness Week in Arkansas. This is a great time to make sure you and your family are prepared for the kinds of severe weather experienced in Arkansas, including flash floods, thunderstorms and tornadoes.
Viewer Tip: Consider building or updating your family emergency preparedness kit this week. Having supplies set aside will help ensure you and your family stay safe should severe weather occur in your community. Some of the items that should be included in an emergency kit are:
- First-aid kit
- Extra prescription medications, glasses, hearing aids and other important medical supplies
- Flashlight with extra batteries
- Battery-operated radio and NOAA Weather Radio
- A 3-day supply of non-perishable food and one gallon of bottled water per person per day
- Coolers for food/ice, paper plates, plastic utensils, a can opener and a knife
- Tools such as a fire extinguisher, duct tape and rope
- Blankets, sleeping bags, pillows and extra clothing
- Toiletries and personal hygiene supplies
- Don’t forget to plan for pets! They will need food, water and medication, too.
Find a family emergency kit checklist from the American Red Cross at: http://6l3zyr.redcross.org/services/disaster/0,1082,0_3_,00.html.
Season: Winter
(Sources: NOAA National Weather Service, Office of Climate, Water and Weather Services. “Severe Weather Events Calendar.” http://www.nws.noaa.gov/os/severeweather/severewxcal.shtml; American Red Cross. “Disaster Supplies Kit.” http://6l3zyr.redcross.org/services/disaster/0,1082,0_3_,00.html)
