State of the Emergency Georgia is at risk natural disasters: Severe thunderstorms, lightning, tornadoes and flooding Tropical storms and hurricanes Drought Wildfires Winter weather  Ice storms  Snow storms

State of the Emergency Georgia also is at risk for man-made and biological disasters Chemical spills Terrorist attacks  In June 2009, a college student was convicted of conspiring to provide material support for terrorism and was sentenced to 13 years in federal prison Pandemics

Why Prepare? 2005 Hurricane Season 18 tornadoes as a result of Katrina March 2007 tornado outbreak 21 tornadoes strike in worst outbreak in GA history Nine people died Sumter Regional Hospital destroyed April 2007 wildfires Worst wildfires in GA history, over 500,000 acres burned 2008 drought Worst drought in GA history; State of Emergency declared March 2008 tornado outbreak 11 tornadoes touch down, including first in history to strike downtown Atlanta 2008 Mother’s Day tornadoes At least 20 tornadoes touch down, including a rare EF-4 tornado Four people killed Spring 2009 flooding, tornadoes 46 counties receive federal disaster declaration Spring 2009 H1N1 50 died, 800 hospitalized September 2009 Flooding Ten fatalities Approximately 125 roads closed Douglas County residents without water for a week January 2011 Winter Storm Brought up to 7 inches of snow, freezing rain and a half inch of ice Travel disrupted for several days, inaugural activities scaled back April 2011 Tornadoes Fifteen tornadoes including a rare EF-4, 9 th in GA history Fifteen fatalities More than 2,000 homes damaged Presidential disaster declaration for 25 counties Summer 2011 Wildfires 320,000 acres burned over two months Fire Management Assistance Declaration issued for Racepond and Sweat Farm Again fires in Brantley, Charlton and Ware counties 250 people evacuated More than 1,300 firefighters responded from around the U.S. and Canada 2014 Winter Storms

EMA is Here to Help Every county has an EMA director EMA's mission is to provide a comprehensive and aggressive all-hazards approach to mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery The purpose is to protect life and property and to prevent and reduce the negative impact of natural and man-made events in Georgia

Government Can Help, But … Preparedness begins with you. You must be your own first responder.

Are You Ready? What would you do if there was a gas main break in your neighborhood in the middle of the night and you had to evacuate immediately? Would you be ready? This happened in Smyrna in January 2010, when 125 residents were evacuated at 11:30 p.m.

Are you Ready? What would happen if a chemical fire ignited in your community at 4:30 p.m. and you couldn’t leave home for three days. Could you survive?

Question Do you know how long you should be prepared to survive on your own?

Answer Three days

Goal of Ready Georgia Educates and empowers Georgians to survive for at least 72 hours on their own in an emergency with three steps: Be informed Make a plan Build a kit

Be Informed Learn more about the potential emergencies that could happen where you live, how you will be notified, and the appropriate way to respond to them

Make a Plan Your household may not be together when disaster strikes, so it is important to plan in advance Plan places where your family will meet, both within and outside of your immediate neighborhood Make sure everyone knows where to go if a tornado warning is issued (basement or interior room) Plan how you will care for your pets in an emergency Identify an out-of-town contact Have redundant ways to call the emergency contact (texting, solar/hand crank cell phone battery chargers, landline phone, car charger)

Build a Kit Recommended items: Water, one gallon of water per person per day for at least three days Food, at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food Flashlight and extra batteries Battery-powered or hand crank radio and a NOAA Weather Radio with extra batteries for both Special items for infant, elderly or disabled family members and pets

Extra Items for Ready Kit Extra pair of eyeglasses, batteries for hearing aid, etc. Copies of your prescriptions Emergency supply of prescription medications (if possible, if not, talk to your doctor) Copies of important documents such as medical insurance and Medicare cards, family records, medical records, wills, deeds, social security number and tax records If you undergo routine treatments at a clinic or hospital or if you receive home services, talk to your service provider about their emergency plans

Tips to Prepare on a Budget Buy a few items each week Use coupons and look for things on sale Shop at a dollar discount store for flashlights, batteries, a whistle, etc. Build your own first aid kit with items from a dollar discount store Buying water by the gallon or refilling soda bottles is less expensive than buying individual bottles of water

Where to Keep Your Kit Keep items in a plastic storage container, backpack or tote bag. Store your kit in a designated area and have it ready to go if needed.

General Issues for Older Georgians/ People with Disabilities Create a support network Make sure they have an extra key to your home and know where you keep your medicine. Notify them when you go out of town. Different disabilities may require specific preparation for an emergency. Support systems normally relied upon may be unavailable (e.g., power outage). There are many questions that need to be considered when making an emergency plan for someone with a specific need.

Ability Self-Assessment Sight issues: If you rely on sound clues to get around, will you be able to get yourself to safety if they are missing? (no electricity) Hearing issues: Do emergency alarm systems have audible and visible features? (strobes) Speech issues: How will you communicate if you do not have use of your usual communication device? (notes)

General Issues for Older Georgians/ People with Disabilities How will you evacuate if an accessible vehicle is not available? Where would you go? Does your utility company keep a list and map of the locations of power-dependent customers in case of an emergency? Have you arranged to have benefits deposited electronically?

What Warning System Does Your County Use? Some counties use outdoor warning sirens, others may use a telephone notification system Each system has pros and cons FEMA’s wireless emergency alerts – no registration required

Question What is NOAA Weather radio?

Answer NOAA Weather Radio broadcasts watches and warnings from the National Weather Service and information about man-made disasters, like an act of terrorism. It will wake you up in the middle of the night and give you critical minutes needed to take cover. You can buy them for about $30 at many stores.

Question What is the No. 1 weather-related killer in the United States?

Answer Heat Based on the 10-year average from 2000 to 2009, excessive heat claims an average of 162 lives a year. NEVER leave children or animals in a parked car. It can take as little as two minutes for temperatures to reach lethal levels, even in the spring and fall.

Question How many inches of fast-moving water does it take to knock someone off their feet?

Answer Six inches! Other flood facts … One foot of water can float a full-size automobile. Two feet of fast-moving water can sweep it away. Nearly half of all flash- flood fatalities are vehicle- related, so never drive through standing water in the road. Turn around and don’t drown!

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Time to Take Action You are your family’s first line of defense Everyone should have a plan; there’s no reason not to Take action: Get a kit, make a plan, be informed A solution: