JOHNSON COUNTY — Johnson County Emergency Management Agency aims to inform the county about how to be prepared and stay safe in the event of tornadoes, flooding, lightning and more during Severe Weather Preparedness Week.
Severe Weather Preparedness Week is an annual statewide event throughout Missouri and Kansas that takes place the first week of March.
JCEMA Deputy Director and Public Relations Officer Bailey Jennings said early March is the ideal time to spread information about severe weather preparedness as severe weather events often occur in Missouri during the spring.
She said that during the spring months, Missourians can fall victim to severe weather including tornadoes, flooding, thunderstorms and lightning.
“Pushing out that information, having the public be aware of what to look for, where to get that information and how to react to different types of severe weather can save lives in the end and help everyone be prepared,” Jennings said.
The Johnson County Commission signed a resolution with JCEMA on Monday, March 1, designating March 1-5, 2021, as Johnson County Severe Weather Preparedness Week.
“By establishing Severe Weather Preparedness Week, it gives the public a full week to get that information so that we can try to get everyone as prepared as possible,” Jennings said.
Jennings said JCEMA will be pushing out information on social media over the course of the week relating to ways to stay prepared and what to look for in the event of severe weather.
Jennings said each day of the week will focus on a different aspect of severe weather preparedness.
On Monday, JCEMA focused on how to receive weather information; Tuesday will be focused on tornado safety, including what to look for and how to stay safe during a tornado; Wednesday’s focus will be on staying safe in lightning and thunderstorms; Thursday will be focused on the aspects of hail and wind safety; and on Friday, JCEMA will focus on flood safety.
Jennings said Johnson County will also be participating in the statewide outdoor warning test on Tuesday, March 2.
Jennings said the county commissioners have signed resolutions to designate Severe Weather Preparedness Week in years prior, but JCEMA is putting an extra focus on pushing out relevant information to the community.
“We’re trying to use any avenue we can just to get information out to the public more so than we have in the past,” Jennings said. “We’re trying to do everything we can so that people can be prepared for this spring.”
For more information about JCEMA and ways to prepare for severe weather, visit Johnson County Emergency Management Agency’s Facebook page.
