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Published Monday, February 06, 2012 in Local

What do you do when severe weather strikes?

By John Winters

The Newnan Times-Herald

(Editor's Note: Today The Newnan Times-Herald begins a week-long series in conjunction with Georgia's Severe Weather Awareness Week. Coweta Emergency Management has provided preparedness information in key subject areas: Today - Family Preparedness; Tuesday - Thunderstorm Safety; Wednesday - Tornado Safety; Thursday - Lightning Safety; Friday - Flooding.

A major thunderstorm wallops through the area, packing high winds with reports of two tornados touching down.

The massive rain floods streets, making them impassable. Power is knocked out throughout the county.

There is no electricity or gas, drinking water systems are contaminated, fallen trees block roadways, thousands are without shelter from the tornados, cell phone towers are out of commission.

What do you do?

The first 72 hours after a major disaster are the most critical, often because it can take that long for help to arrive, even in city areas.

Toward that end, today kicks of Severe Weather Awareness Week, designed to help families prepare for various emergencies.

It's a joint awareness campaign sponsored by the National Weather Service and the Georgia Emergency Management Agency.

"With all of the severe weather we have experienced, with three tornados in the last 10 months -- April and December 2011 and January 2012, Severe Weather Awareness Week has taken on a new meaning at least here in Coweta County, said Jay Jones, Coweta Emergency Management director.

The campaign involves helping families learn what to do in weather emergencies, focusing on several subject areas.

GEMA has set up a statewide emergency preparedness campaign called "Ready Georgia." The site offers various tools to make an emergency supply kit, develop a communications plan and stay informed about potential threats.

Once on the website -- www.ready.ga.gov -- visitors can create an online profile and receive a tailored plan for the entire family. It includes specific amounts of supplies needed for a household kit, local emergency contact information and information about Georgia-specific disasters.

There is also a free downloadable mobile app on the website that allows users to learn how to prepare for emergencies, create family communications plans and other information from their smartphone

"During winter storms, floods, tornadoes or hurricanes, it may take emergency workers 72 hours or more to reach certain areas in order to open roadways and restore utilities," said GEMA officials. "The benefit of being self-sufficient for at least three days is that your family can survive circumstances that might otherwise be tragic."

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