Game plan

During this Severe Weather Awareness week, it is a good time to put together a game plan for you and perhaps family members for staying safe this season.

Schools practice tornado drills, as well as many hospitals and nursing homes. Does your place of business take severe weather preparedness seriously? Studies have shown that there remains a large segment of society indifferent to weather warnings. Having the false belief that it can't happen here!

There are plenty of clues when severe weather is in the neighborhood. If nothing else, frequent lightning and thunder should tip you off that strong winds and hail may arrive soon.

I have a tendency to toss it back in people's face when they say the storm surprised them. I ask them if they heard about the storm warning, saw the lightning and felt the thunder? What was the surprise? Our motto, when I was at the National Weather Service...we are here to minimize the surprises.

Stay informed, stay safe and then help us inform others to keep them safe.

CE