Emergency weather preparedness: Tips for staying safe
LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – Ice storms last week, flooding potential this week, and this time of year high winds and tornadoes may not be too far off.
North Mississippi is no stranger to natural disasters, but people still need the occasional reminder to prepare for Mother Nature’s mood swings.
Lowndes County Emergency Services Director Cindy Lawrence was serving up that reminder today in Columbus.
Lawrence said the area is experiencing more and more damaging disasters, and the agencies that respond to them are always in need of additional equipment and resources to meet those needs.
She encourages residents to have multiple ways to get weather information and alerts. That includes high-tech sources like smartphone apps and weather radios, but in a pinch, there are some low-tech options too.
“Right now, we’re on flood watch. And we’re just telling people who live in low-lying areas to monitor the weather. And one way you can do it is you can take a stick and put it out in your yard, and if the water comes up to the stick, that means the water’s rising. So, we just ask people to monitor, and if it starts rising, please evacuate your home. If you need some assistance from emergency services, you just need to call 911,” said Lawrence.
Lawrence said this week’s rain has had one positive effect. It has reduced the recent fire danger.
