This is the 5th and final day of the Winter Weather Preparedness week in Georgia. The final topic covers Winter Weather Outlook for the 2020-2021 winter season. The Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA) is covering learning where and how to stay informed of weather forecasts.

Advance warning is the most powerful preparedness tool for severe weather. Every family should have multiple methods for receiving severe weather alerts, including at least one with an audible alert to wake you in the middle of the night if necessary. There are many options for staying in touch with changing weather conditions. They include a NOAA Weather Radio: Watches and Warning issued by the National Weather Service will air on these radios; County Alert Systems: Some counties use outdoor warning sirens, while others may use a telephone notification system, or a combination of both. Many people use their local T.V. stations, AM/FM radios, or a Smartphone App that will send out alerts for local weather changes. A final way to receive alerts is via Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA): WEA are emergency messages sent by authorized government alerting authorities through your mobile carrier. The alert system requires no need to download an app nor subscribe to a service. The WEA message will usually provide the category and time, the agency issuing the alert and what action you should take.

Chattooga County EMA uses a system called Hyper Reach. Residents and people who work in Chattooga County are encouraged to enroll now by either calling or texting “Alert” to 706-230-5114 or by going to the website http://hyper-reach.com/gachattoogasignup.html.

If you have any other questions about our local alert system, please contact our local EMA at 706-857-3400 or you can email them at chattoogaema@gmail.com.