A mix of old & new technology improves severe weather safety

By JIM BROOKS
Nelson County Gazette / WBRT Radio

Tuesday, March 10, 2015 — National Weather Service Meteorologist Joe Sullivan’s message Monday night was clear: Don’t wait until severe weather is arriving to think about you and your family’s personal safety.

Sullivan was in Bardstown for a weather spotter training class, attended by a mix of interested county residents, first-responders and local Amateur Radio operators.

Today’s smartphones make it much simpler to stay informed when severe weather is imminent, he said. There are numerous apps and sites that offer severe weather alerts, and Sullivan recommended area residents sign up for CodeRED, a free service operated locally by the Nelson County Dispatch.

The benefit of using CodeRED alerts is that it offers alerts that are more location specific than most other services, he said. CodeRED users can also get alerts for non-weather events, such as boil water advisories and other important localized information. These alerts will target the affected area rather than going out to the entire county or group of counties.

JOE SULLIVAN

Outdoor weather sirens are designed to warn people who are outside at the time of the alert, and not designed to warn people inside their home or a business, Sullivan said.

If you aren’t near a radio of TV, a weather radio or smartphone app are tools to help keep you and your family aware of the threat of severe weather. “Sometimes a blending of old and new technology can really help you stay on top of rapidly changing weather situations,” he said.

For those interested in learning more about weather spotting, the Louisville office of the National Weather Service has online spotter training available. Click here for their free online training courses (a new window will open). Individuals who complete the four training modules will be signed up as weather spotters.

Most weather-related deaths are due to drowning, Sullivan said. People often believe they can cross a flooded roadway in a vehicle and don’t realize the power of swift-moving water. The National Weather Service’s “Turn Around, Don’t Drown” is the best advice to follow when you approach flooded roadways, he said.

Keeping your family safe in a weather emergency means being prepared and having an emergency kit ready if needed. Such a kit can include water, a three-day supply of food, battery-powered radio with extra batteries; flashlights and batteries; basic hand tools; paper towels, trash bags and duct tape; a manual can opener; extra cell phone chargers (in-home and vehicle).

Monday’s weather spotter class was sponsored by Nelson County Emergency Management.

For more information on storm preparedness visit: www.ready.gov/kit.

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