KANSAS CITY, Mo. – With the potential for severe weather across the plains and several Midwestern states this week, staff at the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Region VII office are coordinating with state and local officials in Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska and urge the public to be prepared and stay informed.

“As the threat of severe weather develops, we urge residents to listen to NOAA Weather Radio and local newscasts, monitor digital media feeds for updates and follow the  instructions provided by local emergency officials,” said FEMA Region VII Administrator Beth Freeman. “This severe weather threat is a reminder that everyone needs a family emergency plan as we can’t always anticipate when or where a disaster might strike.”

For more information on creating your family’s emergency plan, visit http://www.ready.gov/make-a-plan.

Preparing for Severe Weather Now

To prepare for power outages and the disruption of essential services, FEMA urges families to prepare an emergency supply kit for their homes and cars. For more information, visit http://www.ready.gov/build-a-kit.  When preparing a kit, remember water, medications, and items needed for the well-being of your pets.

Staying informed is equally important when preparing for any emergency, particularly severe weather threats. In addition to monitoring the guidance and reports of local emergency and weather officials, monitor social media before, during and after emergencies. Consider following the Facebook, Twitter or Instagram handles of your local emergency management office as well as hospitals, schools and voluntary organizations that serve your community. More information on building your own preparedness list is available from @FEMARegion7 on Twitter, using the hashtag #preplist, or by visiting www.twitter.com/femaregion7/lists.

Responding to Severe Weather

If you have severe weather in your area, keep in mind these safety tips:

  • Become familiar with the terms used to identify a severe weather hazard and discuss with your family what to do if a watch or warning is issued. Terms used to describe weather hazards include the following:
  • Watch: Meteorologists are monitoring an area or region for the formation of a specific type of threat (e.g. flooding, severe thunderstorms, or tornados).
  • Warning: Specific life and property threatening conditions are occurring and imminent. Take appropriate safety precautions.
  • Mobile homes, even if tied down, offer little protection from tornadoes and should be abandoned. A mobile home can overturn very easily even if precautions have been taken to tie down the unit. Residents of mobile homes must plan in advance and identify safe shelter in a nearby building.
  • While community safe rooms offer significant reassurance and protection during a severe weather event, always make the safe and certain choice about where to seek shelter – particularly if there is little time to travel to the location of the community safe room. It is always best to seek shelter in your basement or in the lowest possible structure in your residence if time and warning are limited when severe weather hits.
  • Know your surroundings and your structures if you’re planning to attend an event, take vacation, visit family, or if you are staying in a location other than your home like a hotel, campground or cabin. Be sure to familiarize yourself with the facility’s emergency plans including sirens and warnings, how to shelter in place, and steps to be taken in the event of an evacuation. 
  • Do not touch downed power lines or objects in contact with downed lines. Report downed power lines and electrical hazards to the police and the utility company.
  • After a disaster, be aware of possible structural, electrical or gas-leak hazards in your home. Contact your local city or county building inspectors for information on structural safety codes and standards and before going back to a property with downed power lines, or the possibility of a gas leak. They may also offer suggestions on finding a qualified contractor to do work for you. 
  • Injury may occur when people walk amid disaster debris and enter damaged buildings. Wear sturdy shoes or boots, long sleeves and gloves when handling or walking on or near debris.

Follow FEMA online at www.twitter.com/fema, www.facebook.com/fema, and www.youtube.com/fema.  Find regional updates from FEMA Region VII at www.twitter.com/femaregion7. Also, follow Administrator Craig Fugate’s activities at www.twitter.com/craigatfema.  The social media links provided are for reference only. FEMA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies or applications.

FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.

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In Anticipation of Severe Weather, FEMA Monitors and Encourages Residents to Prepare Now

30 Days Later: Mississippi Recovery by the Numbers

Main Content

Release date:

May 28, 2014

Release Number:

032

JACKSON, Miss. – The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency, the U.S. Small Business Administration and the Federal Emergency Management Agency have approved more than $10.8 million in total assistance for survivors of the severe storms, tornadoes and flooding that occurred in Mississippi from April 28 to May 3. The following is a breakdown of that assistance.

SBA disaster loans for homeowners and renters

  • More than $6.6 million in low-interest disaster loans has been approved by SBA for 95 homeowners and renters.

FEMA Individual Assistance

  • More than $4.2 million in FEMA Individual Assistance grants has been approved to help Mississippi disaster survivors recover, including:
    • Nearly $3.2 million approved for housing grants, including short-term rental assistance and home repair costs.
    • More than $1 million approved to help cover other essential disaster-related needs such as medical and dental expenses and lost personal possessions.
  • More than 4,600 people have contacted FEMA for help, information or referrals to other sources of disaster assistance.
  • 2,411 (99 percent) home inspections completed.
  • Nearly 4,000 visits to disaster recovery centers by people affected by the disaster.

Total Federal Assistance for survivors

  • More than $10.8 million in total federal disaster assistance has been approved by FEMA and SBA.

For more information on Mississippi disaster recovery, including additional stories, blogs and photos, go to FEMA.gov/Disaster/4175. Visit MEMA at msema.org or on Facebook at facebook.com/msemaorg.

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Last Updated:

May 28, 2014 – 17:07

State/Tribal Government or Region:

Source:

30 Days Later: Mississippi Recovery by the Numbers

LINCROFT, N.J. – Beach, softball and picnic season offers lots of opportunities for outdoor fun.

Most of us look forward to these sunny day celebrations all year, but unfortunately Mother Nature doesn’t always cooperate.

Most of us have had the experience of being outdoors when we feel the first few drops of rain on our shoulders, hear rumbles of thunder in the sky or spot a flash of lightning in the distance.

Many of us heard as children that it’s possible to gauge how far away thunder and lightning storm is by counting the seconds between the sound of thunder and the appearance of lightning in the sky.

Scientists say that there is truth to that assumption. While the speed of sound changes depending on the temperature and the amount of humidity in the air, it can reasonably be estimated to travel at approximately 1,200 feet per second or approximately one mile in five seconds.

Counting the seconds after you see the first lightning bolt in the sky, you can estimate how far away it is by using this rough measure. If 10 seconds pass before you heard thunder, then the source of the lightning is approximately 2 miles away.

Safety experts advise abiding by the 30/30 lightning rule: Go indoors if, after seeing lightning, you can’t count to 30 before hearing thunder, and stay indoors for 30 minutes after you hear the last clap of thunder.

Remember, lightning is both unpredictable and dangerous. Between 1950 and 2012, more than 4,000 Americans were killed by lightning.

The top three states for lightning fatalities are Florida, with 468 deaths between 1959 and 2012; Texas, with 215 deaths between 1959 and 2012, and North Carolina, with 194 fatal strikes

While lightning may be less frequent in other states, it is no less deadly when it strikes. From 1959-2012, 74 New Jerseyans were killed by lightning.

The riskiest time of day for lightning strikes is during summer afternoons and evenings.

If you are caught outside during a sudden thunder and lightning event, get inside a building or take shelter in a hard-top (not a convertible) automobile. 

Keep in mind that, contrary to common folklore, rubber-soled shoes and rubber tires provide no protection from lightning. It is the steel frame of an automobile that provides some protection, not its rubber tires. Although you may still be at risk of injury inside an automobile, you are safer there than you would be out in the open.

If you are in an open area without shelter, go to a low place such as a ravine or valley. Be alert for flash floods.

If you are in a forest when a storm approaches, seek shelter in a low area under a thick growth of small trees.

If you feel your hair stand on end, which indicates that lightning is about to strike, squat low to the ground on the balls of your feet, put your hands over your ears and put your head between your knees in order to make yourself as small a target as possible. It’s important to minimize your contact with the ground. Do not lie flat on the ground.

Remember:  Your chances of being struck by lightning are about 1 in 600,000 – but it does happen.

Before you make plans for the beach, ball game or picnic, check the weather report  to see whether there is a Severe Thunderstorm Watch or Severe Thunderstorm Warning for your area.

By taking a few precautions, you can substantially reduce your risk of being injured by lightning and enjoy all that summer has to offer.

For more information about protecting yourself during lightning and thunder storms, go to www.ready.gov.

http://www.fema.gov/disaster/4086/updates/sandy-one-year-later
FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.

Follow FEMA online at www.fema.gov/blog, www.twitter.com/fema, www.facebook.com/fema, and www.youtube.com/fema. Also, follow Administrator Craig Fugate’s activities at www.twitter.com/craigatfema

The social media links provided are for reference only. FEMA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies or applications

Visit source: 

Beware Those Uninvited Guests at Picnics and Beach Excursions: Thunder and Lightning Can Be Dangerous

CHICAGO – Severe storms can happen anywhere, anytime in Illinois.

Last spring, extensive flooding throughout the state of Illinois resulted in more than $166 million in federal assistance to individuals for essential home repairs and clean-up. Then in November, severe storms and tornadoes left more than 1,000 homes severely damaged or destroyed throughout Illinois.

Disasters such as these show us how unexpected weather can be. But that doesn’t mean you can’t prepare for it. Hazardous weather is a risk everyone should be ready for.

March 2 – 8, 2014 marks the third annual National Severe Weather Preparedness Week – a partnership between FEMA and NOAA to encourage all Americans to learn their weather risks and take steps to prepare.

The first step is to know your risk – understand the types of hazardous weather that can affect your community, and the impact it may have on you and your family. Check the weather forecast regularly and sign up for alerts from your local emergency management officials. Consider purchasing a NOAA weather radio to get the latest updates on severe weather in your area.

Understand the hazards for which you are at risk for and then take action: Develop an emergency plan based on your local weather hazards and practice how and where to take shelter before a severe weather event. Post your plan in your home where family and visitors can see it. Create or refresh an emergency kit for needed food, supplies and medication—make sure to keep a kit in your car, at the office and at home, so you are protected regardless of where you may be. For a list of items to include in your emergency kit, visit www.ready.gov/build-a-kit.

Don’t forget to consider pets when making emergency plans, and also take into account any unique needs you or your family might have so you’re best prepared for unforeseen emergencies.

It isalso important to take the time now to assure you are fully insured. Contact your insurance agent to review your insurance coverage so your home is financially protected from the impacts of severe weather.

“Many Illinois residents were impacted by costly floods and dangerous storms in 2013” said FEMA Region V Administrator Andrew Velasquez III.Taking steps now to prepare will ensure you are ready if severe weather threatens your area this year.”

“It’s been a long, hard winter in Illinois and everyone is looking forward to warmer weather,” said IEMA Director Jonathon Monken. “Warmer weather can bring with it the threat of dangerous weather, such as tornadoes, severe storms and flooding. We’re working to help Illinois citizens understand these hazards and providing information that will help them be better prepared for the unexpected.”

For even more readiness information follow FEMA Region V at twitter.com/femaregion5 and facebook.com/fema. Individuals can always find valuable severe weather preparedness information at www.ready.gov/severe-weatheror download the free FEMA app, available for Android, Apple or Blackberry devices.

FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.

Follow FEMA online at twitter.com/femaregion5, www.facebook.com/fema, and www.youtube.com/fema.  Also, follow Administrator Craig Fugate’s activities at twitter.com/craigatfema. The social media links provided are for reference only. FEMA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies or applications.

Media Contact: Cassie Ringsdorf, (312) 408-4455

 

 

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Severe Storm Safety: What You Need to Know

WARWICK, R.I.–Americans live in the most severe weather-prone country on Earth, according to The National Weather Service. To raise public awareness of severe weather threats and the importance of being prepared, The National Weather Service and FEMA have designated March 3 to 9 as National Severe Weather Preparedness Week.

Each year, Americans cope with an average of 100,000 thunderstorms, 10,000 of which are severe; 5,000 floods; 1,000 tornadoes; and an average of 2 landfalling deadly hurricanes.  And this on top of lethal winter storms, summer heat, high winds, wild fires and other severe weather.

“Severe weather can happen anytime, anywhere,” said FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate. “We urge everyone to take steps in advance and to pledge to prepare, take action and share what you have done with others.”

We have more information than ever before to let us know when severe weather is approaching. “But this information can save lives and property only if individuals and communities know when and how to take proper action,” said Dr. Louis Uccellini, director of the National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration’s National Weather Service.

You can find a tool kit to help your family be prepared for severe weather at ready.gov/severeweather.

This week find tweets about severe weather preparedness at www.twitter.com/femaregion1. Other resources include http://blog.fema.gov, www.facebook.com/fema and www.youtube.com/fema. On Twitter, use the hashtags #ImPrepared and #ImAForce to show you’ve pledged to prepare and are taking the first step in preparing your family and friends for severe weather.

Talk with family, friends and neighbors about preparedness. Other ideas for helping to spread the word: creating a preparedness video and posting it on a video sharing site, posting your preparedness story through your social media network or commenting on a blog. Be a good example and share the steps you took to help us achieve the goal of being a Weather-Ready Nation.

NOAA’s mission is to understand and predict changes in the Earth’s environment, from the depths of the ocean to the surface of the sun, and to conserve and manage our coastal and marine resources.

FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.

 

See more here – 

Be Prepared: Severe Weather Is on the Way

Deadlines for FEMA Registration Near 

Release Date: May 9, 2012
Release Number: 4059-065

» More Information on West Virginia Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, And Landslides
» More Information on West Virginia Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, Mudslides, And Landslides

CHARLESTON, W. Va. — The Federal Emergency Management Agency is reminding those affected by the recent storms and floods they have only a short time left to register for possible assistance.

For residents in Lincoln, Marion, Harrison, Preston, Taylor and Wayne counties affected by the storms and flooding of February 29 through March 5, the deadline is May 15. For those in Lincoln, Logan and Mingo counties who sustained damage in the floods of March 15 through March 31, the deadline is May 21. Help is available for homeowners, renters and businesses of any size.

To find out if you are eligible for assistance and to register with FEMA, call the FEMA Help Line at 800-621-3362. You can also register online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov. With a Web-enabled mobile device, log onto m.fema.gov.

For individuals with hearing or speech impairments, FEMA has a TTY line at 800-462-7585.

The phone lines are open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. local time seven days a week.

For more information and guidance in navigating the disaster-assistance process, a state and federal Disaster Recovery Center remains open until noon, Friday, May 11. The center is at 2270 Mud Fork Road in Logan and operates from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. every day until May 11.

FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.

Last Modified: Wednesday, 09-May-2012 10:54:33

From:

Deadlines for FEMA Registration Near

Help is Available for Disaster-Related Stress 

Release Date: May 8, 2012
Release Number: 4059-064

» More Information on West Virginia Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, And Landslides
» More Information on West Virginia Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, Mudslides, And Landslides

CHARLESTON, W. Va. — West Virginia residents facing the loss of homes, businesses or cherished possessions in the wake of the recent storms and floods could find themselves struggling to cope with the emotional impact of the disasters.

Everyone who lives through a disaster is affected by it in some way. It is normal to feel anxious about your own safety and that of family and friends. Profound sadness, grief, and anger are normal reactions to an abnormal event, and acknowledging such feelings is a first step toward healing, psychologists say. Everyone has different ways of coping, but remember that seeking or accepting help from community counseling programs is healthy and worthwhile.

Children can be particularly affected by disaster-related emotional stress.

Warning signs among children and adults that suggest the need for crisis counseling or stress-management assistance include:

  • Difficulty communicating or sleeping
  • Depression, sadness or feelings of hopelessness
  • Increased use of drugs and/or alcohol
  • Limited attention span, poor performance at work or school
  • Headaches/stomach problems, flu-like symptoms, disorientation or confusion
  • Reluctance to leave home
  • Mood-swings and frequent bouts of crying and
  • Overwhelming feelings of guilt and self-doubt.

Crisis counselors are available to assist applicants who may be experiencing emotional distress. To learn where you can get help, phone 866-867-8290. You will be referred to the nearest county Crisis Counseling center. In the Logan-Mingo area, the Crisis Counseling phone number is 304-792-7130.

For more information, visit www.fema.gov/rebuild/recover/cope.shtm or www.bt.cdc.gov/mentalhealth .

FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.

Last Modified: Tuesday, 08-May-2012 13:22:37

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Help is Available for Disaster-Related Stress

Original article:  

DFW Can Rebuild Safer, Stronger To Reduce Future Tornado Damage

Severe Weather – Be a Force of Nature: Know Your Risk, Take Action, and Be an Example 

NOAA, FEMA Launch First National Severe Weather Preparedness Week April 22-28

Release Date: April 23, 2012
Release Number: R5-12-005

» 2012 Region V News Releases

CHICAGO, Ill. — Sunday marked the start of the first National Severe Weather Preparedness Week. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) are joining together to help save lives from severe weather by delivering the following important message to the public: know your risk, take action, and be a Force of Nature by taking proactive emergency preparedness measures and inspiring others to do the same.

“Severe weather can strike with little or no warning and you may only have seconds to make life and death decisions,” said Andrew Velasquez III, FEMA regional administrator. “Preparing now can ensure you’re ready when severe weather strikes. Start by knowing your risk, take action by making your emergency plans and once you are prepared, encourage friends and neighbors to be prepared too.”

Just one year ago this week, the largest tornado outbreak in U.S. history stuck the central and southern United States with more than 300 tornadoes that claimed hundreds of lives. The historic outbreak was only one of many weather-related tragedies, and 2011 now holds the record for the greatest number of multi-billion dollar weather-related disasters in the nation’s history.

Already this year, the Midwest and other portions of the country have experienced several waves of early and destructive severe storm and tornado outbreaks. The impacts of these events are a reminder that everyone should be prepared for the hazards faced in their communities. We are headed into May, the peak month for tornadoes in the U.S, which means now is the time to make preparedness a personal and national priority.

To “be a force of nature,” NOAA and FEMA encourage citizens to prepare for extreme weather by following these guidelines:

  • Know your risk: The first step to becoming weather-ready is to understand the type of hazardous weather that can affect where you live and work, and how the weather could impact you and your family. Check the weather forecast regularly and sign up for alerts from your local emergency management officials. Severe weather comes in many forms, and your shelter plan should include all types of local hazards.
  • Take action: Pledge to develop an emergency plan based on your local weather hazards and practice how and where to take shelter before a severe weather event. Create or refresh an emergency kit for needed food, supplies and medication. Post your plan in your home where family and visitors can see it. Learn community evacuation routes. Obtain a NOAA Weather Radio. Download FEMA’s mobile app so you can access important safety tips on what to do before and during severe weather. Understand the weather warning system and become a certified storm spotter through the National Weather Service.
  • Be a force of nature: Once you have taken action, tell your family, friends, school staff and co-workers about how they can prepare. Share the resources and alert systems you discovered with your social media network. Studies show that individuals need to receive messages a number of ways before acting – be one of those sources. When you seek shelter after a warning, text, tweet or update your status so your friends and family will know you are safe. You might just save their lives by encouraging others to seek safety too. For more information on how you can prepare for severe weather, visit www.ready.gov/severe-weather

About NOAA
NOAA’s mission is to understand and predict changes in the Earth’s environment, from the depths of the ocean to the surface of the sun, and to conserve and manage our coastal and marine resources. Join us on Facebook , Twitter and our other social media channels.

About FEMA
FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards. Take the pledge and learn more information at www.ready.gov/severe-weather — and encourage the rest of your community to join.

Last Modified: Monday, 23-Apr-2012 16:18:38

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Severe Weather – Be a Force of Nature: Know Your Risk, Take Action, and Be an Example

Severe Weather Awareness Week 

Know Your Risk, Take Action, Be A Force Of Nature

Release Date: April 23, 2012
Release Number: R3-12-05

PHILADELPHIA, PA – As the nation marks the first anniversary of one of the largest tornado outbreaks in U.S. history, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Federal Emergency Management Agency are teaming up this week to prepare the public and help save lives from severe weather.

The two agencies encourage the public nationwide and in FEMA Region III, to “know your risk, take action, and be a force of nature” by taking proactive preparedness measures and inspiring others to do the same. While the type and severity of threats vary across the 10 FEMA Regions, the need to be prepared is universal.

Last April, tornadoes raked the central and southern United States, spawning more than 300 tornadoes and claiming hundreds of lives. That devastating, historic outbreak was only one of many weather-related tragedies in 2011, which now holds the record for the greatest number of multi-billion dollar weather disasters in the nation’s history.

In late August, 2011 strong hurricane activity in FEMA Region III produced devastating storms such as Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee. These two storms rocked communities due to widespread inland flooding, left their lingering and residual effects resulting one of the Region’s largest long term recovery missions.

Additionally, and almost simultaneously, FEMA Region III felt the impact of a multi-state earthquake that is still producing aftershock events still being felt in some areas. The earthquake reminded everyone that severe weather is unpredictable and that we must plan for every type of weather event.

“Severe weather can happen at any time and often with little or no notice.” said FEMA Regional Administrator MaryAnn Tierney. “We can’t control where and when severe weather will hit but we can control how prepared we are as individuals and communities. By taking the time during Severe Weather Awareness Week to know your community’s risk, and plan accordingly, you are taking the first steps toward empowering yourself to become your own emergency manager,” added Tierney.

To “be a force of nature,” FEMA and NOAA encourage citizens to prepare for extreme weather by following these guidelines:

  • Know your risk: The first step to becoming weather-ready is to understand the type of hazardous weather that can affect where you live and work, and how the weather could impact you and your family. Check the weather forecast regularly and sign up for alerts from your local emergency management officials. Severe weather comes in many forms and your shelter plan should include all types of local hazards.
  • Take action: Pledge to develop an emergency plan based on your local weather hazards and practice how and where to take shelter. Create or refresh an emergency kit for needed food, supplies and medication. Post your plan where visitors can see it. Learn what you can do to strengthen your home or business against severe weather. Obtain a NOAA Weather Radio. Download FEMA’s mobile app so you can access important safety tips on what to do before and during severe weather. Understand the weather warning system and become a certified storm spotter through the National Weather Service.
  • Be a force of nature: Once you have taken action, tell your family, friends, school staff and co-workers about how they can prepare. Share the resources and alert systems you discovered with your social media network. Studies show individuals need to receive messages a number of ways before acting – and you can be one of those sources. When you go to shelter during a warning, send a text, tweet or post a status update so your friends and family know. You might just save their lives, too. For more information on how you can participate, visit www.ready.gov/severeweather

FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards. Follow FEMA Region III on Twitter @FEMARegion3

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Last Modified: Monday, 23-Apr-2012 16:17:58

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Severe Weather Awareness Week

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