Tornado

season is here and Fayette County has been

working to be prepared for the severe weather

season.

Fayette

is at about the mid-point of its spring/summer

severe weather period, said Capt. Pete Nelms,

emergency management coordinator for the county's

emergency agencies.

The

Fayette County Department of Fire and Emergency

Services' first step in preparation for tornado

season took place Feb. 25, when it participated

in a state-wide tornado drill during Severe

Weather Awareness week. The drill helped to

prepare people for tornado season by restating

safety steps to take in a severe weather

situation and policies in place to assist in

those situations.

Local

schools practiced the plans they have in place in

case of severe weather, Nelms said.

The

county concentrates on three keys to minimizing

the danger from tornadoes or severe thunderstorms

with high winds, said Nelms: weather radios,

development of a warning system and public

education.

"There's

no perfect system, but these three things can

really save a lot of lives," he said.

weather radio will receive weather watches and

warnings transmitted from the National Oceanic

Atmospheric Administration, he said, adding that

it is important to have a battery-powered radio

in case the power goes out.

Purchase

of an early weather warning system is one of the

biggest steps Fayette County is taking in tornado

awareness, said Nelms. The county received a

hazard mitigation grant through the Georgia

Emergency Management Agency and the Federal

Emergency Management Agency, enabling the

purchase.

The

three warning sirens ordered will be

omni-directional devices, meaning that the sound

they make will be heard in all directions, and

will cover up to a mile and a half radius.

County

officials hope to have the devices installed by

summer, said Nelms.

"This

is an excellent system," said Nelms. Not

only do the devices alert residents by blasting a

warning siren, but also voice messages will be

broadcast telling the nature of the emergency

and, in some cases, giving specific instructions.

"It's not just a horn that makes a

noise," he said.

These

first three will be installed near manufactured

housing communities, those most susceptible to

tornado damage. The county has about 1,980

manufactured homes, housing about 6,000 people,

said Nelms. "This is the most vulnerable

part of our population," he said.

This

new warning system will cover 75 percent of

manufactured housing in Fayette County. The

warning system will be activated through the

county's 911 center.

Officials

hope to add more devices as money becomes

available.

"This

early weather warning system is only one part of

keeping citizens warned," said Nelms.

"There are many steps in being prepared for

any severe weather situation. It is important to

listen to the weather forecast daily so that you

will not be caught off guard by the weather. It

is also important to know the difference between

a tornado watch and warning."

tornado watch, he said, means that the conditions

are right for a possible tornado.

warning means that a tornado has been spotted in

the area and you should immediately take cover.

Everyone

should have a plan of action for when a tornado

warning is issued, and everyone should know where

to assemble, Nelms said. It is also important to

have a disaster action kit available with a

flashlight, extra batteries, first aid kit,

portable radio, bottled water and other emergency

items, he said.

He

suggested also keeping in mind the following

advice from the American Red Cross:

The best place to

take cover inside of a home is in a basement. If

your home does not have a basement, go to an

interior room on the lowest level with no

windows, preferably a bathroom or closet. Stay

away from corners, and if you are in a room get

under a sturdy piece of furniture and cover

yourself with a blanket or pillows to protect

yourself from debris.

Keep windows shut,

and if possible get into a building away from

windows.

If you live in a

manufactured home, get out and find shelter

elsewhere. If you are outside and there is no

time to get indoors, lie in a ditch or a

low-lying area or near a strong building. Use

your arms to protect your head and neck.

Also avoid areas

with wide-span roofs such as auditoriums,

cafeterias, large hallways or shopping malls.

"If

I could get across one message," said Nelms,

"it's to stay informed.

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