Severe weather workshop June 30

Helping individuals and families be ready for severe weather events such as tornadoes, hurricanes, snow and ice storms or floods is the purpose of an emergency preparedness workshop scheduled for next Thursday, June 30.

The Catoosa County Emergency Management Agency is hosting this event that will be at the County Administration Building adjacent the Ringgold Post Office.

IF YOU GOWhat: Emergency Preparedness Workshop.Where: Catoosa County Administration Building, 800 LaFayette St. in Ringgold.When: Thursday, June 30, 7 to 9 p.m.Host: Catoosa County Emergency Management Agency.Cost: Free.

"This is to help people be prepared before, during and after an emergency or severe weather event," said Steve Quinn, the county's director of emergency management and a fire department battalion chief.

Chief Quinn said handouts will explain preparations necessary for those first 24-72 hours before first responders arrive following a natural or man-made disaster.

"We will have representatives from GEMA (Georgia Emergency Management Agency) to talk about Ready Georgia," he said. "They will describe how to prepare home readiness kits and what should be stockpiled in the home."

Those attending will not only learn such things as how much food and how many gallons of water are needed for each family member and the proper way to store it, they will also gain information about severe weather.

"Meteorolgists from NewsChannel 9 will be on hand to talk about severe weather events that are common to this area," Quinn said.

The chief said several disasters in a row, "floods in 2009, snow and ice storms this winter and the April 27 tornado," prompted serious thought about being better prepared.

"People coming to the FEMA/GEMA Disaster Response Center posed a lot of questions after the tornado, so we decided a workshop would be beneficial to the public," he said. "This is a first for us. We don't know if 20 or 200 will come, but we want to get the word out."

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