This week Governor Perdue has declared March 4 – 10, 2012 Severe Weather Awareness Week in North Carolina and recommends that families have safety plans for home, work or school so they can respond quickly when tornadoes or severe storms threaten.

Citizens are advised to take time to understand the difference between a WATCH and a WARNING and the danger signs related to severe weather and know how to respond.  A WATCH provides you a heads up alerting you that severe weather is in your area. WARNING means an immediate threat for severe weather is in the area, and you should stay away from windows and seek shelter in the middle of your home on the lowest floor as the storm threaten. ALL WARNINGS SHOULD BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY.  Be sure that you know how to protect yourself by:

• Develop a Safety Plan and share with family members
• Check with schools for their Disaster Plans
• Create a Disaster Supply Kit
• Practice you Safety Plan

How to Identify Safe Areas..

At Home: Seek shelter on the lowest possible floor or in the basement.  Under the stairs or in a bathroom or closet are good shelter locations.  Stay away from windows and crouch down on the floor.

At Work: Seek shelter on the lowest possible floor or a basement, if there is a basement. Stay away from windows. Stairwells, bathrooms and closets are good locations. As a last resort, crawl under your desk.

At School: Seek shelter in interior hallways, small closets and bathrooms.  Stay away from windows.  Get out of mobile classrooms. Stay out of gymnasiums, auditoriums and other rooms with a large expanse of roof.  Bus drivers should be alert for bad weather on their routes.

At The Mall: Seek shelter against an interior wall. An enclosed hallway from fire exit leading away from the main mall concourse is a good location.  Stay away from skylights and large open areas.

For more information contact Halifax County Emergency Management Coordinator Tina Hinton at 252-583-2031.