ALBANY, GA -
The Georgia Emergency Management Agency is using technology to help make sure you are. After an especially deadly severe weather year last year, GEMA is launching a new smart phone app to alert you to severe weather across the state.
The new app will help you come up with an emergency plan and stay informed of possible severe weather. It offers everything from check lists to real time weather alerts, no matter where you're caught in severe weather.
Cameras caught mother nature's wrath last year in Alabama and Georgia as 15 tornados pummeled the landscape, flattening buildings and killing 15 in Georgia and injuring 143 across the state.
Here in south Georgia, emergency officials are preparing to train storm spotters who will watch for conditions that generate storms like this.
"These are people who recognize the conditions and are actually able to get into the weather service and pass that information along to them. Another 65 people just completed training to become damage assessors, to help funnel assistance once a storm passes through," said Dougherty Co. EMA Deputy Director Jim Vaught.
"By having these assessment teams in place we can quickly assess how much damage was done, either personal or public property, get that information off to the state, GEMA and possibly qualify for assistance as a declaration of disaster," said Vaught.
At the state level GEMA has added another tool for you to use in the event of severe weather. While a weather radio works well at home, a new state mobile app may help while you're out of the house.
"It gives you real time GEO key warnings as well as the information that you need to use prior to a disaster happening," said GEMA Director Charley English.
It's a free app for both I-phone and Droid users. By allowing the app to pinpoint your location it can alert you if severe weather pops up, no matter where you are in Georgia.
"Thankfully there's nothing really going on, there's no storms, there's no tornados, so there are no alerts, currently," said Kevin Planovsky, Account Strategy Principal.
It's also got information to help you develop a family plan, contact numbers in the event of a disaster, where's the best place in your home to go in the event of a storm and what to put in your survival kit that will get you through 72 hours without power.
State officials say Georgians who educate themselves on possible threats are twice as likely to be prepared to weather any storm. The county also has tools like Code Red to alert residents to severe weather and you can also sign up for the WALB-News Ten App (download free at your app store) that alerts you to breaking news and weather alerts.
As part of severe weather awareness week, there will be a statewide tornado drill Wednesday morning.
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