“When a tornado, or any potentially life-threatening weather strikes, no one should leave emergency preparedness to chance,” said Henry County Emergency Management Agency (EMA) Director Don Ash. “Having a plan and practicing it could be the difference between life and death.”
In January, Henry County EMA and Local Emergency Planning Committee partners, including the Henry County School System, county agencies, Georgia Emergency Management Agency/Homeland Security, Mercer University, and PVH Corp. agreed to conduct Ready Henry County’s PrepareAthon! for Tornado Safety. The partners encouraged other community leaders from Timberridge Presbyterian Church, and local community groups, to participate as well. This community-wide drill was held in coordination with Georgia’s Severe Weather Preparedness Week, February 1-5, 2016.
On February 5, participants conducted a drill to practice their emergency action plans or led a preparedness discussion, joining more than one million Georgians who took part in registered activities in collaboration with America’s PrepareAthon!
Henry County Alumnae Chapter Emergency
Response Team distributed emergency kit
supplies to low-income residents during
Henry County's PrepareAthon!
“Part of the mission of the Delta Emergency Response Team is to participate in emergency preparedness activities,” says Janice L. Jones, HCACERT committee chairperson. “Henry County's PrepareAthon! gave us an opportunity to do just that.”
Henry County students also shared ways their families prepare for disaster during Severe Weather Preparedness Week by writing essays, creating posters, and filming public service announcements.
“One of the goals of Henry County EMA is for children to have fun while learning valuable lessons about disaster preparedness,” said Ash. “Ready Henry County’s PrepareAthon! for Tornado Safety gave our school a wonderful opportunity for the students to get creative and share their innovative ideas with the community and their families. It was a really great way to initiate that conversation.”