NOUS42 KCHS 081100
PNSCHS

GAZ087-088-099>101-114>119-137>141-091100-

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
600 AM EST FRI FEB 8 2013

...FINAL DAY OF GEORGIA SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK 2013...

TODAY WE WILL DISCUSS SEVERE WEATHER SAFETY. 

HERE ARE SOME GENERAL RULES OF SAFETY IN TORNADOES AND SEVERE 
THUNDERSTORMS...

BEFORE THE STORM...DEVELOP A FAMILY PLAN FOR HOME...WORK...SCHOOL
AND WHEN OUTDOORS. YOU SHOULD CONDUCT FREQUENT DRILLS AND KNOW
THE COUNTY WHERE YOU ARE LOCATED. 

IF TORNADOES OR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL OCCUR AT NIGHT WHEN YOU 
ARE SLEEPING...REMAIN CLOSE TO A NOAA WEATHER RADIO.

DURING A TORNADO OR SEVERE THUNDERSTORM...IF YOU ARE LOCATED IN A 
WELL-CONSTRUCTED BUILDING MOVE TO A PRE-DESIGNATED SHELTER 
AREA...SUCH AS A BASEMENT OR A SMALL INTERIOR...WINDOWLESS ROOM ON 
THE LOWEST FLOOR. DO NOT OPEN WINDOWS. OPEN WINDOWS ALLOW DAMAGING 
WINDS TO ENTER THE BUILDING...WHICH CAN CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY AND 
STRUCTURAL DAMAGE. INSTEAD...STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS AND GO TO A SAFE 
PLACE IMMEDIATELY.

WHEN DANGEROUS WEATHER APPROACHES...DO NOT REMAIN IN A MOBILE HOME. 
HEAD IMMEDIATELY TO A WELL-CONSTRUCTED SHELTER. 

GET OUT OF AUTOMOBILES. IF CAUGHT OUTSIDE MOVE TO A LOW-LYING AREA. 
HOWEVER...AVOID DRAINAGE DITCHES OR OTHER AREAS SUBJECT TO FLOODING. 

IF YOU ARE BOATING...HEAD FOR SAFE HARBOR IF THREATENING WEATHER 
APPROACHES OR IF THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ISSUES A STATEMENT OR 
WARNING FOR YOUR LOCATION. MOOR YOUR BOAT AND MOVE INDOORS...OR
PROCEED TO YOUR LAUNCH AND RECOVER YOUR BOAT. IF YOU CANNOT GET TO A 
SAFE LOCATION...PREPARE FOR THE RAPID ONSET OF HAZARDOUS 
THUNDERSTORM CONDITIONS. MOST IMPORTANTLY...BE SURE EVERYONE ON YOUR 
BOAT WEARS AN APPROVED FLOTATION DEVICE. 

LIGHTNING SAFETY...

IF YOU CAN HEAR THUNDER YOU CAN BE STRUCK BY LIGHTNING. MOVE INSIDE. 
IF YOU CANNOT GET INDOORS...DO NOT SEEK SHELTER UNDER TALL OBJECTS 
SUCH AS TREES OR POWER POLES. 

DO NOT TAKE A BATH OR A SHOWER WHEN A THUNDERSTORM IS OCCURRING. 

FLASH FLOODING SAFETY...

WHEN DRIVING...ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT...NEVER CROSS A FLOODED ROADWAY 
SINCE IT WILL BE IMPOSSIBLE TO KNOW HOW DEEP THE WATER IS. A TORRENT 
OF WATER 18 INCHES DEEP EXERTS ENOUGH FORCE TO SWEEP AN AUTOMOBILE 
AWAY. SEEK AN ALTERNATE ROUTE. ALWAYS REMEMBER TO TURN 
AROUND...DON/T DROWN.

KNOW THE FLOOD RISK IN AREAS WHERE YOU LIVE...DRIVE AND WORK. BE 
PREPARED TO MOVE TO SAFETY QUICKLY IF A WARNING IS ISSUED FOR YOUR
AREA OR IF YOU OBSERVE RAPIDLY RISING WATER. 

YOU CAN REFER TO MORE DETAILED SAFETY TIPS AND OTHER SEVERE WEATHER 
RELATED INFORMATION AT READY.GOV... WEATHER.GOV/SAFETY AND 
REDCROSS.ORG. 

CHECK OUT ADDITIONAL SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK INFORMATION ON 
OUR WEB PAGE AT WWW/ERH.NOAA.GOV/CHS/...AS WELL ON FACEBOOK AT 
WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/US.NATIONALWEATHERSERVICE.CHARLESTONSC.GOV. YOU CAN 
ALSO FOLLOW @NWSCHARLESTONSC ON TWITTER.   

$$