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CTZ005>012-NJZ002>006-011-NYZ067>081-282359-

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE UPTON NY
600 AM EDT SAT MAY 3 2008

...THIS IS SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK...

TODAY MARKS THE END OF SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK.

HERE IS A QUICK REVIEW OF THE IMPORTANT POINTS MADE THIS WEEK. 

OVER THE LAST 20 YEARS...SEVERE WEATHER HAS KILLED 108 PEOPLE IN NEW 
YORK...INCLUDING 48 PEOPLE DUE TO FLOODING...15 DUE TO 
TORNADOES...32 DUE TO DAMAGING THUNDERSTORM WINDS AND 13 FROM 
LIGHTNING. IN ADDITION...SEVERE WEATHER HAS CAUSED OVER THREE 
QUARTERS OF A BILLION DOLLARS IN DAMAGE. ON AVERAGE...THE NATIONAL 
WEATHER SERVICE ISSUES 400 SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNINGS...17 TORNADO 
WARNINGS AND ABOUT 150 FLASH FLOOD WARNINGS EACH YEAR FOR NEW YORK 
STATE. 

PLAN NOW TO KEEP SAFE DURING SEVERE WEATHER. 

BEFORE A STORM...DEVELOP A PLAN FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY AT HOME 
...SCHOOL... WORK...AND WHEN OUTDOORS. IDENTIFY A SAFE PLACE TO TAKE 
SHELTER. CONDUCT FREQUENT DRILLS. KNOW WHAT ACTION YOU WILL TAKE 
WHEN A WARNING IS ISSUED. KNOW WHERE YOU LIVE. THE NATIONAL WEATHER 
SERVICE ISSUES WARNINGS BASED ON A SPECIFIC STORM'S MOVEMENT. KNOW 
WHERE TO TUNE TO RECEIVE THE LATEST WEATHER INFORMATION. 

DURING SEVERE WEATHER...POSTPONE OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES IF THUNDERSTORMS 
ARE IMMINENT. MOVE TO A STURDY BUILDING OR CAR. STAY AWAY FROM TALL 
OBJECTS SUCH AS TOWERS...ISOLATED TREES AND TELEPHONE POLES. IF 
CAUGHT OUTDOORS...FIND A LOW SPOT. MAKE SURE YOUR CHOICE IS NOT 
SUSCEPTIBLE TO FLOODING. IF IN THE WOODS...TAKE SHELTER UNDER 
SMALLER TREES. IF YOU ARE BOATING OR SWIMMING...SEEK SHELTER ON LAND 
IMMEDIATELY. 

IF A TORNADO WARNING IS ISSUED...MOVE TO A PRE DESIGNATED PLACE OF  
SAFETY...PREFERABLY A BASEMENT OR INTERIOR ROOM. STAY AWAY FROM 
WINDOWS. GET AS LOW TO THE GROUND AS POSSIBLE. COVER YOUR HEAD. IF 
CAUGHT OUTDOORS AND A TORNADO THREATENS ...LIE FLAT IN A DITCH OR 
DEPRESSION AND COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS. BE AWARE OF FLYING 
DEBRIS. FLYING DEBRIS CAUSES MOST FATALITIES AND INJURIES DURING A 
TORNADO. MOBILE HOMES OFFER LITTLE PROTECTION FROM A TORNADO. 
EVACUATE YOUR MOBILE HOME AND MOVE TO YOUR DESIGNATED PLACE OF 
SAFETY.

FLASH FLOODING CAN BE DEADLY. NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF  
WATER. ALMOST HALF OF ALL FLASH FLOOD RELATED DEATHS OCCUR IN 
AUTOMOBILES. TWO FEET OF FLOWING WATER WILL CAUSE MOST CARS TO 
FLOAT...SMALLER CARS WILL FLOAT IN LESS WATER. FLOODING HAZARDS ARE 
INCREASED AT NIGHT WHEN VISIBILITY IS REDUCED. THE NATIONAL WEATHER 
SERVICE URGES YOU TO RESPECT ALL BARRIERS THAT WARN OF FLOODED 
ROADS. TURN AROUND ...DON'T DROWN. 

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ISSUES SEVERE WEATHER WATCHES AND  
WARNINGS. A WATCH MEANS THAT SEVERE WEATHER...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS
...TORNADOES OR FLASH FLOODING IS POSSIBLE. YOU SHOULD ALREADY KNOW 
WHAT TO DO IF A WARNING IS ISSUED. A WARNING MEANS THAT SEVERE 
WEATHER IS IMMINENT OR OCCURRING. WHEN ANY SEVERE WEATHER 
WARNING...IS ISSUED...TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION TO PROTECT YOUR LIFE. 

TAKING STEPS NOW TO PREPARE FOR SEVERE WEATHER WILL HELP KEEP YOU  
AND YOUR FAMILY SAFE SHOULD FLOODING THREATEN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS...VISIT OUR WEB 
PAGE. TODAY CONCLUDES SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK. 

$$