February 29, 2016

Think about emergencies that affect Philadelphia residents and businesses.

Most likely you’ve thought of the more common emergencies that we face in the city; flooding and fires.

A weather event last week served as a reminder that we must be knowledgeable and aware of all types of emergencies.

On  Wednesday, February 24th, The National Weather Service issued a Tornado Watch for Southeastern Pennsylvania (including Philadelphia), Southern New Jersey, and Northern Delaware.

That night, an EF2 tornado touched down near White Horse, Lancaster County, just 55 miles west of Philadelphia.  With winds measuring 120-125 MPH, the tornado caused widespread damage to anything in its path.

To bring awareness that tornadoes do occur in every state and not just “Tornado Alley” in central United States, FEMA’s public information arm, Ready.gov, is hosting a webchat today at 2 p.m. EST on its Twitter page, @Readygov (using the hashtag #TornadoSafety).

 

Here are some things you can do to keep you and your family safe:

  • Communication is key in any emergency. Last Wednesday, Philadelphia Office of Emergency Management’s mass notification system, ReadyPhiladelphia, alerted over 17,300 people that the National Weather Service issued a Tornado Watch. Those who enrolled in ReadyPhiladelphia received e-mails, phone alerts or calls shortly after the NWS  issued the watch at 3:30 p.m. If you’re not signed up, do so by going to our ReadyPhiladelphia page.
  • Be prepared. Make a Go-Bag, have an emergency plan, document important family information, and know where to go and what to do.

Know the terms. Know the difference. Know what to do:

Tornado Watch: Be prepared, a tornado is possible.

  • Check for forecast updates
  • Monitor sky conditions
  • Know where to take shelter

Tornado Warning: Take action, a tornado is imminent.

  • Take shelter immediately
  •  See further information
  • Check for forecast updates

Be aware of the power and potential for damage by knowing the F Scale for tornado damage.

The enhanced Fujita Scale Classifies tornadoes into the following categories:

EF0…WIND SPEEDS 65 TO 85 MPH.

EF1…WIND SPEEDS 86 TO 110 MPH.

EF2…WIND SPEEDS 111 TO 135 MPH.

EF3…WIND SPEEDS 136 TO 165 MPH.

EF4…WIND SPEEDS 166 TO 200 MPH.

EF5…WIND SPEEDS GREATER THAN 200 MPH.

 

An easy,  essential way to be prepared is to stay informed. Get emergency alerts from OEM’s ReadyPhiladelphia program sent to your phone or email to keep you informed prior to and during an emergency. Also, look for PhilaOEM on Twitter and Facebook.