Aside from last week’s headline hailstorm, when was the last time you saw a SoCal beach look like this? The National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) recently kicked off a “Weather Safety Spring” campaign across America and SoCal is no exception. Between the snowy shores of last Monday followed by the 80 degree temperatures that followed a few days later, we can’t be sure what to expect next. As stated by NOAA, “spring is three months of danger that can imperil the unprepared. It roars in like a lion and continues to roar across the United States throughout March, April and May.”
For the next three months various regions of the country will take specific preparedness measures that pertain to their greatest weather-related projected events. Residents on the east coast will continue shoveling their driveways and hope that they have seen the worst of this record-breaking winter. The Midwest will prepare for their inevitable seasonal tornadoes and here in SoCal we should be looking at all of the weather-related risks that pose a threat to this region of the country. What’s scary, however, is that although we by-and-large enjoy our year-round weather here we have experienced and are at risk for every common Springtime hazard cited by NOAA including tornadoes, floods, thunderstorm winds, hail, lightning, heat, wildfires, rip currents and tsunamis. Please visit the following website for helpful preparedness tips on these weather-related hazards and for more information on NOAA’s “Weather Safety Spring” campaign:
http://www.nws.noaa.gov/com/weatherreadynation/spring_safety.html#.VQDKFZ3n-ie
Even if you are not particularly worried about tornados in southern California you may have friends or relatives in the Midwest that you can remind about these seasonal risks. If so, talk to them about it. Be an agent for awareness and share your knowledge with others. You may be surprised just how little your friends or family members understand about personal preparedness. Maybe you travel to different parts of the country that do experience these hazards. Do you make this a regular piece of your trip planning? If not, it should be on your checklist along with the packing, airfare ticket, rental car reservation and hotel accommodations.
Lastly, with the time change occurring over the weekend it is that time of year again. If you haven’t already done so, test your smoke alarms and change out the batteries if necessary. Be sure to go through your disaster supplies as well, discard all expired items and replenish as necessary.
We encourage the community to partner with the UC Irvine Police Department to prevent or report crime by calling (949) 824-5223. If you wish to remain Anonymous, call “OC Crime Stoppers” by dialing 855-TIP-OCCS (855-847-6227), text "OCCS" plus your tip to CRIMES (274637), or use the website http://occrimestoppers.org/
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