Is Your Family Ready if Severe Weather Should Strike?

4/14/2022 (Permalink)

Springtime marks the beginning of the severe weather season in Minnesota. Are you prepared?

Are You Ready if Severe Weather Should Strike?

Every April in Minnesota, the National Weather Service in collaboration with the Minnesota Department of Public Safety and its division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (HSEM) sponsor a Severe Weather Safety Awareness program. 

Why do we need to worry about severe weather?

• According to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Minnesota experiences an average of 29 tornadoes per year. In 2021, Minnesota recorded 64 tornadoes, including 22 on December 15 alone, which were the latest reported tornadoes on record. A record was set in 2010 with 113 tornadoes touching down across the state. (Information provided by HSEM Weather Safety website.
• Along with tornadoes, spring time in Minnesota is prime time for severe thunderstorms. These thunderstorms can bring with them lightening, hail, straight line winds, and flooding.

How can you prepare for severe weather?

• Have a family emergency plan.
• Make an emergency supply kit.
• Stay informed.

The HSEM Weather Safety website is an excellent resource for making sure you are ready should severe weather hit. This website provides resources on how to prepare for an emergency and what steps you should take to keep you and your family safe.

SERVPRO of Brainerd and Park Rapids has available a Home Emergency Booklet to guide you through developing your family emergency plan. The booklet covers:

• Disaster Preparedness - What You Can Do
• Family Communication Plan
• Emergency Supply Kit Checklist
• Home Evacuation Plan
• Emergency Fire Damage Tips
• Emergency Water Damage Tips (clean water - only)
• Home Contents Claim Inventory

If you should suffer damage from severe weather, don't forget: SERVPRO is faster to any size disaster! Our website will walk you through the steps you need to take to get your home back to looking like the storm damage never happened.