Lowndes Co. EMA director urges preparation during Severe Weather Preparedness Week

LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – From the Gulf Coast to the Delta, the state of Mississippi is prone to severe weather.

Several counties in our viewing area are still recovering from the winter storm that left many homes damaged and without power.

February 8 through February 14 is severe weather preparedness week in Mississippi.

Lowndes County Emergency Management Director Cindy Lawrence has seen severe storms rip through the area. One that stands out to her was a storm in February of 2019 that hit the area of Columbus where she grew up.

“You know, to actually go to the area that morning and see the devastation there, and I knew so many of the elderly people that lived in the area that it was almost gut-wrenching to actually walk there,” Lawrence said.

She says the community stepped up to help neighbors get through this tough time, which she is thankful for.

Lawrence says in the 26 years she’s been with Lowndes County, the majority of severe weather has come in the form of tornadoes and flooding.

Even though it’s only February, Lawrence says Lowndes County has been hit with severe tornadoes during the month of February in 2001 and 2019.

Preparedness starts with information. To get started, she says get a NOAA weather radio, download weather apps, and plan for where you’re going to go in your home, work, or school.

She says residents should practice their plan this week.

Preparation helps reduce fatalities, injuries, and panic.

“Know the difference between a warning and a watch,” Lawrence said. “A watch could be simply like it is today. It’s overcast outside, cloudy, and there is a potential for anything. A warning means it’s here. It’s in Lowndes County. It’s been spotted by radar or has been spotted by a physical eye, and that is when we activate our sirens.”

When it comes to preparation, Lawrence says some people need to take extra precautions.

“Especially if you are a person who uses medical equipment. One thing I think they need to make sure to do is make sure the batteries for their portables are charged up,” Lawrence said. “A lot of times people call us during severe weather events saying, ‘my oxygen machine is not working because the power is out, I don’t know how to switch to the portable, or the batteries are dead.’ So, we try to tell people constantly to keep the portable batteries charged up in the event you have to switch over, it is ready for you.”

Lawrence says to also make a plan for if you lose cell service or power and know where you’re going

“I just want every resident to know that you need to be prepared for any event to happen in Lowndes County, especially when it comes to severe weather,” Lawrence said. “Lowndes County is prone to tornadoes and flooding. Especially tornadoes, and they have been devastating. So we’re telling people to please take precautions at all times.”

Lowndes County does a monthly test of its sirens on the first Wednesday of the month at 10 a.m.

This month, due to overcast skies, they will delay the test until Feb. 12 at 9:15 a.m.

For a full list of shelters in our viewing area, click here or contact your local EMA office.

For a list of shelters in Lowndes County, click here.