Do you have a plan in place for when severe weather hits? Knowing what to do before, during, and after an emergency can make all the difference when seconds count. The spring and summer months bring the potential for severe weather such as thunder and lightning storms, flooding/flash flooding from heavy rains, tornadoes, and extreme heat. Severe Weather Awareness Week is March 19-25, and is a great time to prepare severe weather plans with your family.
How Can Citizens Prepare for a Disaster?
We encourage Hudson citizens and businesses to "prepare, plan, and stay informed."
Sign Up For All Emergency Notifications
It is equally important to ensure you will be notified of severe weather before it hits. Review the recommended communication methods below to make sure you will be informed in the event of severe weather, local emergencies, and disasters.
- CodeRED. When activated, the CodeRED system automatically calls and/or texts emergency messages to residents (set your notification preferences when you sign up). All landline phones in the 911 system are automatically added to CodeRED, but it is important to register your cell phone number as these are NOT automatically added. After registering, you will receive emergency alerts for tornado warnings, Amber Alerts, boil water messages, emergency evacuations, crime alerts, and other critical information as needed and determined by our emergency staff (safety forces, City Manager, etc.). Enroll in CodeRED by texting HUDSON to 99411 or visiting the CodeRED website.
- Social Media. Twitter, Facebook, and NextDoor are the primary social media sources for the City’s emergency information. Make sure you are following the City's accounts and checking them for info.
- Notify Me Alert System. Sign up on the City’s website for text and/or email alerts sent from the website (see Alert Center category and sign up for Emergency Alerts). These alerts will also appear as a banner on every page of the City’s website. Ongoing updates during emergency situations also will be posted here. This is a good place to check after receiving a CodeRED alert for a list of updates in one spot.
- While signing up for the above alert systems is important, it is also essential to have several forms of notifications set up for severe weather so you can monitor the weather on your own. In some cases, severe weather may pop up so quickly that we do not have time to activate CodeRED before the weather hits. Here are some things we recommend:
- FEMA App. The FEMA app allows you to receive alerts straight from the National Weather Service for up to five locations. In addition, you can set up safety reminders; read tips to survive national disasters; customize your emergency checklist; locate open shelters and where to talk to FEMA in person (or on the phone); and upload and share your disaster photos to help first responders. Download the app here.
- A battery-powered weather radio is recommended to have on hand.
- Monitor local radio and TV stations.
Each notification method above is just one tool in the toolbox - it's best to have a variety set up and on hand to ensure you will be thoroughly notified and informed when there's an emergency.
Learn more at https://www.weather.gov/cle/SevereWeatherAwarenessWeek.
