Author: nelsonvillecity

THIS IS A TEST!! What would you do if a TORNADO struck right now? Join In The Statewide Tornado Drill

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http://youtu.be/7KDz6dGQ5RE

Statewide Tornado Drill

March 2-6 is Severe Weather Awareness Week in Ohio. Athens County Emergency Management Agency urges you to exercise your tornado safety plan during this Statewide Tornado Drill. Designing and exercising a tornado safety plan for your establishment and home will help you respond appropriately in a real event.

Here’s how to participate in the 2014 Tornado Drill:

  • Listen for the outdoor sirens or other warning system at 9:50 a.m. on Wednesday, March 5th.
  • Practice your safety plan — go to your designated tornado shelter.

Get Informed

Make a Plan

  • Know a safe place to shelter during tornadoes at work, home and school.
  • Keep extra emergency supplies on hand (battery-operated radio, food, water, medication).
  • Go online to Ready.Gov to learn how to make an emergency plan.

Get Involved

  • Exercise your tornado plan during the statewide drill.
  • If you can’t drill today, choose another date in March or April.

WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FOR ATHENS CO FROM 5AM SUN 3/2 TO 10AM MON 3/3, PREPARE FOR SEVERE WINTER WEATHER!

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Winter storm warning

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR FREEZING RAIN, SLEET TO SNOW, WHICH IS IN EFFECT FOR ATHENS COUNTY FROM 5 AM SUNDAY 3/2 TO 10 AM MONDAY 3/3. THE WINTER STORM WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT.

  • HAZARD TYPES – FREEZING RAIN, SLEET TO SNOW.
  • ICE ACCUMULATIONS – UP TO 0.50 INCHES.
  • SNOW ACCUMULATIONS – 4 TO 8 INCHES.
  • TIMING – STARTING SUNDAY MORNING, PEAKING SUNDAY NIGHT, THEN DIMINISHING ON MONDAY.
  • IMPACTS – UNTREATED SURFACES, INCLUDING BOTH ROADS AND WALKWAYS COULD BECOME HAZARDOUS. ICE AND OR WET SNOW CAN ACCUMULATE ON TREES AND POWER LINES, CAUSING POWER INTERRUPTIONS. THE MONDAY MORNING COMMUTE WILL LIKELY BE AFFECTED.
  • WINDS – NORTH 5 TO 10 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 20 MPH.
  • TEMPERATURES – IN THE MID 20S.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS:
A WINTER STORM WARNING MEANS SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF SNOW, SLEET AND ICE ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. STRONG WINDS ARE ALSO POSSIBLE.  THIS WILL MAKE TRAVEL VERY HAZARDOUS OR IMPOSSIBLE.

PLEASE REPORT SNOW, SLEET AND ICE ACCUMULATIONS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BY CALLING TOLL FREE, 800-401-9535, WHEN YOU CAN DO SO SAFELY. THIS PHONE NUMBER IS TO BE USED FOR REPORTING PURPOSES ONLY.

YOU CAN ALSO REPORT WINTER WEATHER BY POSTING YOUR REPORT TO THE CHARLESTON WEST VIRGINIA NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FACEBOOK PAGE OR BY USING THE TWITTER HASHTAG, #NWSRLX.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR FAVORITE SOURCE OF WEATHER INFORMATION FOR THE LATEST UPDATES.  ADDITIONAL DETAILS CAN ALSO BE FOUND AT WWW.WEATHER.GOV/RLX.

Nelsonville boil order for Short Street, Kontner Street and Mill Street until further notice.

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Nelso Boil Order

The City of Nelsonville has issued a boil order for the following areas until further notice due to a water line repair. A boil order has been issued for Short Street, Kontner Street and Mill Street.

Boil orders are put into place as a result of broken water lines or local flooding. When this happens, the drinking water may have been contaminated which can cause many illnesses.

Here are some tips to keep in mind, should you find yourself in this situation:
• Bring water to a full boil, and boil for three minutes prior to use.
• Use only boiled water for drinking, preparing food or baby formula.
• To improve the flat taste of boiled water, keep cold in refrigerator.
• Put a cup over your faucets as a reminder to not use tap water – not even to brush your teeth!
• Instead of boiling water, you can disinfect water by adding one teaspoon unscented chlorine laundry bleach for every five gallons of water. Let stand 30 minutes before using.
• Be sure to use sanitized food grade containers for storing water.
• To disinfect water storage containers, pour a solution of one tablespoon of unscented chlorine bleach to a gallon of water into a container. Let the solution remain in the container for 10 minutes, then pour out the solution. Rinse with purified water.
• Boiled or disinfected water can be stored for six months.
• Dispose of ice cubes.
• When washing dishes, make sure to sterilize dishes with a final dip in water that has one teaspoon of unscented household bleach per gallon of water. Disposable tableware is an option during a boil order.
• It is also recommend you sanitize hands when washing. Again use one teaspoon of unscented household bleach per gallon of water and rinse hand frequently by pouring rinse over the hands. Use paper towels to dry.
• Water for bathing doesn’t need to be boiled. Supervise children to avoid water being ingested.

Athens County Emergency Warning Sirens will be tested March 5th at 9:50AM as part of the State Wide Tornado Drill

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Siren Test

The outdoor emergency warning sirens in Nelsonville, The Plains and New Marshfield will be tested at 9:50AM on Wednesday, March 5, 2014, with a one minute sounding of the sirens. Local residents are asked not to call local emergency agencies inquiring why the sirens are sounding.

The outdoor warning siren system is normally tested on the first Wednesday of every month at 12:00 p.m. The March test is at 9:50AM as part of the statewide tornado drill.  The monthly test will be cancelled if severe weather is threatening. If severe weather cancels the test it will be postponed until the next month.  There are three conditions that result in the warning sirens being activated in Athens County.

1. Severe Weather

  •  When the National Weather Service initiates a Tornado Warning for an area that includes areas of Athens County.
  •  When the National Weather Service initiates a Severe Thunderstorm Warning (winds 58+ mph, large hail, severe lightening and heavy rains), for an area that includes areas of Athens County.

2. When there is an actual enemy or terrorist attack against the United States has been detected and is threatening areas of Athens County and protective action should be taken immediately.

3. When a public safety emergency occurs the sirens will be used to alert the public of emergencies such as hazardous materials incidents and civil disturbances.

When the outdoor warning sirens are sounded for an emergency they will be activated for five minutes. When you hear the warning sirens you should do the following;

  1. DO NOT CALL 9-1-1 to ask why the sirens are sounding as this can overload the 9-1-1 emergency response system.
  2. Remember, outdoor warning sirens are just that, out-door warning. The sirens are meant to be heard outside to signal you to go indoors and tune your radio or television station to the local Emergency Alert System (EAS) Station. As homes continue to become more energy efficient and sound proofing enhanced, outdoor warning sirens that once could be heard decades ago inside of a home can no longer be heard. That’s why other means of warning are in place.
  3. Go immediately to a safe area in your home or building, if high winds, severe thunder and lightning are present.
  4. If you are outside away from possible shelter, lie flat on the ground away from trees until the storm passes. If in a vehicle, get out and find a more substantial structure.
  5. Carry a battery operated radio or NOAA all hazard alert radio to your safe area. You will know when the storm or emergency has passed and when it is clear to leave your safe area.
  6. The Athens County SIRENS DO NOT identify specific types of storms or emergencies, therefore you should immediately seek shelter and tune to local television or radio for further information.

Alert Athens County Mass Notification System Test Wed, 3/5 at 9:50AM as part of State Wide Tornado Drill

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Alert Athens Co

Athens County Emergency Management Agency and Athens County 9-1-1 Emergency Communications will be testing the Alert Athens County emergency messaging system across Athens County on Wednesday, March 5th at 9:50AM as part of the Ohio state wide tornado drill.  All test messages will be clearly designated by the phrase, “THIS IS ONLY A TEST”.

Alert Athens County messages can be delivered by email, SMS/text message, over the World Wide Web and by calling your home telephone or cell phone directly. Notifications may include: Road Closings, Boil Orders, Hazardous Weather Warnings and various other emergency and community notices.

All wired telephones in the county are automatically entered into the system.  But to receive messages on your cell phone or by Email you must register with Alert Athens County.  Register now and learn more at http://www.athensema.org.  Alert Athens County is built exclusively to provide secure and reliable communications. Its authenticated service connects city and county agencies to citizens in real-time, delivering information to residents of geographically targeted areas and neighborhoods.

WINTER STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FOR ATHENS CO FROM 1PM, SUN 3/2 THROUGH 4PM, MON 3/3.

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Winter storm watch

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM WATCH, WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 1PM SUNDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH 4PM MONDAY AFTERNOON.

HAZARD TYPES – FREEZING RAIN, SLEET AND EVENTUALLY SNOW.

ACCUMULATIONS – THE POSSIBILITY OF MORE THAN A QUARTER INCH OF ICE FROM FREEZING RAIN AND/OR THE POSSIBILITY OF 4 INCHES OR MORE OF SNOW AND SLEET.

TIMING – STARTING SUNDAY AFTERNOON, PEAKING LATE SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY MORNING, THEN DIMINISHING MONDAY AFTERNOON.

IMPACTS – UNTREATED SURFACES COULD BECOME HAZARDOUS. ICE AND OR WET SNOW COULD ACCUMULATE ON TREES AND POWER LINES, CAUSING POWER INTERRUPTIONS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS:
A WINTER STORM WATCH MEANS THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR SIGNIFICANT SNOW, SLEET OR ICE ACCUMULATIONS THAT MAY IMPACT TRAVEL.

IF THE THREAT OF SEVERE WINTER WEATHER INCREASES, A WARNING WOULD BE POSTED FOR THE MOST VULNERABLE COUNTIES. MONITOR THE LATEST FORECASTS THROUGHOUT THE WEEKEND.