FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FOR ATHENS CO FROM 7AM, THU 12/5 TO 7AM, SAT 12/7, WATCH FOR CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS

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Flood Watch

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A FLOOD WATCH FOR SOUTHEAST OHIO INCLUDING ATHENS COUNTY FROM 7PM THURSDAY 12/5 THROUGH 7AM SATURDAY 12/7.

A FRONTAL SYSTEM WILL MOVE OVER THE REGION DURING THE DAY ON THURSDAY AND STALL. WARM MOIST AIR AHEAD OF THIS SYSTEM, COUPLED WITH SEVERAL WAVES OF LOW PRESSURE RIDING UP AND ALONG THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY WILL CAUSE PROLONG PERIODS OF RAIN, SOME OF WHICH COULD BE HEAVY. RAIN SHOULD DIMINISH SATURDAY MORNING.

RAIN AMOUNTS ARE EXPECTED TO BE BETWEEN 2 AND 3 INCHES OVER MUCH OF THE WATCH AREA.

WITH THESE RAIN AMOUNTS, SMALL STREAMS AND CREEKS COULD HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO FLOOD WHICH IN TURN COULD CAUSE SIGNIFICANT RISES ON RIVERS. THIS WATCH INCLUDES THE HOCKING RIVER BASIN.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS;

A FLOOD WATCH MEANS THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR FLOODING BASED ON CURRENT FORECASTS.  YOU SHOULD MONITOR LATER FORECASTS AND BE ALERT FOR POSSIBLE FLOOD WARNINGS. THOSE LIVING ALONG FLOOD PRONE CREEKS AND RIVERS SHOULD BE PREPARED TO TAKE ACTION SHOULD FLOODING DEVELOP.

Nelsonville Firefighters annual Breakfast Buffet Sat, 12/7, Elks Lodge on Hocking St. Breakfast served 7AM to 12 noon

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breakfast_buffet

The Nelsonville Volunteer Firefighters will be holding their annual Breakfast Buffet on Saturday, December 7, 2013.  The breakfast will be held at the Nelsonville Elks Lodge located on Hocking Street, in Nelsonville.  Breakfast will be served from 7:00 a.m. until 12:00 noon.  The price for breakfast is $5.00 for children 12 and under and $7.00 for adults.

This year’s menu will include;

Sausage Gravy & Biscuits

Pancakes

French toast

Link Sausage

Bacon

Scrambled Eggs

Hash Brown Potatoes

Cereal

Mixed Fruit

Beverages

 

The breakfast is being held in conjunction with the North Pole Nelsonville Christmas celebration.  The public is encouraged to come out and eat a good breakfast before enjoying their day long activities in Nelsonville.

Outdoor emergency warning sirens in Nelsonville and The Plains will be tested at 12 noon, Wed 12/4/13

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Siren Test 

The outdoor emergency warning sirens in Nelsonville and The Plains will be tested at 12 noon on Wednesday, December 4, 2013, 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 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

a)     When the National Weather Service initiates a Tornado Warning for an area that includes areas of Athens County.

b)     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;

DO NOT CALL 9-1-1 to ask why the sirens are sounding as this can overload the 9-1-1 emergency response system.

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.

Go immediately to a safe area in your home or building, if high winds, severe thunder and lightning are present.

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.

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.

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.

10 Safety Tips For BLACK FRIDAY Shoppers!!!

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Black Friday Safety

You need a personal safety and security plan to keep criminals at bay and you from seeing red.

This year many shoppers will be out early to find those big bargains on Black Friday or online for Cyber Monday, but the criminals will be out too. Here are 10 great tips to help you shop safely while getting those great holiday bargains throughout the shopping season.

1.Do not buy more than you can carry. Plan ahead by taking a friend with you or ask a store employee to help you carry your packages to the car.

2.Shop online with companies you know and trust. Check a company’s background if you are not familiar with it. Remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it usually is.

3.Save all receipts. Print and save all confirmations from your online purchases.   Start a file folder to keep all receipts together and to help you verify credit  card or bank statements as they come in.

4.Consider alternate options to pay for your merchandise, such as onetime or multiuse disposable credit cards or money orders, at online stores and auction sites.

5.Wait until asked before taking out your credit card or checkbook. An enterprising thief would love to shoulder surf to get your account information.

6.Deter pickpockets. Carry your purse close to your body or your wallet inside a coat or front trouser pocket.

7.Have your keys in hand when approaching your vehicle. Check the back seat and around the car before getting in.

8.Do not leave packages visible in your car windows. Lock them in the trunk or, if possible, take them directly home.

9.Tell a security guard or store employee if you see an unattended bag or package. The same applies if you are using mass transit.

10.If you are shopping with children, make a plan in case you get separated. Select a central meeting place and make sure they know they can ask mall personnel or store security employees if they need help.

Athens County Feels Tremors from 3.5 Magnitude Earthquake

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The United States Geological Survey has confirmed that Athens County has experienced an earthquake.  At 12:59:40 PM an earth quake registering a magnitude of 3.5 was recorded 4 kilometers ESE of Nelsonville.  Athens County 9-1-1 has received numerous calls from around the county reporting the event but no damage has been reported at this time.  Do not call public safety telephone numbers about the event unless you are report damages.

An earthquake in Ohio??  Yes, Ohio is in a seismic zone.  According to the Ohio Seismic Network, “Southeastern Ohio has been the site of many earthquakes since 1776. The 1776 event, recorded by a Moravian missionary, has a very uncertain location. Earthquakes in 1901 near Portsmouth (Scioto County), in 1926 near Pomeroy (Meigs County), and in 1952 near Crooksville (Perry County) caused minor to moderate damage.”

This is a good reminder to be prepared for any type of disaster. Every spring and fall the county experiences flooding.  Winter brings an assortment of events that can affect our county in a dramatic way.  We need to be prepared at any time to take care of ourselves and family.  Get a kit, make a plan, be informed!!

GET A KIT – You may need to survive on your own after an emergency. This means having your own food, water, and other supplies in sufficient quantity to last for at least three days. Local officials and relief workers will be on the scene after a disaster, but they cannot reach everyone immediately. You could get help in hours, or it might take days. In addition, basic services such as electricity, gas, water, sewage treatment, and telephones may be cut off for days, or even a week or longer.

MAKE A PLAN – Your family may not be together when disaster strikes, so it is important to plan in advance: how you will contact one another; how you will get back together; and what you will do in different situations.

BE INFORMED – Learn more about the potential emergencies that could happen where you live and the appropriate way to respond to them.   In addition, learn about the emergency plans that have been established in your area by your state and local government.

Emergency preparedness is no longer the sole concern of earthquake prone Californians and those who live in the part of the country known as “Tornado Alley.” For Americans, preparedness must now account for man-made disasters as well as natural ones. Knowing what to do during an emergency is an important part of being prepared and may make all the difference when seconds count.

More emergency preparedness information is available by contacting the Athens County Emergency Management Agency at (740) 594-2261 or on the internet at http://www.athenscountyema.org.

Additional information is available at;
http://www.ema.ohio.gov
http://www.ready.gov
http://www.fema.gov