Posted in Severe Weather Preparation on Apr 26th, 2013
When you see pictures in the news after a disaster like Hurricane Sandy, many of the images show people lined up to receive food, shelter or medical care. While our eyes naturally focus on the victims, today we’re taking a few minutes to focus on the people helping them, many of whom are volunteers. In [...]
Posted in Severe Weather Preparation on Apr 11th, 2013
A disaster can bring normal, everyday life to a screeching halt. The emotional stress of having to pick up the pieces and carry on is hard enough, but it’s even worse when you factor in the financial issues that often accompany a disaster. Gov. Deal has proclaimed April as National Financial Literacy Month. One of [...]
Posted in Severe Weather Preparation on Mar 28th, 2013
March 20 marked the official beginning of spring, and you know what that means… spring cleaning! If you’re like most Georgians, you are prepping for some serious scrubbing, dusting and de-cluttering. This year, consider adding a new item to the to-do list: making sure your home is prepared for emergencies. When is the last time [...]
Posted in Severe Weather Preparation on Mar 13th, 2013
May 21, 2011, was a beautiful Saturday in Joplin, Missouri. Families were hosting barbecues. Tabatha and Aaron Garbet were getting married. Missouri Southern State University’s class of 2011 were getting their diplomas. Tragically, just 24 hours later, the small town would be devastated by an EF-5 tornado that killed 158 people, making it the seventh [...]
Posted in Severe Weather Preparation on Feb 8th, 2013
Floods may not seem that dangerous, but anyone who lived through the severe North Georgia floods in September 2009 understands why they are such a threat. In fact, flooding is the No. 1 severe weather-related killer in the U.S. and No. 2 in Georgia. Today is Flood Safety Day, and just like every other day [...]
Posted in Severe Weather Preparation on Feb 7th, 2013
In spite of how common lightning is in Georgia, it’s sometimes difficult to keep our lightning facts straight. Do you go under cover or lie flat on the ground? Can lightning strike you on the phone? And how do you know when it’s time to go indoors? There are a lot of myths about lightning, [...]
Posted in Severe Weather Preparation on Feb 6th, 2013
In spring 2011, a series of tornadoes struck Georgia, killing 15 people and injuring 143 across the state. In March 2012, the state was pummeled by eight tornadoes resulting in $12.6 million in property damage. And when more than 50 tornadoes wreaked havoc statewide in 2009, Georgia landed in the top five states nationwide for [...]
Posted in Severe Weather Preparation on Feb 5th, 2013
When you see the dark, ominous clouds typical of a thunderstorm blowing in, do you know what to do? Thunderstorms are so common that many Georgians don’t take warnings seriously enough and don’t realize the damage that can ensue. We all know that thunder can’t actually hurt you. But think of the booming noise as [...]
Posted in Severe Weather Preparation on Feb 4th, 2013
Are you weather aware? If not, now is the time. Governor Nathan Deal has declared Feb. 4-8 as Severe Weather Awareness Week in Georgia. Each day this week, Ready Georgia will encourage you to take one or two simple steps that will make sure you are ready to weather whatever Mother Nature throws at us. [...]
Posted in Severe Weather Preparation on Jan 16th, 2013
Are you smarter than a fifth grader? See how your preparedness IQ stacks up by answering these questions (correct answers are at the bottom of the post): You and your parent are driving home from school in a heavy rain. You see that the road ahead of you is covered in water. What do you [...]
Charley English
GEMA and Homeland
Security Director
Charley English was sworn in by Governor Nathan Deal as GEMA/Homeland Security Director in January 2011. He has served in the agency since 1996. Director English oversees all state governmental actions designed to ensure mitigation and preparedness, appropriate response and timely recovery from natural and man-made hazards which may impact the state of Georgia. During his career, Director English was a member of the G8 Summit security planning team and has coordinated the state’s response to nine presidentially declared disasters and numerous states of emergency declared by the Governor.
