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 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 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 [...]
Posted in Severe Weather Preparation on Jan 2nd, 2013
It’s hard to believe that 2013 is already here. As many of us are deciding on resolutions we’d like to make for the New Year, I encourage you to add emergency preparedness to your list. Other resolutions may seem more pressing – losing weight, starting an exercise routine, reducing your stress – but making the [...]
Posted in Ready GA Podcast, Severe Weather Preparation on Dec 20th, 2012
Santiago Marquez, Vice President and COO of the Georgia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, encourages Georgia’s Hispanic community to get prepared in 2013. He also encourages Georgia’s growing Hispanic entrepreneurial community to prepare a business continuity plan. Click the first podcast below to listen in Spanish and the second to listen in English. In addition, you can [...]
Posted in Severe Weather Preparation on Dec 17th, 2012
There are only a few weeks left in 2012, and we’re happy to report that many Georgians are more prepared for emergencies than they were at the beginning of the year. Our survey results show that nearly three quarters of residents are at least somewhat prepared for a large-scale disaster. In the past 50 weeks, [...]
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.
