Thunderstorms, floods and tornadoes are all possible in Johnson County, Kansas, at this time of year. Planning for how to maintain and protect your health in a natural disaster or emergency is an important but often overlooked part of the preparedness process.

“People who prepare for emergencies can better withstand, adapt to, and recover from adversity which makes our communities more resilient,” says Charlie Hunt, director of the Johnson County Department of Health and Environment.

JCDHE’s Public Health Emergency Preparedness program recommends the following to protect your health during severe weather season:

• If you live with a chronic disease and take daily medication, make sure you have a two-week supply of prescription medications. Have a cooler and chemical ice packs to chill medicines that need to be refrigerated.
• Collect and protect important paperwork, including insurance cards, medical records, personal identification and emergency action plans.
• If you don’t own a personal vehicle, learn how to access public transportation in your area if you need to evacuate. Reach out to neighbors and get their contact information in case you need assistance. Use social media to connect with others in your neighborhood or faith-based community.
• Always communicate plans with family members and show them where the emergency supplies are stored and where to shelter. Make sure they know how to turn off the water, gas and electricity where you live.
• Plan and practice how you will stay healthy, informed, calm and connected during an emergency so when severe weather strikes, you’ll be ready.

Have multiple ways to receive information about severe weather affecting you:

• Johnson County has over 190 outdoor warning sirens placed strategically throughout the county as an early warning device to alert residents who are outdoors to take shelter and seek additional information.
• Sign up to receive free NotifyJoCo emergency alerts and messages from Johnson County, cities, and participating public utilities at notifyjoco.org.
• NOAA All-Hazards weather radios can be purchased online or at local retailers. Radios can be programmed to your specific county and come equipped with a special alert tone.
• Identify your trusted news sources before severe weather occurs, whether that’s television or radio.
• Follow official sources on social media like Johnson County, KS Emergency Management, US National Weather Service Kansas City, Missouri, and local media to stay informed on changing weather conditions.

Johnson County Emergency Preparedness

As you take steps to get prepared and stay informed, Johnson County works to continuously improve plans, policies, and procedures for how we respond to incidents in the county.

Outdoor warning sirens are regularly tested once a month to ensure they’re operating within specific parameters for proper notification. Johnson County Emergency Management also works with over 50 certified Storm Spotters and Amateur Radio Operators in response to severe weather, also known as Johnson County Emergency Communications Service. Johnson County utilizes this group 10-15 times a year during severe weather to be the eyes and ears on the ground verifying what is occurring. This highly trained group conducts multiple trainings and exercises throughout the year and can assist Johnson County Emergency Management in numerous ways besides severe weather.

“This group trains extensively, including online courses and in-person training events, and gets utilized throughout the year during severe weather events. They provide Johnson County and the National Weather Service integral information before, during, and after those events. The service they provide is irreplaceable to our operations and keeping Johnson County informed,” adds Trent Pittman, assistant director of operations of Johnson County Emergency Management.

Stay informed about severe weather, emergency preparedness, and more at jocogov.org/EM. If you are interested in finding out more about storm spotting in Johnson County, visit k0ecs.org.