Tornado season is typically June through October for the Midwest states but tornados can, and have, struck in Iowa in every month of the year. Storms in Iowa can develop suddenly and move with great speed.
Hurricane season has also arrived and it usually lasts from June through November. We have already had our first named storm—Alberto, a sub-tropical storm—that brought heavy rain to the Gulf Coast, the Florida Keys, Alabama and Mississippi. Rain and wind from Alberto reached all the way to the Great Lakes.
Now is the time to take a few minutes and Get Prepared!
While there is no way to prepare for everything that could potentially happen to or around you, our suggestion is to spend some time thinking and talking about what you need to do for yourself and your family and make a plan from there.
We do not want to frighten anyone, BUT, all the predictions from the national Weather Service have stronger and more severe weather in our forecast for spring and summer 2018 so it is best to get prepared now.
HAVE A PLAN
Have a plan for where you can take shelter. This is a good policy for anywhere you go. Look around and find the best place for shelter and to exit, if needed. Make sure everyone in your home, office, church, school, ball-team—everyone—knows where to shelter.
MAKE A KIT
At home, have some items in your “safe place” for when you need to shelter.
Click for a list of things to have available or contact
[email protected]for a copy to be sent to you.
Have a “GO BAG” for every member of your family. A backpack or other small bag ready with some essential items for if you need to leave your home suddenly, you also could leave these in the family vehicle.
KNOW WHEN TO ACT
Know the difference between a WATCH – (conditions are favorable for a tornado to form) and a WARNING (A tornado or severe storm is in your area! – Take Cover) A good way to remember the difference is that Warning has an “R” in it, that means RUN. More information and weather conditions flyer
here.
Pay attention to the weather and what the forecast will be. Every local television station in Iowa has a free “Weather App” for your smart phone and there are many services that will alert you if a storm is nearing your location.
If your home, community or church have been effected by storms (tornado, rain, wind, flood) The Iowa Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church has resources to help. Each district has a Disaster Response Coordinator (a list of coordinators follows) or contact your
District Office.
Please keep all those who have been impacted by storms in your prayers.
IAUMC Disaster Response Coordinator
District Disaster Response Coordinators
- Southwest – Vicki Wedemeyer-Shriver, 712-249-6703, [email protected]
- North Central – Paul Evans, 712-490-9693, [email protected]
- Central – Bill Gibbons, 515-725-0335, [email protected]
- South Central – Sharoll and Hal Edmundson, 641-673-4669, [email protected]
- East Central – Keith Pitts, 319-361-4255, [email protected]
- Northeast – Phil Rogers, 319-573-0589, [email protected]
- Southeast – TBA, Contact Pastor Catie Newman, 712-899-4067, [email protected]
- Northwest – Jena Manchester, 712-840-1834, [email protected]
