BISMARCK, N.D. – Gov. Doug Burgum has proclaimed April 22-26 as Severe Summer Weather Awareness Week.
“In ND, it’s as important to prepare for summer weather as it is to prepare for winter weather. Extreme heat, summer storms, and other summer related weather events all carry a degree of risk, but you can mitigate those risks,” says Debbie LaCombe, Preparedness Chief with the North Dakota Department of Emergency Services.
The ND Department of Emergency Services, along with the National Weather Service, is hosting an all-ages coloring and meme contest to have fun while raising awareness and safety for this annual event.
“Severe weather awareness week is a great chance to educate everyone about the threats from summer storms and how to prepare for them,” says Jim Kaiser of the National Weather Service Grand Forks Office. “It’s a reminder that we all should make or practice our emergency plans, including where to shelter at home or at work, and refresh our emergency preparedness kit or create one if you don’t yet have one.”
The contest runs April 22- April 26. Entries can be mailed in, emailed in, or dropped off by April 26th, details available at NDResponse.gov. Winners will be chosen and announced May 3rd.
Coloring sheets, instructions, and additional learning resources are provided at NDResponse.gov. Please write on the backside of each entry name, age, and phone number to reach you at. One entry per person, please.
“The number of tornadoes that North Dakota has each year varies widely, from as few as two to as many as 61 in 1999. Going back to 1950, the average number of tornadoes in the state is 23,” says JP Martin of the National Weather Service Bismarck Office. “It doesn’t matter if there are only a handful of tornadoes or dozens of them in a given year, what matters is that you are prepared and act quickly, just in case you’re in the path of one of them.”
Along with the coloring sheets, which feature brief safety information, more instructional resources are available at NDResponse.gov.