Be Prepared!
TORNADO WATCH AND WARNING… DO YOU KNOW THE DIFFERENCE?
WATCH: A Tornado Watch is issued to alert people to the possibility of tornado development in your area.
WARNING: A Tornado Warning is issued when a tornado has actually been sighted or is indicated by radar.
Get a Weather Alert Radio
Our local tornado sirens are designed to alert you when you are outside to an emergency situation. But what about when you are inside your snug, airtight house, if technology fails or if a siren fails to sound? Chief Mike Little urges all citizens to have at least one Weather Alert radio inside their homes and businesses so you can be immediately alerted to a weather emergency. These type of radios are available for purchase at our Refugee Road location, or at most major electronics retailers.
Where Should I Take Shelter?
In a home: A basement provides the greatest safety. Seek shelter under sturdy furniture if possible. In homes without basements, take cover in the center part of the house, on the lowest floor, in a small room such as a closet or bathroom, or under sturdy furniture. Keep away from windows.
In a mobile home: The home should be evacuated, and shelter taken in a pre-arranged shelter. If there is no shelter nearby, leave the trailer and lie flat in a ditch or ravine. Protect your head by placing your arms over it. Do not take shelter under the home.
Driving a vehicle: Get out of the vehicle and take shelter in a nearby ditch or ravine. Do not get under the vehicle. Lie flat and put your arms over your head.
At school or at work: Follow advanced plans to move into interior hallways or small rooms on the lowest floor. Avoid areas with glass and wide, free span roofs (schools, factories and office buildings should designate someone to look out for severe weather and initiate an alarm).
In open country: Lie in a gully, ditch or low spot in the ground and hold on to something on the ground if possible. Do not seek shelter in damaged buildings.
Tornado Facts and Myths
Myth: Areas near rivers, lakes, mountains and big cities are safe from tornadoes
Fact: No place is safe from tornadoes
Myth: The low pressure with a tornado causes building to “explode” as the tornado passes over
Fact: Violent winds and debris slamming into buildings cause the most structural damage
Myth: Windows should be opened before a tornado approaches to equalize pressure and minimize damage
Fact: Opening windows allows damaging winds to enter the structure. Leave the windows alone; instead, immediately go to a safe place
Myth: Tornadoes are always visible from a great distance
Fact: Tornadoes can be hidden in heavy rainfall or nearby low hanging clouds
What is Alert-Fairfield County? Alert-Fairfield County is an emergency notification system used by city and county public safety organizations throughout the United States to issue government related messages to residents and businesses. The system has the capacity to send thousands of messages via landline, cell phone, TTY, e-mail, text and fax, all within minutes. Only authorized officials are allowed access to the system.
When will it be activated? Activation of the Alert Fairfield Emergency Notification System will be dependent upon the emergency situation and the allowable warning time. Tornado Warnings will be sent automatically when the NWS creates a tornado warning – these notifications will be sent to addresses only in the tornado warning area and that have opted-in to this service.
How can I sign up to receive notifications? If you have a landline phone, we update these semi-regularly, but the best way is to just sign up. You can sign up as many phone numbers as you like. If you use a cell phone or VOIP, these are not automatically included.
How do I get the notifications on an ALEXA device? In order to enable the alerts from your Alexa device, please go to https://www.hyper-reach.com/alexa/.
How does the Alert-Fairfield County service work? Authorized officials record a voice message, type an e-mail or text message and deliver the messages quickly to individuals in the notification system.
What types of messages will be sent using the Alert-Fairfield County service? The primary use of the system will be to disseminate messages pertaining to the health, safety or welfare of a community that is being affected by a perceived, emerging or imminent emergency event.
For additional information, see the Registration page to sign up andfor more FAQs at https://www.fairfieldema.com/alerts/.
Tires, Batteries and Paint, OH MY!
Proper Disposal of Common Household Goods
By Carrie Brown, Fairfield SWCD
Do you have worn out tires, used motor oil, archaic electronics or dead batteries that have done their duty and are ready for retirement? If so, choosing a proper disposal method is crucial. Most of these items do not belong in the household trash, but other disposal options are available for Pickerington and Violet Township residents.
Restrictions and fees may apply for quantities accepted. Contact locations for details. Please note that none of the items listed below are eligible for drop-off at a recycling trailer, and if accepted, must be brought to the main Lancaster-Fairfield Community Action Recycling Center located at 1761 E. Main St. in Lancaster.
- Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs: Unbroken CFL bulbs are accepted at the Community Action Recycling Center, Home Depot, Lowe’s and Menards.
- Paint: It is best to properly store and use leftover paint. If disposal of water-based/latex paints is necessary, remove the lids of partially filled cans and set in a well-ventilated area away from children and pets. Add kitty litter or sawdust to speed the drying process. After paint is dried, it can be put out with the household trash. Oil-based paints should be treated as hazardous waste (see below).
- Batteries (Alkaline & Rechargeable): Battery Giant (1412 Ety Rd. NW in Lancaster), Batteries Plus Bulbs (5960 Scarborough Blvd. in Columbus), and the Community Action Recycling Center accept batteries (fees may apply). Retriev Technologies, Inc. with locations in Baltimore and Lancaster, has a consumer battery recycling program called The Big Green Box. Call (877) 461-2345 or visit www.biggreenbox.com for details. Lowe’s and Best Buy accept rechargeable batteries only. Multiple branches of the Fairfield County District Library have drop boxes for alkaline batteries.
- Electronics: Best Buy takes most electronics; daily accepted amounts are limited. Visit its website for details. T.D.R. LLC Recycling accepts computers and most electronic equipment at no charge. A small fee of $1/diagonal inch is charged for TVs and a $3 fee is charged for monitors without a computer. Drop off location is 200 Mink St. SW in Pataskala or call (614) 578-4853 for more information.
- Drugs: A drop box for prescription drugs is available at the Pickerington Police Department located at 1311 Refugee Rd. Needles and liquids are not permitted for disposal.
- Tires: Limited quantities are accepted for a small fee at many auto care centers including Firestone Complete Auto Care, Tuffy Tire & Auto Center, Goodyear Tire & Service and Walmart.
- Motor Oil: Small amounts of oil from DIY projects are accepted at the Community Action Recycling Center and Firestone Complete Auto Care.
- Hazardous Waste: Environmental Enterprises, Inc. located at 1249 Essex Ave. in Columbus, accepts pesticides, fertilizers, cleaners, antifreeze and other chemicals. Drop off fees range $50-$100. Call (614) 294-1300 or visit www.eeienv.com for more details.
For more information on disposal options, check out Fairfield County’s Recycling Guide, a recycling directory produced by Lancaster-Fairfield Community Action Recycling & Litter Prevention Program. Visit www.fairfieldrecycles.org and click on Recycle Listing.
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, drug collection & electronics recycling events held by Fairfield Soil and Water Conservation District, in cooperation with Violet Township, Fairfield County Sheriff’s Office and Lancaster-Fairfield County Recycling & Litter Prevention, have been temporarily suspended.
Stay tuned for announcements on future collection events.
