ALABAMA – Gov. Kay Ivey, the National Weather Service offices that serve Alabama, the Alabama Emergency Management Agency and other supporting organizations have declared the week of Feb. 16-21 as Severe Weather Awareness Week. John De Block, meteorologist for the National Weather Service office in Birmingham, says the goal is to educate Alabamians about the dangers of severe weather and what supplies are needed to reduce their risk of harm.
To encourage people to stock emergency supplies, the state of Alabama will hold its 10th annual Severe Weather Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday Feb. 26-28. Starting at 12:01 a.m. Friday and ending at midnight Sunday, shoppers in Alabama can purchase severe weather preparedness items free of state sales tax. The list includes batteries, cellphone chargers, flashlights and first-aid kits. A complete list can be viewed here.
“Know what you are going to do when that warning is issued,” De Block said. “Get that alert and get to safety.”
