Dalton (GA) - Spring has sprung and residents should now spring into action to prepare for the potential weather hazards that often come with the season.

County Emergency Management Agency (EMA) officials want to reach all county residents any time emergency weather warnings must be issued. Therefore, as part of the local community preparedness activities of the annual FEMA America’s PrepareAthon! Campaign this year, Whitfield County EMA will conduct a PrepareAthon! Telethon on Wednesday, April 27 from 10 AM to 3 PM.

The telethon will focus on urging local residents to either register or update their existing contact information in the CodeRED© Mass Notification System so they will receive critical communications and timely severe weather notifications from public safety officials. County residents may call (706) 259-3730 or log onto http://www.whitfieldcountyga.com/ema/ema.htm.

WDEF News 12 will have live shots of telethon preparation early Wednesday morningon This Morning News, and North Georgia Radio Group’s Mixx 104.5 FM will feature the telethon on the air that day at 11:30 AM.

In addition to the telethon, there will be weather radio giveaways during a live remote on Mixx 104.5 FM on Thursday, April 28th from 4 PM to 6 PM at the Mack Gaston Community Center.

“It’s clear that the ability to receive timely, local weather warnings can be a crucial, life-saving measure,” said Amy Cooley of Whitfield County EMA. “There were 16,135 people who took part in our PrepareAthon! activities last year and they are now better prepared for disasters. We want all Whitfield County to be prepared so we encourage residents to help us beat that number this year.”

Between 1990 and 2014, Whitfield County experienced two tornadoes, 82 weather events involving high winds, nine floods, 14 flash floods, and 21 winter weather events that caused moderate to severe disruption and an estimated $6.5 million of property damage in the affected communities.

Whitfield County's PrepareAthon! is a campaign for action to increase community emergency preparedness and resilience through drills, group discussions, and exercises. The goal of Whitfield County's PrepareAthon! is simple: Build a more resilient community by increasing the number of individuals who understand which disasters could happen in their community, know what to do to be safe and mitigate damage, take action to increase their preparedness, and participate in community resilience planning.

We want to hear about your participation in Whitfield County's PrepareAthon!

You can register your participation in Whitfield County's PrepareAthon! as an individual or family, or  on behalf of an organization, such as a workplace, school, or church by loging onto:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/WhitfieldCountyPrepareAthonSpring2016