The Fulton County Office of Aging Encourages Seniors to Be Ready for Potential Winter Inclement Weather

The Fulton County Office of Aging and the Atlanta Fulton County Emergency Management Agency (AFCEMA) encourage seniors and their caregivers to be prepared for potential ice and snow.  Recommendations from Aging and AFCEMA include advising seniors to develop a network of neighbors, friends and relatives who can assist them in the event that local weather conditions include ice, snow and subfreezing temperatures. Seniors should avoid extreme or inclement weather conditions. They should also keep handy a contact list of people and agencies that they can contact if they need emergency assistance.

Fulton County public facilities including Senior Multipurpose Facilities will be closed on Wednesday, February 12, 2014.

Senior citizens are advised to:

• Make prior arrangements with their physician or check with their oxygen supplier about emergency plans for those on respirators or other electric powered medical equipment.

• Secure electrical backup for medical equipment. Have batteries and flashlights readily available.

• Develop a back-up communications plan in case landlines are disrupted by having a charged cell phone.

• Maintain a two-week supply of medications, both prescription and non-prescription.

• Have copies of medical records, prescriptions and medical supplies readily available.

• Have contact lenses, extra eyeglasses and batteries for hearing aids ready to go.

• Include service animals and pets in all plans.

Think ahead about neighborhood shelters that can accommodate the needs of seniors and the disabled. Fulton County Fire Stations are available to serve as warming sites and have the capability of providing emergency medical assistance when it is required.   Locations are listed below.

1. Fire Station #1 – 5165 Welcome All Road, College Park, GA 30349
2. Fire Station #3 – 4035 Stonewall Tell Road, College Park, GA 30349
3. Fire Station #5 – 3175 Bethsaida Road, Fairburn, GA 30213
4. Fire Station #7 – 5965 Buffington Road, College Park, GA 30349
5. Fire Station #11 – 4760 Fulton Industrial Blvd., Atlanta, GA 30336
6. Fire Station #13 – 5890 Plummer Road, Atlanta, GA 30336
7. Fire Station #17 – 8675 Ridge Road, Fairburn, GA 30213
8. Fire Station #19 – 3965 Aero Drive, Atlanta, GA 30336
9. Fire Station #23 – 4121 Cascade Road SW, Atlanta, GA 30331

• Plan for transportation in case they need to change housing due to power interruptions or other emergency conditions.

For additional winter weather preparedness information, seniors and their caregivers can visit www.fultoncountyga.gov  or follow us on Facebook at Fulton County On Facebook  or Twitter at http://twitter.com/FultonInfo.  If you are a Fulton County resident and a Comcast customer, tune to Channel 23 for up-to-date information.  If you are a City of Atlanta Resident, tune to Channel 21.

For additional winter weather preparedness information, seniors and their caregivers can visit the following websites:

http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/winter/

www.redcross.org

www.ready.gov/america/beinformed/winter.html