07/20/2026
⚠️🌩️ SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS — PLEASE PREPARE NOW 🌩️⚠️
Grant Town Volunteer Fire Department is urging all citizens to remain weather-aware as the potential for severe weather moves into our area tomorrow.
The storms could bring damaging straight-line winds, heavy rainfall, flash flooding, hail, frequent lightning, and the possibility of isolated tornadoes. These conditions may result in downed trees, blocked roadways, property damage, and extended power outages.
🌬️ WHAT IS A DERECHO?
A derecho is a widespread, long-lived windstorm associated with a line of thunderstorms. Unlike a typical thunderstorm, a derecho can produce damaging straight-line winds across a large area and over an extended distance.
A derecho or powerful windstorm can cause:
• Widespread tree and power-line damage
• Extended power outages
• Dangerous debris and blocked roads
• Structural and property damage
• Heavy rain and flash flooding
• Hail and frequent lightning
• Occasionally, tornadoes
✅ PREPARE BEFORE THE STORMS ARRIVE
✔️ Charge cell phones, battery packs, and other essential devices.
✔️ Have flashlights and extra batteries readily available.
✔️ Secure or bring inside outdoor furniture, trash cans, decorations, and other loose objects.
✔️ Have several days of drinking water and non-perishable food available.
✔️ Make sure you have necessary medications and essential supplies.
✔️ Know where you will shelter if a warning is issued. An interior room away from windows is safest.
✔️ Keep up with weather alerts through trusted sources and enable emergency alerts on your phone.
✔️ Check on elderly family members, neighbors, and anyone who may need additional assistance.
🔌 IF THE POWER GOES OUT
• Treat the outage as though it could last for an extended period.
• Keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible.
• Use flashlights instead of candles whenever possible.
• Never operate a generator, grill, camp stove, or other fuel-burning device inside a home, garage, basement, or enclosed area. Generators must be used outdoors and well away from buildings.
• Unplug sensitive electronics to help protect them from power surges when electricity returns.
• Conserve phone battery power and use text messaging when possible.
• Report outages through your electric utility and avoid unnecessary travel.
🌊 IF YOU ENCOUNTER A FLOODED ROADWAY
TURN AROUND — DON’T DROWN!
Never drive through a flooded roadway, even if the water appears shallow or the road is familiar. Water may be deeper or moving faster than it appears, and the roadway beneath the water may be washed out.
🚫 Do not drive around barricades.
🚫 Do not walk through moving floodwater.
🚫 Do not assume a large vehicle can safely cross.
If you come upon a flooded road, turn around and find another route.
🌲⚡ DOWNED TREES & POWER LINES
Strong winds can bring down trees, and falling trees or limbs may pull down electrical lines. A line may still be energized even if it appears dead.
If you see a downed wire:
🚨 Stay away. Do not touch it or anything in contact with it.
🚨 Keep children and pets away.
🚨 Do not drive over downed wires.
🚨 Be aware that a downed line may energize puddles, fences, vehicles, or other nearby objects.
🚨 Report the hazard to 911 and your electric utility.
Approach downed trees and debris with extreme caution. Trees and limbs may be under tension, unstable, or hiding electrical lines. Never attempt to remove a tree or wire that may be connected to the electrical system.
Please take a few minutes today to prepare. Severe weather can develop quickly, and conditions can change rapidly.
Stay weather-aware. Stay off flooded roads. Stay away from downed power lines. And most importantly, stay safe.
— Grant Town Volunteer Fire Department 🚒
