FOX19 NOW First Alert Weather Day Safety Guide

CINCINNATI (WXIX) — It’s important to have a plan when the FOX19 NOW weather team predicts severe weather.

There are several steps you can take to ensure you and your family stay safe.

Our meteorologists have created severe weather preparedness videos, which you can watch above.

You should also download the free FOX19 NOW weather app.

You can set up alerts to receive personalized weather alerts for where you live.

Watch for live severe weather updates on FOX19 or our 24/7 Weather Channel.

Follow our FOX19 meteorologists on Twitter for alerts:

• Steve Horstmeyer @TrustSteve19
• Frank Marzullo @FOX19Frank
• Ashley Smith @AshleyWxFox19
• Catherine Bodak @FOX19Catherine
• Ethan Emery @EthanEmeryWX
• And FOX19 NOW @FOX19

The Ohio Emergency Management Agency recommends having an emergency preparedness kit on hand.

Some of the recommended items to have on hand:

• Battery powered radio
• flashlight
• First aid kit
• Additional batteries
• Mobile phone with chargers and a backup battery
• Food (at least a several-day supply of non-perishable food)
• Water (one gallon per person per day for several days, for drinking and hygiene)

If severe weather is forecast overnight, there are some additional steps to take:

Power outages may occur during storms.

You can report an outage to Duke Energy by calling 1-800-543-5599 or filing a report online.

Duke Energy’s outage map shows the estimated time of restoration, the cause of the outage, the status of repairs and the number of customers without power.

You can also sign up for phone, email or SMS alerts to receive information if an outage occurs in your area.

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