BENTON, IL — This is Severe Weather Preparedness Week. Chris Miller with the National Weather Service says the winter we’ve experienced is setting us up for an active storm season when spring officially arrives. He’s refreshing everyone on the terminology you might see or hear during severe weather.

Ryan Buckingham is Franklin County’s Emergency Management Director. He says severe weather can hit at anytime with an uptick during the spring months. Buckingham is asking residents this week to take necessary steps to prepare for severe weather before it hits.

Buckingham says you also need to know where your shelter-in-place area is at work, school or home in the event severe weather. He also suggests making sure you share information with family and friends as to how to communicate with you before, during and after the event.

If you have a weather radio and don’t know how to program it, Buckingham says you can come by the Emergency Management office, located at 401 E. Park Street in Benton, Wednesdays from 9a.m. to 3p.m. to get it programmed for free.

For more tips on what you can do to prepare for severe weather, go to franklincountyil.gov and look for Severe Weather Preparedness Week on the home page.