An F4 tornado is approaching, “What should I do?”

My child’s school had a bomb threat and is being evacuated, “What should I do?” That one question — “What should I do?” — is asked by Miss-Lou residents every time we are reminded that our lives can instantly be changed by a number of different types of emergencies. Just this month several severe weather warnings in the Miss-Lou made many of us wonder about the answer to that very question.

Come and learn the answers to that question at a community Disaster Preparedness Day at the Natchez Mall on Saturday March 1, from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m.

The Adams County Chapter of the American Red Cross, along with local emergency response agencies and utility companies will provide you with the knowledge you need to prepare for an emergency.

Emergencies will happen, as we saw with the tornados earlier this month in North Mississippi, and having a plan of action now can help minimize their impact on our lives.

First responders will exhibit vehicles outside the mall’s main entrance and will showcase their tools for emergency response.

Attendees will learn how these response agencies will react in the case of an emergency in our community.

United Blood Services will also have their mobile unit here for blood donations. Inside the mall, utility companies, Adams County Red Cross, National Weather Service, Adams County Civil Defense, Concordia Parish EMA, Natchez Community Inspirations, and others will provide attendees with the know-how to prepare for emergencies in their homes, businesses and schools.

Exciting door prizes will be given away in the mall’s center court area every hour with the grand prize drawing at 2:30 p.m.

We at the Adams County Chapter of the American Red Cross encourage every resident of our community to join us at the mall on March 1 and learn how to create a plan to be prepared for the unexpected.

Angie Brown is the chapter manager of the Adams County Red Cross.