471 
NOUS43 KJKL 211133
PNSJKL
KYZ044-050>052-058>060-068-069-079-080-083>088-104-106>120-221200-

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY
630 AM EST FRI NOV 21 2008

THIS WEEK IS WINTER WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK IN KENTUCKY. TODAY WE 
WILL LOOK AT WINTER WEATHER SAFETY FOR SCHOOLS.

THE KENTUCKY DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION PLANS PROVIDE FOR AS SAFE AN
ENVIRONMENT AS POSSIBLE FOR SCHOOL CHILDREN. MOST SCHOOL SYSTEMS
HAVE SEVERAL SOURCES FOR WEATHER INFORMATION...INCLUDING NOAA
WEATHER RADIO...LOCAL RADIO AND TELEVISION...AND INTERNET OR PAGING
SERVICES.

SCHOOLS HAVE A PLAN ON DELAYING...EARLY DISMISSAL OR CANCELING
SCHOOL BASED ON FORECAST OR OBSERVED WEATHER AND ROAD CONDITIONS.
WEATHER WATCHES USUALLY PROMPT DISCUSSION OF PLANS. ACTUAL
CONDITIONS OR WINTER WEATHER WARNINGS OR WINTER WEATHER ADVISORIES
WILL USUALLY PROMPT DELAYS...EARLY CLOSURES OR CANCELLATIONS.
TEMPERATURE...SNOW...FREEZING RAIN OR ROAD CONDITIONS DETERMINE A
SCHOOLS COURSE OF ACTION.

BEFORE SCHOOL...LOCAL RADIO AND TELEVISION STATIONS CARRY
INFORMATION ON SCHOOL PLANS AS WELL AS PLANS FOR OTHER
ORGANIZATIONS. OFTEN SCHOOL OFFICIALS WILL TEST ROAD CONDITIONS
THEMSELVES BEFORE MAKING DECISIONS.

MOST SCHOOLS HAVE MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS FOR BUS DRIVERS AND ANNOUNCE
TO TEACHERS AND STUDENTS AT SCHOOL ANY PLANS DIFFERENT THAN NORMAL.
SCHOOL OFFICIALS AND BUS DRIVERS ARE IN COMMUNICATION IF WEATHER OR
ROAD CONDITIONS REQUIRE AN ALTERNATE ROUTE OF TRAVEL. SCHOOL
OFFICIALS AND BUS DRIVERS SHOULD ALSO BE AWARE OF THE SIGNS OF
HYPOTHERMIA OR FROSTBITE IN CASE CHILDREN HAVE TO WAIT A LONG TIME
AT BUS STOPS.
       
MONITORING FORECASTS AND SCHOOL PLANS THROUGH THE MEDIA OR SCHOOL
WEB SITES WILL KEEP YOU UPDATED ON SCHOOL PLANS.

THIS HAS BEEN WINTER WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK IN KENTUCKY. THE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE...WITH ITS PARTNERS IN STATE AND LOCAL
GOVERNMENT URGE YOU TO BE PREPARED FOR WINTER.

THOUGH WE DO NOT KNOW HOW BAD THIS WINTER WILL BE...WE DO KNOW COLD
AND SOME SNOW OR FREEZING RAIN EVENTS WILL CAUSE PROBLEMS IN OUR
DAILY LIVES. BEING PREPARED AND HAVING A PLAN WILL HELP MINIMIZE THE
IMPACT BY WEATHER.

REMEMBER NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OUTLOOKS AND WATCHES GIVE YOU A
HEADS UP ON STORM POTENTIAL DAYS IN ADVANCE. WEATHER WARNINGS AND
ADVISORIES MEANS WEATHER THAT IS LIKELY TO CAUSE YOU PROBLEMS HAS
ALREADY BEGUN OR WILL BEGIN SOON.

$$
DUSTY