FEMA supporting state and local officials responding to severe weather problems

WASHINGTON - The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and its federal partners continue to work closely with states affected by yesterday's damaging winds, hail and severe thunderstorms, including parts of Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania and the District of Columbia.

At the request of the State of Ohio, a FEMA liaison officer is deployed to the Ohio state emergency operations center to support state response efforts as needed. FEMA has also deployed an Incident Management Assistance Team to West Virginia to work side by side with the West Virginia Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management as it continues to respond and identify potential needs from the storm outbreak. FEMA also remains in close contact with federal partners at the National Weather Service forecast offices, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Department of Energy.

The National Weather Service has issued Excessive Heat Advisories in many areas that have been affected by the severe weather and may be without power, and urges everyone to take safety precautions due to the extreme high temperatures.

"Response efforts are underway from last night's storms. FEMA urges affected individuals to continue to monitor weather conditions, heed advice from local officials and take appropriate precautions due to the severe hot weather and humidity," said FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate. "We will continue to work closely with our state and local partners in impacted areas to ensure there are no unmet needs as they continue to respond."

FEMA's National Response Coordination Center in Washington, D.C. is activated, and our Regional Response Coordination Centers in Chicago, Ill. and Philadelphia, Pa. are activated to support impacted states if requested.

More information on severe weather preparedness is available at www.ready.gov , www.listo.gov , and for other languages at www.ready.gov/translations .

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