#SafePlaceSelfie: Saving Lives One Selfie at a Time

If you could help get every American to take one preparedness action to protect themselves from extreme weather, what would it be?

Many weather safety experts would say taking the time to identify your safe place is the most essential preparedness activity. All the warnings and emergency kits and communication plans become less important if you don’t know where to go to stay safe. This is true for tornadoes, hurricanes, wildfires, floods, lightning, tsunamis, rip currents, and every other natural hazard. 

Practicing what to do and where to go for any hazardous weather makes the action second nature, which is crucial when time is of the essence. Taking the time to weigh your safe place options at home, at work, or places you spend time can reduce hesitation and give you the best chance for survival—this preparedness action could save your life. This is why we encourage all AMS Weather Band members to participate in #SafePlaceSelfie Day on Wednesday, April 7. You'll serve as an important example to others on how to be better prepared for extreme weather. 

It’s fun. It’s free. It saves lives! 

Here are the three simple steps for taking a #SafePlaceSelfie:

1. Determine your local hazard (you can choose more than one hazard).
2. Identify your safe place from that hazard.
3. Snap a selfie in your safe place and post that selfie on all your social media platforms at 11:11am (local time) on Wednesday, April 7, using the hashtag #SafePlaceSelfie

What else can you do to promote and participate in #SafePlaceSelfie Day?

• Encourage others to participate by challenging them to post their #SafePlaceSelfie on social media

• Get others involved like neighboring offices, family members, friends, even your pets.

• Create a friendly competition within your workplace or social network.

• Get creative! Think beyond the traditional safe place locations for tornadoes and also focus on other hazards such as lightning, rip currents, tsunami, flood, extreme heat or cold, wildfire, earthquake, etc. 

• The simple action of showing others that you are prepared for extreme weather by participating in the #SafePlaceSelfie campaign could save the life of someone you know. Together, we can reach millions across the country and lead them to take one simple preparedness action and do their part to help build a Weather-Ready Nation.

Please note: The #SafePlaceSelfie preparedness messaging can fit within the context of CDC guidelines and any state issued health orders. During the entire campaign, we will be encouraging individual or immediate family selfies and discouraging group selfies and any behavior that goes against long standing CDC guidelines.