On Wednesday, June 11, hundreds of Macon-Bibb County residents lined up at the Macon Mall, some arriving nearly two hours before the event began, eager to receive a free NOAA weather radio and pillow shaker/strobe light. The giveaway, organized by the Macon-Bibb County Emergency Management Agency (EMA), aimed to ensure that everyone has multiple ways to receive severe weather alerts.

“I think this is such a blessing,” said one early arrival.

“This is insane. I have never seen anything like this,” said County Manager Dr. Keith Moffett.  “But I am so happy people are trying to stay prepared and taking advantage of this wonderful opportunity from our EMA department.”

“This is a $50,000 investment that the Emergency Management Agency is making to ensure that everyone is prepared in case of any severe weather,” said EMA Director Spencer Hawkins. “I was awestruck at the number of people who came out for our weather radio giveaway. This tells me our preparedness message is getting through to our community. We want to ensure that everyone stays aware of potential emergencies and knows what to do when they occur.”

The EMA team spent hours preparing over 1,000 weather radios for distribution. To receive a radio, individuals had to provide proof of residence in Macon-Bibb County and were limited to one radio per person.

“We wanted to make sure that everyone who came to the event was able to get a weather radio, and from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m., everyone did,” said Hawkins. “However, we did hear concerns from some who wanted to get a radio for a loved one who wasn’t able to attend, and we’re working on another opportunity for them.”

With 1,600 radios purchased for the event and approximately 500 remaining, the EMA is planning another giveaway later this summer to assist those who are homebound or disabled. Details of this upcoming event will be announced at a later date.

In the meantime, residents are encouraged to sign up for MBCAlert by visiting www.maconbibb.us/mbcalert or by downloading the free mobile app. Additionally, following the EMA on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram can provide timely updates. Hawkins also advises the public to monitor local media and weather forecasters on their social media channels to stay informed about emergencies and severe weather.