ATLANTA -- The Georgia Emergency Management Agency stresses the importance of safety just before Hurricane Preparedness Week hits. 

During the week, May 26 - June 1, education will be offered to all residents through Georgia who plan to camp outdoors, throw cookouts and spend time at the lakes or in the backyard. Severe weather can make its way here anytime, a Ready Georgia spokeswoman said, which puts Georgians at risk statewide.

Georgians for Pastured Poultry (GPP), an alliance that is promoting the use of high-welfare, pasture raised poultry in Georgia, has created Pastured Poultry Week to take place Monday, June 11 through Sunday, June 17, 2012.

As part of this annual event, Atlanta restaurants will help spread the word about the many virtues of pastured poultry – its superior taste, the natural life of the chickens, and the positive impact on both human health and the health of the environment – by serving it on their menus every day during this designated week. Additionally, chef demonstrations at local farmers markets throughout the spring and summer will educate consumers on ways to prepare pastured poultry in order to continue raising awareness.

Participating restaurants include:

ATLANTA -- As 2011 draws to a close, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) encourages all Americans to understand the risks that surround them -- and for residents of the Upper Chattahoochee River Region, those risks include the possibility of flooding.

FEMA worked with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources to create maps of the 107-mile stretch of the Chattahoochee River between the Buford Dam and Coweta County, which includes Cobb, Coweta, DeKalb, Douglas, Forsyth, Fulton and Gwinnett counties.

These updated maps detail flood hazard and risk data with the ultimate goal of protecting homeowners from flooding.

Maps for those who live in the Chattahoochee flood region are available at www.georgiadfirm.com. Learn more about steps to prevent flood damage at www.ready.gov/floods.