Jefferson County Emergency Management Agency urges residents to prepare in advance for dangerous storms during Severe Weather Preparedness Week

Tornado Drill this Tuesday

The Jefferson County Emergency Management Agency urges residents to prepare in advance for dangerous storms during Severe Weather Preparedness Week, observed March 17-23.

Historically, Indiana has experienced some of the state’s worst thunderstorms, tornadoes and flooding during the spring months. The Jefferson County Emergency Management Agency suggests that households break their severe weather preparation into three parts: planning, preparing and practicing.

As part of NWS efforts to build a Weather Ready Nation, the goal of Severe Weather Preparedness Week is to better educate people about the hazards of severe thunderstorms and tornadoes, and to help everyone be prepared when severe weather occurs. Each day will focus on a different topic:

• Sunday: Kick-Off: Discuss partners' roles in severe weather
• Monday: Severe Weather Outlooks and Watches: Partners' roles at the outlook and watch stages of an event
• Tuesday: Warnings: Taking action when warnings are issued (Statewide Tornado Drill Day)
• Wednesday: Response: Partners' roles in responding to disasters (real-time response)
• Thursday: Recovery: Partners' roles in the recovery process (days/weeks/months after disaster)
• Friday: Weather Ready Nation: How we are working to build a Weather Ready Nation
• Saturday: Wrap-Up: Importance of preparedness and action during threatening hazards

Plan

• Purchase a weather radio whose label indicates that it is “all-hazard” and broadcasts alerts from the National Weather Service. Look for “NOAA” on the label (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration). Also look for the SAME Technology designation, which allows the radios to be programmed to specific counties and types of alerts.
• Know the difference between watches and warnings. A watch indicates a seriously increased possibility of a thunderstorm or tornado; a warning indicates that there IS a thunderstorm or tornado in the area.
• Ensure that household members know which local news media outlets to monitor for severe weather alerts, and to take those alerts seriously. Remember that national cable, satellite or streaming TV services may not carry localized weather alerts.

Prepare

• Create a preparedness kit that includes food and water for three days, a first-aid kit, flashlights, batteries, small tools and any other important items that are needed.
• Prune tree limbs and secure outdoor items that could be tossed about by high winds.
• Keep cell phones charged, and ensure all household members have several emergency contact numbers for friends and family members.
• Know which neighbors may have disabilities or mobility challenges, and be able to direct first responders to those who may need extra help.

Practice

• Take household members – quickly but calmly – to the location they would move to in severe weather, ideally a basement. If a basement is not available, go to an interior room on the lowest level with no windows. Storm cellars also offer excellent protection.
• Practice moving under a sturdy table or desk, or covering up with pillows, blankets, coats or a mattress to protect the head and body from flying debris.
• Walk through potential evacuation routes, both from the home and the neighborhood.
• Conduct a family drill in which children pretend to call 911 and calmly talk with an emergency dispatcher (a family member or friend can be on the other end of the line, requesting appropriate information).
• Participate in the statewide tornado drill at 10:15 a.m. on Tuesday, March 19. This drill provides a valuable opportunity for families, schools and businesses to practice their weather safety action plan. 

Flooding also threatens Hoosiers during the spring months. Driving on flooded roadways can often place residents and emergency response personnel in unnecessary danger. Never drive through flooded roadways, even if the water appears shallow. The road may have washed out under the surface of the water.

For more information on preparing for severe weather, visit GetPrepared.in.gov.