March 4 was the first day of National Severe Weather Awareness Week (March 4-8). The Midwest experiences a wide variety of severe weather during the spring and summer seasons including tornadoes, damaging winds, large hail and flash flooding.
Preparation
Everyone is encouraged to be prepared. With safety being a priority during severe weather, the following tips can help you can be ready for spring storm season.
• Monitor weather conditions in your area for potential storms.
• Assemble an emergency kit for your home, workplace and vehicle in an easy-to-carry container or bag stocked with the following supplies: water, non-perishable food, prescription medications, fresh batteries, battery-powered radio, flashlight, first aid kit, and cell phone charger or power bank.
• Keep cell phones and other necessary electronics charged.
• Fill up your vehicle with gas ahead of time.
• Establish a shelter plan with your family, so everyone knows where to go in the event of severe weather.
• If you have family, friends or neighbors who live alone or are elderly, establish a communication plan to check on their wellbeing.
• Don’t venture out if you don’t need to. However, if you know it’s not safe for you or another member of your household to wait for power to be restored, have a plan to go someplace safe.
• If you rely on electronic medical equipment, have a plan in case a large storm causes extended outages.
• If tree limbs are touching or near power lines, don’t come into contact with them. Downed trees are a primary cause of outages during storms.
Tornado Drill
The National Weather Service will conduct a tornado drill at 11:00 a.m., Wednesday, March 6. Everyone is encouraged to participate in the drill by practicing seeking secure, safe shelter from a tornado.
