NORTHEAST WI- This is Tornado and Severe Weather Awareness Week. Andrew Beckett with Wisconsin Emergency Management says the tornado drills you hear on Thursday are for preparations.
“At 1:45 and then at 6:45 PM. Those statewide tornado drills are an opportunity for people to really practice their plans, and basically go through the motions of going to their safe place and knowing where they would need to go in order to seek shelter during an actual tornado.”
Municipalities may sound sirens during the drills. However, the statewide EAS system will not issue alerts via TV or radio. The National Weather Service will not issue test watches or warnings, and there will be no cell phone app alerts.
Local Emergency Management Director Andrew Carlin says families can take care of a lot today. They say there are some things you want to remember.
“It’s all about having a plan and having a kit,” said Waupaca County Emergency Management Director Andrew Carlin. You are going to want a pair of shoes because if something happens to your home, you are going to want to have shoes,” said Shawano County Emergency Management Director Jim Davel.
Carlin says communication is important. b”Have a plan of how you are going to get ahold of everyone in your immediate family if severe weather happens during the day. Know where you are going to be able to get your watches and warnings from. There are a lot of apps that can do that.”
NBC 26 Chief Meteorologist Cameron Moreland made a visit to the WTCH and Frog Country studios on Thursday. He said people sometimes forget to protect their heads.
“One good idea is having a helmet of some sort for your head. Many serious injuries come from objects falling on people’s heads. When I go to schools I tell students to grab that Packer helmet that is on the shelf even if it is signed by Aaron Rodgers and put it on their head.”
While the sirens are going off on Thursday, experts warn that it is really for people who are outside. “Remember not to rely on the sirens because your chances of hearing those at home are slim.”
Moreland said sometimes people get confused about the differences between watches and warnings. He says a watch means you need to pay attention. “When a warning is issued, that is when you need to take your safety plan and put it into action.”
Davel says one misconception is that severe weather is not common in the area. “It does happen in our area so we really need to be watching the weather this time of year.”
Last year there were 20 reported tornados in Wisconsin.
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