Tornado Awareness Week to be held April 20-24

Gov. Jim Doyle has declared April 20-24 as Tornado and Severe Weather Awareness Week in Wisconsin.

A statewide tornado drill will be held on Thursday, April 23, beginning with statewide mock tornado watches at 1 p.m. Mock tornado warnings will be staggered throughout the state at times designated by the National Weather Service.

Once the alarm is sounded, all building inhabitants are asked to seek shelter in gathering areas designated by building managers or Occupant Emergency Plan. In the event there is severe weather reported anywhere in the state, the drill will be postponed until Friday, April 25.

Tornado and Severe Weather Awareness Week is designed to remind people of the dangers associated with tornadoes, thunderstorms, flooding and hail and to encourage citizens to take protective safety measures such as developing a personal preparedness plan and putting together a disaster-supply kit. Knowing what to expect and the steps to take in an emergency is the key to protecting yourself and your family.

Preparation for disasters reduces the impacts of a disaster. Every household’s emergency preparations should include an emergency plan. If you work on campus, you should also review your Occupant Emergency Plan or evacuation maps, posted in your building, to refresh your memory of where to go during a weather emergency.

If you need additional information on personal plans or Occupant Emergency Plans, e-mail the University Police Department Emergency Management at emergencymgt@mhub.uwpd.wisc.edu or visit Dane County Emergency Management.