VALDOSTA —
February 6th – 10th is Georgia’s Severe Weather Awareness Week. Severe weather may strike with only a few minutes of advance warning. Do you or your workplace have a way to receive a warning and will the response to the warning be effective? This annual drill gives everyone the opportunity to test their tornado emergency procedures. Here are the details:
At approximately 9:00 AM EST on Wednesday, February 8th, the National Weather Service forecast offices serving Georgia will transmit a practice tornado warning using the Routine Weekly test. This warning will be transmitted through NOAA Weather Radio. The test warning will be issued for all 159 counties of Georgia. Some models of the NOAA Weather Radio will not tone an alarm for the Routine Weekly Test. Participants are urged to monitor their radios between 9:00 am and 9:30 am in order to ensure receipt of the practice tornado warning. The practice tornado warning will expire at 9:30 AM EST. There will be NO test Watch issued prior to the Warning, and NO all-clear message issued after it. In the event of convective weather (i.e., thunderstorms expected) in the state on February 8th, the drill will be conducted on Friday, February 10th at the same time (weather permitting).
TORNADO SAFETY RULES
The safest place to be is an underground shelter, basement, or safe room.
If no underground shelter or safe room is available, a small, windowless interior room or hallway on the lowest level of a sturdy building is the safest alternative.
Mobile homes are not safe during tornadoes. Abandon mobile homes and go to the nearest sturdy building or shelter immediately.
If you are caught outdoors, seek shelter in a basement, shelter or sturdy building. If you cannot quickly walk to a shelter:
o Immediately get into a vehicle, buckle your seat belt and try to drive to the closest sturdy shelter.
o If flying debris occurs while you are driving, pull over and park. Now you have the following options as a last resort:
Stay in your vehicle with the seat belt on. Put your head down below the windows, covering with your hands and a blanket if possible.
If you can safely get noticeably lower than the level of the roadway, exit your car, and lie in that area, covering your head with your hands.
Your choice should be driven by your specific circumstances
