Statewide tornado drill March 22
Severe Weather Awareness Week, March 19-25, is dedicated to reminding residents, businesses and communities of the importance of planning and preparing for the spring and summer severe weather season.
As part of the week-long activity, several communities will participate in a statewide tornado drill at 1 p.m. March 22 when the city’s emergency notification siren will be briefly activated.
The purpose of the drill is to provide a reminder of the importance of being properly prepared when a severe storm (in this case, a tornado) is imminent, Dearborn Heights Emergency Manager Bob Ankrapp said. Once Wednesday’s sirens are activated, residents are encouraged to consider the necessary steps they need to take in order to prepare for large-scale emergencies, like tornadoes.
“One of the biggest factors in helping stay safe during a severe storm – particularly a tornado – is to know how to respond properly as soon as the warning is activated,” Ankrapp said.
It is important to understand the safest places to go when seeking shelter – and how to properly protect yourself once you get there, he said.
• Seek an interior room of the lowest floor possible of a structurally sound building, away from large upper-level rooms, and locations with windows and doorways. Good options are center hallways, bathrooms, or closets where you are surrounded by solid walls. This will help protect you from flying debris, which is a major source of injuries and fatalities in a tornado.
• If on a lower-level floor, avoid, if possible, taking shelter where there are heavy objects directly above you. Heavy objects, such as refrigerators or pianos, could fall though the floor if the tornado strikes your house.
• For additional protection, get under something sturdy such as a heavy table or workbench, or in a bathtub. If possible, cover your body with a blanket, sleeping bag, or mattress, and protect your head with anything available.
• Since vehicles are typically not safe shelters — they are easily tossed by high winds, and vulnerable to flying debris — drivers also need to seek the safest environment possible. Don’t try to outrun a tornado. If time allows, drive to the nearest secure building. If unable to make it to a safe shelter, either crouch down as much as possible (with your seatbelt still connected) in the vehicle and cover your head and neck – or if necessary, leave the vehicle and seek shelter in a low-lying area such as a ditch or ravine. Stay away from highway overpasses and bridges.
For more information on storm-related preparedness, check the State of Michigan — MIREADY — or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention websites at www.michigan.gov/miready and www.emergency.cdc.gov, respectively.