(Sedgwick County, Kan.) – Sedgwick County Emergency Management will be participating in the statewide Tornado Drill that will occur Tuesday, March 8, 2022, at 10 a.m. Sedgwick County Emergency Management normally tests the outdoor warning sirens Mondays at noon, however they will NOT be testing Monday, March 7 and will be sounding the outdoor warning sirens Tuesday at 10 a.m. for a full 5 minutes. If the radar shows precipitation in the area or if the area is under a severe weather watch on Tuesday, March 8, the drill will not be conducted.

As part of this drill, we are encouraging residents and businesses to exercise their tornado sheltering procedures.

  • Identify a shelter location in your business, home, or neighborhood NOW; do not wait until severe weather is threatening.
  • Tune into local media outlets if there is a chance for severe weather, and take shelter if a severe storm is headed in your direction. Don’t wait until you hear the sirens.
  • Those without an adequate shelter location in their home, and EVERYONE who lives in manufactured housing, will need to identify a location off-site where they will seek shelter from storms.
  • Check with neighbors, relatives or friends nearby to see if they will allow you to shelter with them.
  • Some churches and other neighborhood locations will allow people to shelter in their basements if they are open. If you are going to use one of these, make sure you know the hours they are available and what their policy is for after-hours. Have a back-up plan in case your first choice is unavailable.
  • Ensure your selected shelter location has relevant supplies stored there for emergency use. Build or buy a disaster kit that you can keep in your shelter. You need basic provisions such as non-perishable food, drinking water, a flashlight and radio, with extra batteries for both, and a battery phone charger, just to name a few. Think about including specialty needs items like prescription meds, baby formula and diapers, and pet care items.
  • If you are caught outdoors, driving, or away from home when the storm hits:
  • Try to get inside a reinforced shelter if you can find one.
  • If no shelter is available, get out of your vehicle and get as low as possible, preferably in a ditch; cover your head and hang onto anything sturdy.
  • Avoid seeking shelter under highway overpasses. These can act as wind tunnels and can be more dangerous than being low to the ground in an open area. Plus, multiple cars parked under bridges lead to accidents and clog the road, preventing emergency workers from getting through.

To learn more about Severe Weather Preparedness Week, please visit https://www.weather.gov/ict/swaw.

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