Weather drills planned soon
By Kathy Thomson
The National Weather Service (NWS) encourages all residents, businesses and schools across West Central Texas to practice a tornado drill on Thursday, March 5 at 10:00 a.m. or at a time that is more convenient.
More tornadoes strike Texas than any other state, and the San Angelo office has designated March 1-7 as the official opening of severe weather awareness season.
School Drills
According to Albany Independent School District principals John Gallagher and Edward Morales, both Nancy Smith Elementary School and the Albany Junior/Senior High campus will hold tornado drills sometime in the near future.
“We will be participating in a tornado drill during the early part of March,” said Morales, “but we do not let anyone know exactly when it will be because we want to monitor the teachers’ and students’ response to an emergency.”
A weather radio and cell phones are used to notify the campus of any impending severe weather, according to Morales.
“All students report to the high school hallway except for (those already in) the field house and a couple of other buildings,” Morales said. “Those go to the field house hallway.”
The secondary principal added that AISD conducts emergency drills periodically during the school year.
“Nancy Smith Elementary will also participate in a tornado drill the first week in March,” said Gallagher. “We are dedicated to the safety and success of all students, and we routinely practice safety drills to keep both staff and students alert in times of emergency.”
NWS Alert
The NWS in San Angelo will transmit a routine weekly test message through the Emergency Alert System (EAS) at 10:00 a.m. on March 5.
“Because of the test message format, it may or may not activate certain NOAA weather radios,” said NWS warning and coordination meteorologist Hector Guerrero. “Some of your local radio and TV stations, and emergency management offices may also carry this message.”
NOAA weather radio (NWR) is a nationwide network of radio stations broadcasting continuous weather information, including official warnings, watches, forecasts, and other hazard information 24 hours a day, seven days a week, directly from the nearest NWS office.
Shackelford County residents may choose to tune their weather radio to Abilene at 162.400, Cisco at 162.500, or Throckmorton at 162.425.
Safety Rule #1
According to Guerrero, severe weather can strike with only a few minutes of advance warning, so all area residents should make sure they can receive warnings from the NWS.
“Have at least two ways to receive life-saving NWS warnings automatically such as a NOAA All Hazards Weather Radio and a cell phone with a weather applet,” said Guerrero.
Albany has a warning siren, but Guerrero cautioned that outdoor sirens can not always be heard by people asleep inside their houses, so everyone should have a second warning system in place.
Safety Rule #2
Know where to go and what to do in the event of a tornado warning.
“Have a safe shelter plan before the storm and practice it,” said Guerrero.
At home: When tornado warnings are issued, those who are at home should go to their storm shelter or basement.
The safest place to survive violent, killer tornadoes is in an approved underground storm shelter or in an approved above ground storm shelter, according to the NWS.
“If there is no storm shelter or basement, go to the lowest level of your home, in an interior, windowless room like a closet, hallway, or bathroom,” said Guerrero. “Stay low to the ground and cover yourself with blankets, pillows, and/or mattresses.”
Those who are threatened by severe weather should get under a piece of sturdy furniture such as a workbench, or heavy table, or desk, if available, and hold on to it, he added.
Mobile home: The rules change for those who live in a trailer house.
“If a tornado approaches and you live in a mobile home, abandon it for a more substantial shelter,” said Guerrero. “If nothing is available, lie flat in a nearby ditch covering your head and neck.”
Work or school: People at work or at school should follow the same basic rules that they would use if they were at home. Go to a storm shelter if available; if not, head for an interior room on the lowest floor, avoid windows, and shelter under sturdy furniture.
“Stay low, with your head against the wall and use your arms to protect your head and neck,” said Guerrero. “Avoid places with wide-span roofs such as auditoriums, cafeterias, large hallways, or malls.”
Outdoors: Those who are outdoors should seek shelter in a basement, (storm) shelter, or sturdy building if possible, said Guerrero.
“If you cannot quickly walk to a shelter, immediately get into a vehicle, buckle your seat belt and try to drive to the closest sturdy shelter,” said Guerrero.
In a car: People who encounter flying debris while driving should pull over and park, according to the NWS.
The NWS advised using the specific circumstances to decide on either staying in the vehicle with the seat belt on, and head as low and protected as possible, or exiting the car to get noticeably lower than the level of the roadway, lying down, and covering the head with hands.
Flash Flooding
Tornadic storms can also produce flash flooding, and drivers need to remember to “turn around – don’t drown” if they encounter a flooded low water crossing whether on foot or in a vehicle.
Flash flood-related deaths are the number one thunderstorm related killer in Texas and across the nation, and over half of all flood-related drownings occur when a vehicle is driven into hazardous flood water, according to the NWS.
Six inches of fast-moving flood water can knock over an adult, and 12 inches of rushing water can carry away most cars.
Lightning
On average, lightning kills 47 people in the United States every year. Last year 20 people in the U.S., including three in Texas, were killed by lightning.
“If you are caught outside in lightning, your home and your car offer a safer shelter,” Guerrero said. “Stay out of the bathtub, stay away from windows and electrical appliances. Don’t use a corded telephone during a lightning event unless you have an emergency.”
If possible, turn off all appliances prior to the storm’s arrival, he added.
Be Weather-Ready
When severe weather threatens West Central Texas, the National Weather Service closely coordinates with local emergency managers, volunteer fire fighters, law enforcement officials, Skywarn storm spotters, storm chasers, and the media to help keep the public safe.
People can help protect themselves by being “weather ready” before a warning is issued by the National Weather Service.
Guerrero recommended that everyone use the safety information found at the following government websites: www.weather.gov/safety and www.weather.gov/Owlie.
For more information, please contact Guerrero at hector.guerrero@noaa.gov.
