PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIAMI FL
11:55 AM EST MON JAN 26 2009
…LIVE TORNADO DRILL TO BE CONDUCTED ON WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 4…
Governor Charlie Crist, in cooperation with the National Weather Service and the Florida Division of Emergency Management, has proclaimed the week of February 1 through 7 2009 as Florida Hazardous Weather Awareness Week.
As part of this year’s Hazardous Weather Awareness Week, a live statewide tornado drill will be conducted on Wednesday morning February 4. Everyone is encouraged to participate in the drill. In particular, schools, businesses, hospitals and other places with significant public traffic are strongly encouraged to take part in this live tornado drill.
The tornado drill schedule is as follows:
All participants should consider themselves under a Tornado Watch as of 830 am EST Wednesday morning. Remember…a Watch means that you should monitor the weather and be prepared to go to a safe place in the event of a warning. At 1010 am EST, the National Weather Service in Miami will issue a practice Tornado Warning. The warning will be broadcast and alarmed on NOAA Weather Radio as an actual Tornado Warning, and will therefore activate the Emergency Alert System. By 1030 am EST, an all clear message will be issued, but it will not be alarmed. Once you have practiced relocating to your shelter, you may resume normal activities.
Since the drill will be issued as an actual tornado warning, radio, TV and cable stations may choose to broadcast the warning immediately. All schools are asked to participate, as well as businesses, hospitals and individual residents. Everyone should have a tornado action plan and should use the annual drill to practice moving to a shelter. This drill will test warning procedures throughout the state.
In some areas, overlapping broadcast coverage may result in multiple tornado alerts being received at around 1010 am EST.
For more information on hazardous weather awareness week, go to: WWW.FLORIDADISASTER.ORG/KIDS/INDEX2.HTM OR WEATHER.GOV/MIAMI.
You can also contact the National Weather Service in Miami at 305-229-4520.
Tags: Public Safety, Scoops
