Statewide Tornado Drill Today

The annual statewide tornado drill is this morning at 9:45 a.m. in the Commonwealth. If you have a weather radio (and you should!), be sure to turn it on at 9:40 a.m. to ensure you receive the test tornado warning signal. Don't have a weather radio yet? You can buy one at various local retailers, or you can purchase one online here.

The best kind of weather radio to have is one with "SAME" technology, which allows you to program the warnings specific to your county or surrounding counties. We will also broadcast an alert on CBS 6. During the drill today, you should enact your tornado safety precautions, which include going to the interiormost, lowest room in your building. The goal is to put as many walls between you and the outside. If you have a basement or storm cellar, go there. Make sure that your safe room is prepared, with enough space for you and anyone else seeking shelter in that location, and also keep your emergency kit in that room. The American Red Cross has great information about preparing a kit. In your safe room, you could also include pillows, blankets, helmets (to protect your head from flying debris), long-sleeve shirts and pants, shoes, non-perishable food, and enough drinking water for three days. Remember, if your building is destroyed, you need all of your vital supplies with you in that safe room, including medication, a cell phone, and vital insurance and phone numbers.