Hamilton County Emergency Management (HCEM) is preparing for this year’s Severe Weather Preparedness Week, March 13-19. The goal is to educate the public about severe weather hazards and help them be better prepared for the upcoming storm season. Severe convective weather is winds greater than 58 mph, hail one-quarter of an inch or larger, and/or the presence of a funnel cloud or tornado.
Severe Weather Preparedness Week also includes a statewide tornado drill. This year’s drill will occur on Tuesday, March 15. HCEM will activate the Hamilton County Emergency Operations Center before the tornado drill, just as it does for every severe thunderstorm and tornado watch. The National Weather Service will issue a test warning to signal the start of the drill sometime between 10 and 10:30 a.m. HCEM will activate the outdoor warning sirens for the statewide drill. Everyone is encouraged to take the time to exercise your plan by going to your safe place during the drill.
To prepare for the statewide drill, Hamilton County will resume weekly testing of the outdoor warning sirens at 11 a.m. on Friday, March 11. Click here to learn more about outdoor warning sirens.
The Emergency Operations Center is the county’s epicenter of emergency management services. (Photo provided)
How can you prepare for severe weather?
- Buy an all-hazards weather radio. It is like a smoke detector for emergencies and does not rely on the internet.
- Download the HCEM Indiana App from the App Store or Google Play to receive weather alerts, access preparedness information, view power outages, listen to a live stream of the National Weather Service radio, and much more.
- Register with com to link your cell phone with your home address. It saves time by helping 911 know your location. You can also sign up to receive severe weather alerts.
- Build an emergency kit by having emergency supplies for you, your family, and your pets for at least three days, including food, water, medicine, and more.
- Ensure you have a plan, and your family members understand the plan.
At ready.gov, there are resources to help you prepare for severe weather, emergencies, and disasters. You can also learn how to be part of the Emergency Management team by visiting hamiltoncounty.in.gov/em.