WISH-TV
Thousands of Hoosiers took part in a statewide tornado drill Tuesday as part of Severe Weather Preparedness Week in Indiana.
The test alert also serves as a reminder to update family evacuation and communication plans, emergency workers said.
Booker
“This is a really important opportunity to learn how to protect your family,” explained Shane Booker, executive director of Emergency Management for Hamilton County. “If you have a basement, that’s the best place to go in your home. If not, then [go to] the lowest level in the center part of your home … If you’re at work, then it’s really important to go into a stairwell or into the center part of the building.”
Emergency workers also recommended preparing disaster kits with enough bottled water, non-perishable food, flashlights, batteries, extra clothing, blankets, cash, medication, first aid supplies and personal hygiene items to last a minimum of 72 hours.
Indiana sees an average of 20 tornadoes each year, authorities said. 29 tornadoes were recorded statewide in 2017.
“There no way to know how bad this year will be,” said Booker. “But you should always be prepared for the worst.”