Severe Weather Preparedness Week starts Monday, March 7.
It's essential to be ready for all types of weather, and in Missouri, that can change by the hour. So this week, take the time to think about and plan how you will receive emergency information and respond if severe weather strikes. The Lee's Summit Fire Department will participate in the Statewide Tornado Drill on Tuesday, March 8, 2022, at 10:00 a.m. Locally the Lee's Summit Fire Department will activate the outdoor storm warning sirens, announce the exercise over the Emergency Broadcast Radio System, and message Nixle.com subscribers. The National Weather Service will also activate the NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)All-Hazard Weather Radio. In the event of severe weather conditions on the day of the exercise, the make-up date will be at the same time on Thursday, March 10, if weather permits.
All schools, businesses, and residents are encouraged to participate in the exercise by practicing their severe weather and shelter procedures. Remember, the safest shelter location is in the lowest level of the building in an interior room without windows. In schools or businesses, safer locations are basements, hallways without windows, under staircases, and designated tornado safe rooms. Once everyone is accounted for, the drill is over.
It is important to be aware of the forecast and the potential for rapidly changing weather conditions. Have several forms of severe weather notification that fit your lifestyle. Do not depend solely on one method of notification. Commercial media and internet services provide information when you are awake but do little when asleep. Outdoor warning sirens were designed to warn people outdoors and were not intended to be heard indoors. NOAA All-Hazard Weather Radios provide 24 hours a day notification of severe weather at home and work. All-Hazard radios are programmable to the county you live in to alert you day or night when severe weather is in your area. Many of these devices have backup battery power and will function during power outages.
The National Weather Service provides safety tips and educational information about tornadoes, severe thunderstorms, flash flooding, lightning, and the importance of NOAA Weather Radios on its Weather Safety Tips page at: https://www.weather.gov/safety. Additional information is available at Stormaware.mo.gov, and http://www.preparemetrokc.org/ . For information about local notification and preparedness, contact Lee's Summit Fire Department at (816) 969-1300.