Annual Tornado Warning Exercise
Each year an annual tornado/severe weather exercise is held in March, usually on the second Tuesday of the month at 1:30PM for Missouri, and on the first Tuesday of March at 10:00AM in Illinois. Participation is encouraged among local public safety agencies, hospitals, and school districts. If the weather is foul on that date (in Missouri), the exercise is moved to Thursday of the same week. At the appointed time, weather alert radios are activated and many public safety agencies participate by activating warning systems. Many agencies also request evacuation of employees / students to tornado shelter areas, for practice. All are encouraged to ponder their action during this exercise - what actions would be taken if it were an actual tornado warning? Think about where to go and what to do, whether at home, at work, or at school. Seek out that "safe area" so you will know where to go immediately if needed. Have a flashlight and battery-powered radio at that location. Practice your plans! Review and refine them if necessary! A tone-alert weather radio at your office, home, and school is a necessity, for this is where you will receive immediate warning of severe weather. Do not rely on outdoor warning sirens, which are "outdoor" warning sirens. Even the new siren system under construction for St. Louis County will not provide 100% coverage everywhere, especially indoors, and will not be 100% reliable. Please rely on the weather radio, not "opening a window to hear the sirens" or "stepping outside to hear sirens". Do not rely on commercial media, telephone alerting systems, or "cellphones". The tone-alert weather radio is your best, and most reliable source of severe weather information. It may save your life!
The first annual tornado warning exercise in this area was initiated by dedicated meteorologist Joe Pedigo and the first test was aired on the afternoon of May 7, 1974.
Last Modified, Feb 24, 2011
Information created by Michael G. Redman, for
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