CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Governor Jim Justice has announced that the week of March 18-22, 2019, is severe Weather Awareness Week in West Virginia. A statewide tornado drill will occur on Tuesday, March 19 at 10:30 a.m. throughout the State of West Virginia. Kanawha County will be participating in this drill. Those within Kanawha County during this time, should expect to receive an alert on the Emergency Alert System on television and radio, receive a notification on the KC-Ready App and to also hear the sirens sound throughout the county for one (1) minute. The West Virginia State University Department of Public Safety will participate in the drill and at 10:30 a.m. those who are enrolled in the University’s emergency notification system will receive a notice of the tornado drill. Additionally, those on campus will be asked to shelter-in-place as part of the drill. The shelter-in-place will last approximately 15 minutes. Kanawha County has in the past, experienced many severe weather events and it is important for the citizens to understand what to do during severe weather events including tornados. “We would ask the public to participate in this drill and to simulate what you would do during a real emergency. This is the time to work through your emergency plans and to ensure you know what to do if an actual tornado would occur in Kanawha County,” stated Commission President Kent Carper. According to educational material from FEMA, tornadoes can destroy buildings, flip cars, and create deadly flying debris. A tornado can happen at any time, bring intense winds of 200+mph, can happen anywhere and look like funnels. If you are under a tornado warning, go to a safe room, basement or storm cellar. If there is no basement, go to a small interior room on the lowest level. You should stay away from windows, doors and outside walls. Do not get under an overpass or bridge. It is safer to be in a low, flat location.
