South Dakota will have its Statewide Tornado Drill on Wednesday, April 24th, 2019. Sirens will blow!
A statewide tornado drill will be conducted for South Dakota by the National Weather Service between 9:00 and 9:30 am MDT (10:00 and 10:30 am CDT) on Wednesday, April 24. Because the exercise is used to ensure communications and warning systems are functioning properly before storm season, people will see and hear the actual alerts used for tornadoes.
Outdoor warning sirens will be sounded in many towns. The sirens may not be heard inside homes and office buildings, as they are intended to alert people who are outdoors away from radio or TV.
The drill will also include activation of the Emergency Alert System, which will interrupt local media broadcasts. The scroll on broadcast television and cable TV channels will look like a real warning, while the NOAA Weather Radio and broadcast audio will be identified as a test.
Local emergency response agencies may practice their response procedures and many schools will conduct safety drills for their students.
Cell phone alerts and other electronic notification systems will not be involved in the test.
People do not need to take any action during the drill, but they are encouraged to make plans to protect themselves and their families before storms develop. Don’t wait until the storm is headed toward you as there won’t be time. Information about storm safety is available from county emergency management offices or visit the following web sites:
Rapid City National Weather Service: www.weather.gov/safety
American Red Cross: www.redcross.org
Federal Emergency Management Agency: http://www.ready.gov
