Statewide Tornado Drill Set for Wednesday, February 4th, 2009

Savannah, GA – February 2, 2009, 2:30 PM
Chatham Emergency Management Agency News Release

The Chatham Emergency Management Agency (CEMA), in conjunction with the Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA) and the National Weather Service (NWS), encourages Georgians to join them in observing the week of February 1-7 as Severe Weather Awareness Week.

“The main event of the annual week-long campaign is the Statewide Tornado Drill, scheduled for the morning of Wednesday, February 4,” said CEMA Director Clayton Scott. “The NWS will issue a test weather warning message to initiate the drill. Local warning systems, NOAA All-Hazard Weather Radio, and the Emergency Alert System (EAS) will be activated upon receipt of this warning message, to signal the start of the drill.”

Residents should treat the drill as if it were an actual severe weather emergency. The purpose of the annual drill is to test everyone’s readiness for life-threatening severe weather events such as tornadoes and severe thunderstorms.

Director Scott urges families, schools, businesses, government agencies and other institutions to participate in the drill and to use Severe Weather Awareness Week as their catalyst into preparing for the 2009 severe weather season. In the event of bad weather on February 4, the Statewide Tornado Drill will be rescheduled for Friday, February 6. Schools not in session February 4 may conduct their severe weather drill on another Wednesday when the NWS initiates its weekly NOAA All-Hazard Weather Radio test.

For more information, contact CEMA at (912) 201-4500 or visit these Web sites: www.ChathamEmergency.org, www.gema.ga.gov, www.srh.noaa.gov/ffc/ or www.ready.ga.gov.