Get Ready for Spring with Severe Weather Awareness Week, March 7 thru 11

The National Weather Service and the Commonwealth of Virginia are promoting a Severe Weather Awareness Week from March 7 through March 11. The week will include the annual Virginia Tornado Drill. Each day, the National Weather Service will focus on a different aspect of severe weather to increase awareness, preparedness and safety in respect to severe weather. The Virginia Department of Emergency Management has information on their website that is available to you. Follow this link to the  VDEM Tornado Preparedness brochure that you can print or send to those who can benefit from the information.

Mon:  Watches, Warnings and Preparedness
Tue:   Tornadoes
Wed:  Severe Thunderstorms – Damaging Wind Gusts & Hail
Thu:   Flash Floods 
Fri:     Lightning 

The annual tornado drill will be conducted on Tuesday, March 8 at 9:45 a.m. (with a backup date of March 10).  This year’s test will be completed using the Required Monthly Test (RMT) code on NOAA Weather Radios, which will not automatically trigger most radio alarms. We recommend that those participating turn on their weather radio around 9:40 a.m. that morning and listen to the broadcast.

The Office of Emergency Management and Safety will also utilize flat panel screens, computer pop-ups and telephone intercom systems (in offices and classrooms) to announce the start of the Tornado Drill for the College.

When the test Tornado Warning is sounded, people should move as quickly as possible to the pre-identified Severe Weather Shelter areas in their building. Once in the safe area, the protective actions that are recommended are to crouch down or sit on the floor face down and cover your head with your hands.

Severe Weather Shelter Areas are identified by signs like the one pictured below: (note, shelter areas can be inside rooms, or in designated hallways and corridors marked with this sign). 

Students, Staff and Faculty in remote status are encouraged to participate at their homes or offices by locating and moving to a safe area (see attachment) wherever they are.

The Statewide Tornado Drill will last for 10 minutes. At 9:55 a.m., you may resume your normal activities. Announcements will be made using the Emergency Notification Systems mentioned above to announce the end of the drill, but not all Severe Weather Shelters can receive the “all-clear” message. In all cases, please resume normal activities at 9:55 a.m. Also, please remember to follow the directions of Building and Floor Wardens.

If you have any questions, please contact the Office Emergency Management at oem@nvcc.edu. At the conclusion of the Tornado Drill, the Office of Emergency Management will send a follow-up email with a link to a survey. Please take a minute to take the short survey in order to help us accurately identify areas where we need improvement.

Submitted by:
Tom Mayhew, Director of OEMS, TMayhew@nvcc.edu