Severe Weather Awareness Week Is March 4 thru 8. Tornado Drill Rescheduled for March 7

The Virginia Department of Emergency Management is once again partnering with the National Weather Service to promote Severe Weather Awareness Week, March 4 through 8. The focus of this week is to refresh, remind and educate everyone about the seasonal threats from severe weather and how to avoid them. Each day during the week, they will be covering a different topic: 

For more information regarding severe weather preparedness, please visit https://www.vaemergency.gov/prepare.

The Statewide Tornado Drill will be conducted on Thursday, March 7, at 9:45 a.m. (new date). NOVA will be participating in the drill. 

The Office of Emergency Management and Safety will 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 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 and use your arms to protect your head. If possible, get under a sturdy table.

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 the sign.)

The Statewide Tornado Drill will last for 10 minutes. At 9:55 a.m., you may resume normal activities. The end of the drill will be announced using the emergency notification systems mentioned above, but not all Severe Weather Shelter areas 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 designated building and floor wardens.

Please review the attached Tornado Preparedness worksheet for more information. If you have additional questions, please visit www.nvcc.edu/emergency and review NOVA’s Emergency Action Plan.

For those with NOAA weather radios, the National Weather Service will be using the Required Monthly Test (RMT) code, which will not automatically trigger most radio alarms. Since your weather radio may not sound an alarm, you can turn your radio on to hear the broadcast, if you wish. There will be no follow-up statements issued by NWS to mark the end of the drill on the NOAA radio. 

NOTE: 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.

Submitted by:
David Cook, OEMS-Acting Director, DCook@nvcc.edu