Tornado Drill, Severe Weather Awareness Week, March 10-14

The Virginia Department of Emergency Management is once again partnering with the National Weather Service to promote Severe Weather Awareness Week, March 10-14.  The week is designed to remind and educate on severe weather threats and how to avoid them. Each day, we will cover a different topic: 

More information regarding severe weather preparedness.

NOVA will participate in the Statewide Tornado Drill on Tuesday, March 11, at 9:45 a.m.

The Office of Emergency Management and Safety will utilize the hallway TV monitors, computer pop-ups and telephone intercom systems (in offices and classrooms) to announce the start of the Tornado Drill.

When the test Tornado Warning is sounded, move as quickly as possible to pre-identified severe weather shelter areas in your building. Once in the safe area, the recommended protective actions are to crouch down or sit on the floor and use your arms to protect your head from falling debris. If possible, take cover under a sturdy table.

Severe weather shelter areas are identified by signs like the one pictured below. (NOTE: shelter areas can be interior rooms without windows, restrooms or designated hallways and corridors marked with this sign).

The Statewide Tornado Drill will last for 10 minutes. At 9:55 a.m., you may resume normal activities. Announcements will be made using the college’s emergency notification systems mentioned above and will announce the end of the drill; but not all severe weather shelters can receive the “all-clear” message. In all cases, please resume normal activity at 9:55 a.m. Also, please remember to follow the direction of building and floor wardens.

For more tornado preparedness information, please visit the Virginia Department of Emergency Management. 

For those with NOAA weather radios, the National Weather Service will be using the required monthly test (RMT) code on NOAA weather radios, 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. 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 identifying and moving to a safe area wherever they are.

Please visit www.nvcc.edu/emergency for more information and review NOVA’s Emergency Action Plan.

—Dave Cook, director, Office of Emergency Management and Safety