All posts by bderamus

Drills, Natural Disasters, Preparedness, Training

Virginia Statewide Tornado Drill March 17th at 9:45 am

The annual Statewide Tornado Drill is scheduled for 9:45am on Tuesday, March 17th.  NOVA’s faculty, satff, and students who are on campuses or in one of the College’s off-campus locations will once again be participating in this mandatory Statewide Drill. 

Tornados can happen anytime, anywhere, with little or no warning. Knowing what to do when seconds count can save lives.  Below is some information from the Virginia Department of Emergency Management’s website on the difference between a tornado watch and warning as well as signs of an impending tornado. 

Watches and Warnings
Learn the terms that are used to identify a tornado. 

  • Tornado Watch:   a tornado is possible in your area.  You should monitor weather-alert radios and local radio and TV stations for information. 
  • Tornado Warning:  a tornado has been sighted in the area or has been indicated by National Weather Service Doppler radar. When a warning is issued, take cover immediately. 

Know the Signs

  • Strong, persistent rotation in the base of a cloud
  • Whirling dust or debris on the ground under a cloud base – tornadoes sometimes have no visible funnel
  • Hail or heavy rain followed by dead calm or a fast, intense wind shift. Many tornadoes, especially in Virginia, are wrapped in heavy precipitation and can’t be seen.
  • Loud, continuous roar or rumble, which doesn’t fade in a few seconds like thunder does
  • If it’s night, look for small, bright, blue-green to white flashes at ground level (as opposed to silvery lightning up in the clouds).  These lights are power lines being snapped by very strong wind, perhaps a tornado.
  • Persistent lowering of the cloud base  
Preparedness

Emergency Preparedness at Home – Do 1 Thing – Sheltering (March)

If you’ve been following our blog in 2015, you know all about Do 1 Thing.  If not, Do 1 Thing is a web-based, 12-month preparedness program that makes preparing easier by helping people take small steps each month toward becoming better prepared for emergencies or disasters. In January, we challenged you to Make a Plan and in February to include Water in your preparedness plans.

March’s topic is important because emergencies sometime occur with little or no warning, and you may only have seconds to find somewhere safe. The Topic: Sheltering.

 THE GOAL: Know how to respond safely when instructions are given to evacuate or take shelter.

 Choose one of these things to do to be ready for an emergency:

  • Identify the best storm shelter in your home and practice getting to the shelter with your family.
  • Learn how to safely shelter in place.
  • Make a Go Bag for emergency sheltering.

Each month on this blog, OEM will post Do 1 Thing’s monthly topic and we encourage you to follow the program at http://do1thing.com.

Emergency, Preparedness

Emergency Preparedness at Home – Do 1 Thing – Water (February)

Last month, NOVA’s Office of Emergency Management (OEM) introduced you to Do 1 Thing – a web-based, 12-month preparedness program that makes preparing easier by helping people take small steps each month toward becoming better prepared for emergencies or disasters. January’s topic was Make a Plan and it challenged you to think ahead of what you and your family would do during a disaster.

February’s topic is one that can easily be overlooked, but is one you can’t survive long without – Water.

THE GOAL: Have enough water on-hand for your family to last 3 days (72 hours). This should be about 3 gallons per person.
Choose one of these things to do to be ready for an emergency:
1. Buy 3 days of water at the store.
2. Bottle a 3 day supply of water at home.
3. Learn how to provide a safe supply of drinking water for your household in a disaster.

Each month on this blog, OEM will post Do 1 Thing’s monthly topic and we encourage you to follow the program at http://do1thing.com.