Area Schools Conduct Tornado Drills

SAN ANGELO, TX- On Thursday, March 5th the National Weather Service conducted a tornado drill across several counties. The drill encouraged all schools to practice as the Severe Weather Awareness Season officially opened earlier this week.

At 10:00 a.m. the NWS in San Angelo transmitted a Routine Weekly Test Message through the Emergency Alert System (EAS). Because of the test message format, it may or may not activated certain NOAA Weather Radios.

San Angelo ISD Director of Safe Environments and Student Services Monte Althaus confirmed that the majority of schools in the district participated in the drill, as well as the SAISD administration personnel. Several schools were unable to complete the drill at 10:00 a.m. due to pre-planned events, but they will complete them in the coming days.

“Everyone that was able to [participate] did it and the ones that did not do it at that time will be doing them," said Althaus.

Get Weather Ready: During a Tornado (NSW)

The NSW has provided two basic life-saving rules that every citizen should follow:

1.    Have at least two ways to receive life-saving NWS warnings automatically such as NOAA All-Hazards Weather Radio and a cell phone with a weather applet. Some communities and TV stations offer timely warnings applets. Contact your emergency management office or your local TV station to see if these services are available in your area. You can also search online for your favorite warning alert applet. 

2.    Have a safe shelter plan before the storm and practice it.

For more information on how to stay safe during bad weather situations visit the National Weather Service website at https://www.weather.gov/safety.

The following counties were also a part of the test: Brown, Callahan, Coke, Coleman, Concho, Crockett, Fisher, Haskell, Irion, Jones, Kimble, Mason, McCulloch, Menard, Nolan,  Runnels, San Saba, Schleicher, Shackelford, Sterling, Sutton, Taylor, and Throckmorton.