Milwaukee is getting a dry run at severe weather on Thursday, with residents urged to hustle to their safe spots during two statewide tornado drills at about 1:45 p.m. and 6:45 p.m. The staggered times are meant to catch schools and businesses in the afternoon and families at home in the evening. Officials say the drills will feature NOAA Weather Radio test messages and, in some communities, outdoor warning sirens.
Milwaukee Fire Department laid out the schedule on Facebook, urging schools, businesses and households to actually walk to their nearest tornado shelter during both drills. The department notes that if severe weather threatens on Thursday, the practice runs will be bumped to Friday to avoid any confusion with real warnings. It also points residents toward the city's new MKE Alert emergency-notification system for up-to-the-minute hazard messages.
What To Expect During The Drill
The statewide drill will include NOAA Weather Radio test messages at both scheduled times. Radios that are set to sound on test alerts should audibly go off, while others will only play the message if someone is already listening, according to ReadyWisconsin. Officials also note that the drill will not activate the Emergency Alert System on television or send wireless mobile alerts, and that not every county will choose to sound outdoor sirens, as reported by WBAY.
Sign Up For MKE Alert And Be Ready
The City of Milwaukee says residents can enroll in the MKE Alert notification system either online or by texting #MKEALERT to 24639. The service sends updates on missing persons, road closures, extreme weather and public-health warnings, according to the City of Milwaukee. Officials recommend having more than one way to receive alerts so a critical warning is not missed if a single method fails.
County Differences And Postponements
Local agencies are tailoring the drill to their own policies. Dane County, for example, says it will not sound its outdoor sirens at the drill times and instead urges residents to depend on multiple alert sources, according to a county press release. Statewide organizers say if severe weather is expected anywhere in Wisconsin on Thursday, the drills will be postponed until Friday so there is no mix-up between practice and an actual threat.
How To Practice
Emergency officials advise choosing a safe place in advance, such as a basement or an interior room on the lowest floor without windows, and practicing getting there quickly with everyone in the household. The National Weather Service recommends confirming that NOAA Weather Radios are properly set, keeping cell phones charged with Wireless Emergency Alerts enabled, and making sure children and vulnerable household members know exactly where to go when a warning is issued.
