Tornado Helmet Safety Night with the Birmingham Barons

Do you have a bike helmet or a helmet of any kind around your house? Have you thought about using it during a tornado to protect your head? Since it is spring and with the severe weather we are known to have, it is time to think about tornado safety preparedness. Wearing a helmet allows you to use your hands to hold on to your loved ones instead of protecting your head. We don’t like to think “it” will ever happen to us, but in reality, it can!

As we near the peak of our spring severe weather season, we wanted to draw your attention to an outreach event.

The Birmingham Barons will host Renee Crook’s Tornado Helmet Safety campaign on Tornado Helmet Awareness Night on Friday, April 11th. This will be the third year in a row that the Barons have hosted this event, and it is going to be bigger and better than ever. Midland Radio has donated 200 weather radios for the Barons to distribute at the game. Weather radios can be an invaluable tool to keep you and your family safe during severe weather. Academy Sports + Outdoors is donating the batteries needed for the important back-up power option for the radios that are given away at the game. Representatives from Midland will also be on hand at the Regions Field to help winners program and set up the weather radios so they are ready for immediate use.

Other agencies/businesses that are scheduled to participate in the event include: Jefferson Co EMA, Birmingham Chapter of the American Red Cross, and the Alabama Head Injury Foundation as well as other local, state, and federal agencies will be there giving out information. A demonstration storm shelter will also be on site. Come out and get life-saving information on being prepared for the severe weather season!

A brief on-field pregame presentation will include remarks from tornado survivor Matt Seals, a brief video presentation, and conclude with the ceremonial first pitch by Joshua Heichelbech, brother of Christina Heichelbech who died in the January 23, 2012 Birmingham area tornado. The Heichelbech family is working to raise awareness of the importance of weather alert radios, especially for those living in the Birmingham area. Gates will open at 5:30 PM, gametime is 7:05 PM.

Coordinating the events is Renee Crook, a volunteer who helps spread the message about being prepared for severe weather. To contact Renee Crook or get more information about this initiative, check out the Tornado Helmet Safety Facebook Page.

Category: Alabama's Weather, Severe Weather