Severe Weather Awareness Week

(From the National Weather Service, Birmingham)

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
900 AM CST WED FEB 23 2011

..THIS WEEK IS SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK IN ALABAMA

..SPECIAL WEEKLY NOAA WEATHER RADIO ALL HAZARDS TEST ISSUANCE

THIS SPECIAL WEEKLY NOAA WEATHER RADIO ALL HAZARDS TEST IS BEING
CONDUCTED IN ASSOCIATION WITH SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK. THIS
TEST REPLACES THE WEEKLY NOAA WEATHER RADIO ALL HAZARDS TEST THAT IS
NORMALLY PERFORMED BETWEEN 11 AM AND NOON EACH WEDNESDAY. PLEASE USE
THIS SPECIAL TEST TO CHECK THE OPERATION OF YOUR NOAA WEATHER RADIO
ALL HAZARDS AND RUN THROUGH YOUR SAFETY PLANS…AND CONDUCT A TORNADO
DRILL AT HOME…SCHOOL…OR OFFICE.

REMEMBER, TORNADOES FORM QUICKLY. YOU MAY HAVE ONLY A FEW SECONDS
TO REACT AND FIND SHELTER. WHEN A TORNADO THREATENS, YOUR IMMEDIATE
ACTIONS CAN SAVE LIVES, INCLUDING YOUR OWN. KNOW WHAT TO DO AND
WHERE TO GO.

THE FOLLOWING ARE SOME TORNADO SAFETY RULES…

IN HOMES OR SMALL BUILDINGS, GO TO THE BASEMENT OR A SMALL
INTERIOR ROOM SUCH AS A CLOSET, BATHROOM OR AN INTERIOR HALLWAY ON
THE LOWEST LEVEL. GET UNDER SOMETHING STURDY LIKE A HEAVY TABLE, IF
AVAILABLE. PROTECT YOURSELF FROM FLYING DEBRIS WITH PILLOWS, HEAVY
COATS, BLANKETS OR QUILTS. USE BICYCLE OR MOTORCYCLE HELMETS TO
PROTECT YOUR HEAD.

STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS, DOORS AND OUTSIDE WALLS. DO NOT BOTHER
OPENING OR CLOSING WINDOWS AND DOORS AS THIS WILL NOT PROTECT THE
STRUCTURE. THIS WILL ONLY CAUSE YOU TO WASTE VALUABLE TIME WHICH MAY
PUT YOURSELF AND POSSIBLY OTHERS AT GREATER RISK. USE THOSE VALUABLE
SECONDS TO FIND A PLACE OF SAFETY. REMEMBER TO PROTECT YOUR HEAD.

IN SCHOOLS, NURSING HOMES, HOSPITALS, FACTORIES AND SHOPPING
CENTERS, GO TO A PRE DESIGNATED SHELTER AREA. BASEMENTS ARE
THE BEST…BUT INTERIOR HALLWAYS ON THE LOWEST FLOOR USUALLY OFFER
PROTECTION AS WELL. CLOSE ALL DOORS TO THE HALLWAY TO ENSURE THE
BEST PROTECTION.

IN MOBILE HOMES OR VEHICLES…LEAVE THEM AND GO TO A STRONG
BUILDING. IF THERE IS NO SHELTER NEARBY, GET INTO THE NEAREST
DITCH, DEPRESSION OR UNDERGROUND CULVERT AND LIE FLAT WITH YOUR
HANDS SHIELDING YOUR HEAD. BUT PLEASE BE WARY OF THE POTENTIAL OF
FLASH FLOODING IN THESE LOW LYING AREAS.

FOR ADDITIONAL DETAILS, PLEASE REFER BACK TO THE PUBLIC INFORMATION
STATEMENT ISSUED EARLIER THIS MORNING OR VISIT OUR WEB SITE
AT WWW.WEATHER.GOV AND THEN CLICK ON CENTRAL ALABAMA.

Category: Severe Weather