TORNADO DRILL TUESDAY TO TEST GEAR, PERSONNEL

The automatic dialer that notifies businesses, hospitals, shopping centers and school systems about an impending tornado will be activated next Tuesday morning to test emergency management personnel and equipment.

"It's a drill we run every year to test both the hardware and the people assigned to warn and organize evacuation in the event of a tornado," Brian Miller, Cape Girardeau County emergency manager, said. "With the storm season approaching, this is a good time to remind people what to do."

Last year 80 people died and 1,500 were injured in tornadoes in the United States. There were two deaths and four injuries in Missouri. Many of these deaths could have been avoided through proper planning for emergency purposes.

There have been 18 tornadoes in Cape Girardeau County, 12 in New Madrid County and 13 in Perry County since 1950.

The 21st annual statewide tornado exercise will take place between 10 and 11 a.m. In the event of inclement weather, the exercise will be postponed until Thursday.

The National Weather Service and State Emergency Management Agency have declared March 6 through 10 Severe Weather Awareness Week for Missouri.

The national weather service in St. Louis will send a message to the Missouri Highway Patrol in Jefferson City to activate the exercise. Each highway patrol troop radio communications center will dispatch the message and poll those county sheriff's radio communications or public safety communications centers who are without a National Warning System yet still responsible for sending the message in their area.

Cape Girardeau's Office of Emergency Management and various city departments will be participating in the tornado drill. They will practice various procedures including testing communication systems and assigning police to designated lookout posts.

Most tornadoes and severe weather, such as thunderstorms and lightning, occur between March and September. However, they can strike at any time, day or night. The months when tornadoes strike most frequently are April and May.

Knowing the difference between a tornado watch and warning may save a life. A tornado watch means the conditions are right for a tornado. Thus, the instruction to watch the sky will be given. A tornado warning means a tornado has been sighted or picked up on radar and the instruction to take shelter would be given.

If you are in a home, school or at work, go immediately to an interior room on the lowest floor. In a tornado, take cover against a wall in the center of the building, below ground if possible.

Make sure it is a room with no windows. Do not go to a cafeteria or gymnasium because roofs can collapse.

If you are in a mobile home leave immediately to seek shelter in a nearby building or in a ditch or ravine.

If you are in a vehicle, don't try to outrun a tornado. Abandon the vehicle and take cover in a nearby ditch or depression and cover your head.

Brochures with severe weather safety tips are available at the Cape Girardeau police or fire departments.

For further information on the tornado warning exercise call Mark Hasheider, emergency coordinator training officer with the Cape Girardeau Fire Department at 334-3211, Jackson Fire Chief Gary Niswonger at 243-1010, or Miller at 243-7703.