Governor Mitch Daniels proclaimed March 14-20 as Severe Weather Preparedness Week in Indiana.
The goal of the week is to better educate people about the hazards of severe thunderstorms and tornadoes and to help them be prepared when severe weather occurs.
“It’s important that people prepare their own three days of supplies. They need to be self-sufficient for three days,” said Daviess County Emergency Management Agency Director Paul Goss.
Goss said looking back on the history of disasters in the community—tornadoes, floods, snow storms, ice storms—people need to be prepared. Individuals should have extra of everything they need to function with every day. Items like medication supplies and eye glasses are often not thought of, he said.
“(People should) have a plan for themselves and their family as to what to do in an emergency, be it warm clothing, a weather radio or food supplies.
“We’re going from winter weather preparedness to tornado weather preparedness,” Goss said.
According to the National Weather Service said Indiana averages 20 tornadoes a year, mostly occurring between April and June. The speed of tornadoes can range from 0-70 mph and can reach a width of one mile.
“As good as our emergency response groups are, they won’t be as good as they are in a disaster because the disaster affects their efficiency,” Goss said.
If a tornado hits, people in homes or small buildings should go into a basement if available or to an interior room on the lowest floor, wrapping themselves in coats and blankets for protection. People in schools, hospitals, factories or shopping centers should go to interior rooms and halls on the lowest floor. For those in high-rise building, stay away from exterior walls or glassy areas.
“It’s important Hoosiers always be prepared. The tornado striking Evansville at 2 a.m. in November 2005 was the deadliest in our state in over 30 years,” said David Tucek, Warning Coordination Meteorologist from the National Weather Service in Indianapolis.
