Tornado survivors in Birmingham, Alabama just a few weeks ago were saying things like, “I didn’t hear the sirens!” It seems every year we need to clarify how sirens are supposed to help save lives:
Sirens DO
Alert those OUTDOORS that there may be a weather emergency in your area.
Sirens DO NOT
Tell you what type or where the weather emergency is AND are not designed to wake you up or alert you when you are INDOORS.
YOU should
GO INSIDE and get more specific information from your TV, radio or Internet.
Have a NOAA Weather Radio, which for less than half the price of a monthly cable bill, is designed to wake you up and give you the specific National Weather Service Warning. Weather Radios are battery operated and are the MOST RELIABLE life saving weather source when used properly.
Have an emergency plan prepared for any instance of severe weather and practice this plan so that everyone knows what to do.
Birmingham’s tornado threat occurred before dawn and Jefferson City and St. Louis area’s severe weather threat occurred during the middle of the night. Get your emergency wake-up call to keep your family safe.