Fort McCoy to participate in statewide tornado drill April 11

Photo By Scott Sturkol | Storm clouds are shown over the Parade Field on Sept. 4, 2018, at Fort McCoy, Wis. The parade field is used by larger units at Fort McCoy for change of command ceremonies. Also, in early September 2018, rain storms dropped several inches of rain on the installation. (U.S. Army Photo by Scott T. Sturkol, Public Affairs Office, Fort McCoy, Wis.)  

FORT MCCOY, WI, UNITED STATES

03.21.2019

Courtesy Story

Fort McCoy Public Affairs Office           

April 8-12 has been designated Wisconsin’s Severe Weather Awareness Week. As part of the events for that week, Fort McCoy will participate in a statewide tornado drill scheduled for April 11.

A mock tornado watch will be issued at 1 p.m. April 11 followed by a mock tornado warning at 1:45 p.m. Many radio and TV stations across the state will issue a test tornado warning. In addition, mock alerts will be issued on National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) weather radios, and many of the surrounding communities will sound tornado sirens to test emergency severe-weather plans.

Fort McCoy will test the Giant Voice and AtHoc mass-warning notification systems during the April 11 tornado drill. The watch and warning will be sent out via both AtHoc and community email, and the sirens will sound during the 1:45-2 p.m. mock warning. An all clear will be issued at the end of the drill. The drill is part of the annual spring severe-weather campaign to encourage everyone to be ready for possible tornadoes and severe weather.

The tornado drill will take place even if the sky is cloudy, dark, or rainy. If severe storms are expected in the area, the tornado drill will be postponed until April 12 at the same times. If severe storms are forecast for Friday, the drills will be canceled.

Take the time to review your organization’s Emergency Action Plan and locate the nearest shelter and know what actions to take if severe weather approaches. Also, ensure that information is current and up to date in the AtHoc system by either clicking on the purple globe on a government computer desktop or going to https://warnings.army.mil/SelfService/2090564. Both require a Common Access Card.

A mock tornado warning will also be issued at 6:45 p.m. to give families and second-shift workers a chance to practice their emergency plans. Fort McCoy will not participate in this later event.

According to the National Weather Service, Wisconsin averages 23 tornadoes annually. During 2017, there were 23 tornado touchdowns in the state. While most were either EF0 or EF1, the state did record an EF3 on May 16, 2017. The tornado followed an 83-mile path across Polk, Barron, Rusk, and Price counties, killing one person and causing widespread damage. The state also experienced an outbreak of 10 tornadoes on June 14, 2017, across Shawano, Winnebago, Outagamie, Brown, and Waushara counties.

For more information on severe-weather preparedness, visit readywisconsin.wi.gov,
ready.army.mil, or www.weather.gov/arx/

(Article prepared by the Directorate of Plans, Training, Mobilization, and Security Emergency Management Office.)

• Date Taken: 03.21.2019
• Date Posted: 03.21.2019 13:30
• Story ID: 315197
• Location: FORT MCCOY, WI, US