This new addition to The Rotunda is written by the Longwood Emergency Response Team and will feature weekly events, announcements and advice regarding the safety of students, faculty and staff of Longwood University.
March 11, 2014 will mark Virginia’s annual Tornado Preparedness Day and Drill. Longwood will be among the many colleges, institutions and families participating in the statewide drill at 9:45 a.m. that day.
“When it comes to tornadoes, there’s no such thing as a ‘tornado season.’ Tornadoes can strike anywhere, anytime, and you need to know the drill,” states the Virginia Department of Emergency Management’s (VDEM) webpage.
Some students and faculty/staff members may remember the tornado that touched down in the Farmville area on April 27, 2011. The storm system also brought major flooding and severe weather that affected the university and town. During that same year, 51 tornadoes hit the Commonwealth of Virginia alone.
Tornado Preparedness Day was created to raise awareness and inform the public about how to respond in the event of a tornado watch or warning.
A “tornado watch” is issued when there is a possibility of a tornado developing in the area.
A “tornado warning” is issued when a tornado has been sighted in the area or has been indicated by National Weather Service Doppler radar.
In either event, residents should monitor a weather-alert radio and/or news station for updates.
Visit the Longwood Emergency Response Team’s Facebook page to find information on what to include in an emergency survival kit and where the safest places to take shelter are during a tornado.
