HOLLAND (WHTC) — The City of Holland is going to skip a statewide tornado drill said Holland Fire Capt. Chris Tinney, because sirens are tested every month — and fire crews train on a routine basis. But individuals and businesses should consider their own drills, said Tinney and other public safety officials.
(Listen to Capt. Tinney’s complete interview.)
The Michigan Association of Broadcasters is working with the Michigan State Police Emergency Management and Homeland Security Division to support a National Weather Service test of the emergency warning system, as part of Michigan’s Severe Weather Awareness Week.
Duirng the statewide drill, set for 1:30 p.m. Wednesday (April 13, 2016), some commmunities may use sirens while others will not. In either case, public safety officials are asking individuals and businesses to voluntarily join the drill.
Tinney said once a siren sounds, people should turn on a radio, weather alert device or TV to get detailed instructions.
Tinney suggested having a cellphone, a flashlight, enough food and water for 72 hours, as well as batteries, heat source and blankets. As a general rule, he said, people who need daily medications should maintain at least a three-day supply and make sure to bring it along when taking shelter during a storm. Learn more here and here.
He said families should, at the least, think though an emergency response plan and talk to family members, from children who may be at home alone after school when a storm strikes, to elderly parents living alone.
Tinney encouraged families to talk about contact plans if a storm strikes when family members are separated.
“There’s nothing wrong with checking on neighbors. We should probably do more of that,” he said. “Make sure we’re reaching out, especially in time of an emergency .Holland is a great place for taking care of each other.”
Preparedness throughout the year is important and adjusting throughout the year for the seasons,” he said. He keeps a case of water in his vehicle, along with a blanket and said he keeps canned food on hand.
In a statement Tinney sent to the media Tuesday, he noted that tornadoes can happen anytime of the year, but are more likely in late spring and early summer.
Knowing what to do in a weather emergency is critical, because advance warning could be as little as 10 or 15 iminutes, he said.
Tinney said sirens are tested on the first Friday of every month from April through November.
