This has been Severe Weather Awareness Week in Alabama—an annual educational effort sponsored by the National Weather Service, the Alabama Emergency Management Agency (EMA) and the American Red Cross. I hope people are not taking this effort for granted since it is repeated every February. I even heard a person once suggest that Awareness Week be held every second or third year. I disagree strongly.
Every year, people move to Alabama from other states. Often they come here from a state that is not “tornado prone.” Too, it doesn’t hurt to fine-tune yourself even if you have lived here for eons.
Most office buildings, plants and schools have a safety plan in place, so it is good to practice it. However, I have an idea that most individual families do not pay enough attention to pre-planning. It is essential that each family member knows where to go and what to do the minute a tornado warning is issued. There should be certain place in you home where everyone meets. That may be a basement or a smaller room on the lower floor of your home. It is essential to stay away from windows.
Updated tornado data covering 1950 through 2004 shows that Baldwin County had the most tornadoes—82. Fortunately many of those are relatively weak tornadoes and quite a few of those triggered by land-falling tropical storms or hurricanes.
It would be better if we had about 300 years of tornado records. For example, Wilcox County has experienced only 5 tornadoes since 1950 while adjacent Dallas County has been hit 27 times. Part of this is due to population density and the number of storm spotters. A long record would smooth that out somewhat. Be aware and stay safe. And DO buy a weather radio!
—J B Elliott
Every year, people move to Alabama from other states. Often they come here from a state that is not “tornado prone.” Too, it doesn’t hurt to fine-tune yourself even if you have lived here for eons.
Most office buildings, plants and schools have a safety plan in place, so it is good to practice it. However, I have an idea that most individual families do not pay enough attention to pre-planning. It is essential that each family member knows where to go and what to do the minute a tornado warning is issued. There should be certain place in you home where everyone meets. That may be a basement or a smaller room on the lower floor of your home. It is essential to stay away from windows.
Updated tornado data covering 1950 through 2004 shows that Baldwin County had the most tornadoes—82. Fortunately many of those are relatively weak tornadoes and quite a few of those triggered by land-falling tropical storms or hurricanes.
It would be better if we had about 300 years of tornado records. For example, Wilcox County has experienced only 5 tornadoes since 1950 while adjacent Dallas County has been hit 27 times. Part of this is due to population density and the number of storm spotters. A long record would smooth that out somewhat. Be aware and stay safe. And DO buy a weather radio!
—J B Elliott