With April being designated as Tornado awareness month, it’s always a good idea to go over some basic safety measures as well as to revisit some resources we have locally to keep our communities safe. While Kewaunee County has not been the recipient of many tornado events, we have had our share of straight-line winds and severe thunderstorms, which should heighten our alert level and trigger some very similar responses.
Our greatest resource is our own situational awareness. Keep an eye on the weather especially if you are planning outdoor events or plan to travel. Establish and become familiar with your own response plan and make sure all members of your family are equally familiar with where to go and what to do in a weather emergency. When you see the weather changing, take advantage of the many forms in which you can receive updates either by radio television or electronic devices. If you are notified of a weather emergency take the precautions set forth in the alerts as these conditions can change very rapidly and delay can mean the difference between safety and tragedy.
During this month’s statewide tornado drill, we utilized one of our most effective tools to weather alerting; our “RAVE Alert” notification system. This system has been used many times for alerting our communities to events such as severe cold weather conditions, severe thunderstorm warnings, localized tornado warnings and even in law enforcement messages regarding public safety during volatile incidents. The main advantage of this system is that its success does not require the individual to be in any specific area, or rely on the presence of radio or television. These alerts can be sent to residential land lines, as well as individual cell phones in the form of voice messages or texts. They can even go to individuals not living in our area as they may want to receive them on behalf of a loved one. Businesses and schools can also receive them and in turn alert their employees, staff, and students. Just make sure that the business phone number you are entering is a direct line and not an extension as part of a truncated system.
What this system does require is that each individual register to receive the notifications. Over the years many have done just that and our data base of numbers is well established with over 6,000 contacts registered. If you did not receive a call, email or text last week as part of the drill, please take a moment to register. You can register your cell phone land line or those of a family member by visiting our website at www.kewauneesheriff.com and click on the “Stay Informed” icon. If you have additional questions, or need any assistance, please feel free to contact the Kewaunee County Emergency Management Department at: (920)845-9700
