(Jackson, Mn.)– This week marks the observance of Severe Weather Awareness Week in Minnesota. Jackson County Emergency Management Coordinator Gary Reif (rife) says one of the highlights will be some statewide tornado drills Thursday (April 16th)…
“They do this every year where the Sheriff’s Office will be sounding the sirens and it’s basically just a test to make sure people hear the sirens and kind of know what to listen for.”
Sirens in most Minnesota communities will sound twice Thursday: at 1:45 pm for institutions and businesses to participate in the drill, and again at 6:45 pm for second shift workers and families.
Reif (rife) says another element of severe weather, flooding, is also being highlighted this week…
“They always say turn around, don’t drown. That’s really a pretty good saying. If you have water over the road, it’s never a good idea to drive through it.”
Rife urges everyone to have multiple ways to get watches and warnings. He’s encouraging Jackson county residents to sign up for a service that provides emergency information through an app…
“We have a service you can sign up for, Regroup, it’s called, and you’ll get notifications from there, and you can pick the notifications that you’d like to receive.”
While Thursday will be centered around the statewide tornado drill, the theme for Friday will shift to the dangers of extreme heat.
You can hear our complete interview with Jackson County Emergency Management Coordinator Gary Reif here:
