Pinellas County Tornado Drill Set For Wednesday

PINELLAS COUNTY, FL — Join students, employees and other Pinellas County residents and visitors on Wednesday morning, Feb. 3, for the 2021 Great Tornado Drill. Simulate your own Tornado Warning at 10 a.m., or sign up for Alert Pinellas (www.pinellascounty.org/AlertPinellas) to receive a TEST alert. Practice getting to your safe space quickly, and take a selfie to post on social media. Use the hashtag #PCtornadodrill.

You can join Pinellas County Live on Facebook starting at 9:50 a.m. at www.facebook.com/PinellasCountyNews/

Three winning photos will be chosen, judged on their demonstration of proper “duck and cover” while maintaining face covering and social distancing. Prizes will be mailed or sent electronically, and an official announcement will be made on Pinellas County Facebook and Twitter accounts.

Instructions for the drill

Before the drill

• Prepare
• Inform others at home, school or work
• Review and refine a tornado plan www.pinellascounty.org/tornado

The day of the drill

Wednesday - After 8 a.m.

Consider a Tornado Watch to be in effect. A watch means tornadoes are possible in your area. Remain alert for approaching storms and closely monitor the weather.

• Designate an emergency coordinator

• Announce the “Tornado Watch – this is a drill” to staff and/or students either in person or virtually

At 10 a.m.

• Consider a Tornado Warning to be in effect. A warning means a tornado has been sighted or indicated by weather radar.
• “Receive” the emergency message (You must simulate this yourself or sign up for Alert Pinellas at www.pinellascounty.org/alertpinellas to receive a TEST alert.)
• Go to your safe space, duck and cover.

• Take a selfie and post it on Facebook or Twitter using the hashtag #PCTornadoDrill. Check Pinellas County Facebook and Twitter to see other participants.

After the Drill

• Wrap-up
• Following the drill, discuss, assess and revise your tornado safety plan as needed.

For more information about tornado safety, go to www.pinellascounty.org/tornado.

This press release was produced by the Pinellas County Government. The views expressed here are the author’s own.