Erie County participating in tornado drill next week

PERKINS TWP. — As part of Severe Weather Awareness Week, March 15-21, Erie County will be participating in the statewide tornado drill by testing its outdoor emergency sirens at 9:50 a.m. on Wednesday. The county sirens are activated by the Erie County Sheriff's Office any time there is a tornado warning issued by the National Weather Service or the reported sighting of a tornado/funnel cloud by public safety personnel or the report of property damage or injuries caused by severe storms/tornado/funnel cloud. Erie County operates 44 outdoor severe weather warning sirens as part of the countywide severe weather warning system. Emergency management director Tim Jonovich reminds area residents that the sirens are designed to serve as an outdoor warning device and, therefore, are not designed to necessarily alert someone inside their home, office or school. The sirens simply mean "to seek shelter and tune to your local TV and/or radio for further weather information." Jonovich recommends the use of NOAA all-hazards/weather radios as the best indoor warning systems available today. NOAA radios can be purchased at many area department stores and online. It is strongly recommended that each family/household and business pre-plan for weather emergencies. During an emergency, residents are asked not to call 911 or the sheriff's office dispatch center to inquire why the sirens are activated, as dispatchers will be coordinating the response of area agencies. The sirens are not activated upon expiration of the warning. You will never hear the sirens activated to indicate "all clear." Regular monthly testing of the sirens will continue at noon on April 1.