20-03-2025
Tornado warning siren test reminder of their importance
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — As part of Severe Weather Awareness Week this week, the state held a tornado drill shortly before 10 a.m. Wednesday.
The warning sirens were activated in Franklin County for three minutes, which is longer than the weekly Wednesday tests at noon.
Franklin County Emergency Management Agency Director Jeff Young said the test went well.
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The sound heard Wednesday morning, and just about every Wednesday of the year, is what would sound should there be a tornado warning issued. The point of the drill is to offer up the opportunity to practice and strengthen emergency plans.
'If it's an actual tornado warning or sounding the sirens, your first reaction should be, I need to get, you know, inside a structure, get to the lowest level and preferably a room that has no glass and no windows,' Young said.
Franklin County has 198 sirens spread throughout and Young said they all worked properly during the drill.
'Every week, we test them and there's typically something that needs to have some level of maintenance done on it, which is why we do that test weekly, you know, and so now when we need them, we know they'll all work,' he said.
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Young said the purpose of these sirens is to inform people that if they're outside and severe weather is rolling in, they need to get to an indoor safe area as soon as possible.
'That's why you want to pay attention,' he said. 'They're not designed to wake you up from a sound sleep in the middle of a building.'
When a tornado warning is issued, the Franklin County siren warning system is activated by zone; the warning zones are broken up into northwest, northeast, southwest and southeast sections of the county.
Last year, Ohio saw 74 tornadoes touch down, far exceeding the record of 62 set in 1992. Young said people in Franklin County are aware of the devastation tornadoes can cause.
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'There's a lot of anecdotal stories about how the sirens went off, it woke people up, they started to react, their mobile devices went off, and then they took shelter, and it helped them,' Young said. 'It's all part of being informed and knowing where you're going to get your trusted information, you know, and being weather aware, you know, knowing your surroundings, which makes you better prepared so you can take action to protect you or your family.'
Young said it is important to prepare for all types of severe weather, including tornadoes and flooding. In addition to having a plan in place, it's also important to build an emergency kit that should include items like a first aid kit, food and water.
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