As part of Severe Weather Preparedness Week, a statewide tornado drill is planned for 10:15 a.m. on Tuesday, March 19. This drill provides a valuable opportunity for families, schools and businesses to practice severe weather emergency plans. Some ways families can practice during the statewide tornado drill are:

• Take household members – quickly but calmly – to the location they would move to in severe weather, ideally a basement. If a basement is not available, go to an interior room on the lowest level with no windows. Storm cellars also offer excellent protection.

• Practice moving under a sturdy table or desk, or covering up with pillows, blankets, coats or a mattress to protect the head and body from flying debris.

• Walk through potential evacuation routes, both from the home and the neighborhood.

• Conduct a family drill in which children pretend to call 911 and calmly talk with an emergency dispatcher (a family member or friend can be on the other end of the line, requesting appropriate information).

Finding suitable shelter is another important aspect to prepare for severe weather. If living in a mobile home or similar manufactured structure, it is important to locate a safe shelter in advance. For those living in homes or apartment buildings, residents should take shelter in the lowest level of the building, away from windows and doors.