Dakota County Sheriff Joe Leko wants to remind citizens that the week of April 17th through April 21st is Severe Weather Awareness Week. This event is sponsored by the National Weather Service (NWS) and is intended to raise everyone's awareness as we enter into the severe weather season. As part of Severe Weather Awareness Week, two tornado drills will be held on April 20th, 2023.
Schools and businesses are encouraged to practice emergency plans during the statewide tornado drill at 1:45 p.m. on Thursday. A second drill will take place at 6:45 p.m. to allow families and second-shift workers to practice sheltering plans.
In Dakota County, our siren policy states that outdoor warning devices (sirens) will be activated when the National Weather Service has issued a Tornado Warning or a Severe Thunderstorm Warning with wind speeds of at least 70 miles per hour. The National Weather Service and local media do an excellent job of notification for incoming severe storms. The sirens are just another notification tool to advise citizens to go inside and turn on a radio or TV to see where the storms are and determine their best course of action.
During severe weather season, always be aware of the weather conditions around you. Be ready to seek shelter when the weather turns threatening. Have an emergency kit at home and ensure all family members know where the kit is located. To help you put together an emergency kit visit the following:
http://www.ready.gov/build-a-kit/
For additional information on Severe Weather Awareness Week, please visit the State of Minnesota, Homeland Security and Emergency Management, website at the following:
https://dps.mn.gov/divisions/hsem/weather-awareness-preparedness/Pages/default.aspx
With questions, please contact Emergency Preparedness Coordinator Sergeant Jim Iliff at (651) 438-4736 or by email at James.Iliff@co.dakota.mn.us.