Severe Weather Awareness Show is Thursday on KDHL

This is Severe Weather Awareness Week as proclaimed by the National Weather Service and Minnesota Department of Public Safety.

Each day a different topic is highlighted by the National Weather Service as part of the observance of the specially designated week.

Monday the topic is alerts and warnings.

We are lucky to be living in this age of advanced technology when communications can be made to anyone anywhere through text or e-mail on many of our phones.

In Rice County we are part of the Everbridge Alert System. Faribault Emergency Management Director Dusty Dienst tells KDHL you can receive weather alerts by text, email or fax and by a phone call. The information can be sent to multiple phones.

The alerts will be very general in nature and, when you receive them, you should tune to KDHL AM920 or Power 96 Radio 95.9 FM to get more specific information.

Know the difference between a watch and a warning, too. There are tornado warnings and watches and severe thunderstorm warnings and watches.

A tornado warning means a tornado has been either spotted visually by a trained spotter or detected by radar and you should take immediate action for safety. A tornado watch means conditions are favorable for tornadoes to develop and you should be aware of what to do if a warning is issued. Make sure you know where all family members are and go over your course of action should a warning be issued.

A tornado can and often does develop during a severe thunderstorm warning.

Dienst tells KDHL the outdoor warning sirens are just that, meant to be heard outdoors. When the siren goes off you should again tune to KDHL or Power 96 Radio to receive more specific information.

Thursday we will have a special Severe Weather Awareness Week program to inform you about what to do in the event of severe weather. Dienst will be on the program, along with Rice County Emergency Management Director Jennifer Hauer-Schmitz and Rice County Sheriff Troy Dunn.

Rice County Assistant Emergency Management Director John Rowan may also join us on the 9:30AM show Thursday.

The show is being held the same day as the statewide tornado drills are scheduled. In Minnesota there are two drills. Not all counties participate in both, but Rice County does. Drills are scheduled for 1:45PM and 6:55PM.

These are perfect opportunities for you and your family or business to practice whatever plan is in place in the event of a severe weather emergency.

If you can't tune in Thursday morning, I encourage you to watch the program with your families at a more convenient time on our YouTube channel.

Seconds in these situations literally save lives.