Tornado near Pleasantville in 2017 (Photo by Patricia Avon)

The National Weather Service will conduct a statewide tornado drill today at 10am, as part of Severe Weather Awareness Week. 

The drill begins with a mock tornado watch, and is followed by a warning. KNIA/KRLS is broadcasting a special program about how we cover severe weather during the statewide tornado drill, which includes interviews with local and state officials about the different aspects of severe weather and how to stay safe. Associate Coordinator for Marion County Emergency Management Emily Feagins encourages residents to sign up for the county’s RAVE Notification system, which can be personalized to send severe weather alerts for specific locations.

“One thing that’s really nice about our RAVE alert notification system is you can actually build a profile into that system that’s completely personable for you. So, let’s say you have multiple locations, multiple addresses that you want to be notified for that maybe aren’t even in our county. You can input every single one of those addresses and you can get notified for each location.”

The KNIA/KRLS Severe Weather Action Team is on the air for any tornado or severe thunderstorm warning for any portion of Marion and Warren Counties, with backup generators ensuring the coverage stays on if the power goes out. Hear more from Emily Feagins on today’s In Touch with South Central Iowa.