April signals the beginning of tornado season throughout the US. The next three months are the most active for tornados, when more than half of the year’s twisters occur. Severe thunderstorms threatened the Plains and Midwest already this week.
Fishers recently participated in a statewide severe weather awareness and siren test day to ensure our community’s preparedness for the upcoming severe weather season. It’s important for individuals and families to rehearse their plans for serious weather.
Fishers Fire Department reminded residents of the following tips:
- Go to the lowest interior room of your house that has no windows. This could be a basement, crawl space, closet or bathroom as examples. Stay away from doors and windows.
- If you are stuck outdoors, lay down and cover your head in the lowest place you can find such as a ditch or a culvert. Under a bridge is not a good location.
- Prior to severe weather, have water, snacks, flashlight, batteries, charged phone, and medicines available to take to your safe place with you. In the event there is a loss of power, you should be prepared to survive for 48-72 hours without support.
- Have a plan on how to communicate with loved ones if separated to assure your safety. This could be a call, social media or a meeting place.
- Prepare to protect and care for your pets.
- Purchase a weather alert radio. Sirens are to alert people that are outside. Otherwise monitor news outlets and a weather radio.
In severe weather emergencies, time is of the essence. To receive high-speed emergency notifications from Fishers officials, sign up for CodeRED. CodeRed allows Fishers officials to launch a phone call, send an email and send a text message to alert subscribers of important information such as severe weather alerts, public safety threats and Amber Alerts.
All businesses should register, as well as all individuals who have unlisted phone numbers, those who have changed their phone number or address within the past year and those who use a cellular phone or VoIP phone as their primary number.
CodeRED is only used in emergency situations. For general announcements and city news, be sure to sign up for Fishers Alerts.