Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management and the National Weather Service have declared the week of March 22 through March 26, 2021 Severe Weather Awareness Week. Severe Weather Awareness Week is an annual event to remind Iowans that severe weather is part of being in Iowa and that understanding the risks and how to respond to them can save lives. The highlight of the week will be a statewide tornado drill on Wednesday, March 24^th.

For this drill, the National Weather Service in Des Moines will issue a mock tornado warning issued at approximately 11:00AM coinciding with weekly weather radio testing. Outdoor warning sirens will be sounded at or soon after 11:00AM in cities throughout Cass County, according to Mike Kennon, Cass County Emergency Management Coordinator. Also, those who subscribe to the Cass County Emergency Notification System will receive an alert concerning the drill. Kennon adds,”This is an excellent opportunity for residents, businesses, and schools to practice their own procedures in the event of a real severe weather event.”

In the event of actual severe weather occurring during or close to the drill time, the drill will be cancelled.  To register for the Cass County Emergency Notification System, go to links located on the Cass County homepage or the Cass County EMA Facebook page. If you need assistance, contact Mike Kennon, Cass County Emergency Management Agency Coordinator at 712-243-1500.