Council Bluffs, March 21, 2022 – Severe Weather Awareness Week begins today and will run through Friday, March 25th. This week is an opportunity to highlight the importance of being aware of, and prepared for, severe weather. It is also an ideal time to review and practice your family, school, and workplace emergency plan and procedures.

Each day this week will focus on different severe weather topics:
• Monday – Severe Thunderstorms
• Tuesday – Weather Warnings
• Wednesday – Tornadoes
• Thursday – Family Preparedness
• Friday – Flash Floods

The annual Iowa and Nebraska statewide tornado drills will take place on Wednesday, March 23, beginning at 10 a.m. Tornado sirens will sound in all Pottawattamie County communities during the drill. If there is an actual severe weather threat Wednesday, the drill will be postponed to March 24th.

“It is critical that families, businesses, and schools take this opportunity to review and practice what they would do during severe weather threats,” said Doug Reed, Director of Emergency Management. “Pottawattamie County and its communities were extremely lucky on December 15th when we experienced four tornado touchdowns in our county. A shift in storm track of less than a quarter mile could have placed three of those tornadoes tracking directly into four of our communities.” “Iowa has already seen this year the heart-breaking effects of the dangers severe weather presents.”

Everyone who lives in Pottawattamie County should sign up for severe weather warnings from the Alert Iowa system. This service is free. It is also used to provide localized emergency alerts and information related to all types of threats and hazards. Sign up at https://pcema-ia.org.

Emergency Management will post helpful videos each day this week on its website, Facebook page, twitter account, and YouTube channel.