CHARLOTTE, Mich — Eaton County Emergency Management is preparing to take part in a statewide tornado drill Wednesday as part of severe weather awareness week — and officials want residents to use the opportunity to review their emergency plans.
- Michigan has already seen deadly tornadoes this year, with storms ripping through Union City, not far from Eaton County.
- The drill is scheduled for 1 p.m. and will activate cell phones and outdoor warning sirens across Michigan.
- Eaton County residents can sign up for additional text alerts by texting "Eaton" to 67283.
Ryan Wilkinson, Eaton County's emergency manager, said the timing of the drill reflects the urgency of the season ahead.
WATCH: Eaton County prepares for tornado drill during severe weather awareness week
"We're getting into that time of year, right where a tornado watch, tornado warnings, just general severe weather is really on the forefront of our minds and could happen to us at any point in time," Wilkinson said.
Wilkinson said the drill is also a chance for individuals, households, businesses and schools to test their tornado plans.
"So at 1:00 PM is an opportunity to test your tornado plans right whether you're an individual whether your household whether your business your K-12 school," Wilkinson said.
He urged residents to know where to go when severe weather strikes.
"Know where to go when you're home whether that's a sturdy two-story family home, get to that interior room get away from windows. If you're in a manufactured home, get to the interior room like a bathroom cover yourself protect yourself," Wilkinson said.
Charlotte resident Carl Snyder said he went through a tornado as a kid — one that rolled the car he was in.
"The car was pretty much ruined but we were fine," Snyder said.
Snyder said the experience left him with a reminder of how powerful storms can get.
"We head to the basement. We have a spot pre-determined in our basement to go under the stairs in one corner of the basement," Snyder said.
He said he also stays alert by monitoring weather notifications on his phone and urged others to take severe weather seriously.
"Quite prepared, you should be quite prepared for tornadoes because they're no joke, I went through one as a kid," Snyder said.
Eaton County residents can sign up for additional text alerts by texting "Eaton" to 67283.
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