April 16 through April 22 is Severe Weather Awareness Week in Michigan. A statewide tornado drill was held at 1 p.m. Wednesday where schools and businesses practiced their emergency procedures.
It was business as normal inside Saint Mary’s Catholic School in Williamston until all of the sudden the tornado siren outside went off.
“I was sitting in math class and all of the sudden we heard the tornado siren,” said Mallory Duffy, a 5th grade student.
“It kind of makes me feel like an air raid like during World War II,” said Aidan Bellinger, also a 5th grade student.
Students immediately jumped into action, staying calm, forming a line, and listened to teachers as they quickly went right to their designated shelter.
“We all didn't hear them at first,” said Majella Edwards, a 5th grade student at St. Mary’s.
Even though Wednesday was just a drill, students here understand what could be at stake.
“If there really was a tornado, you could get killed in it,” said Duffy. “You need to know what to do to get down into a safe place without windows so you don't get hurt.”
“We decided to participate because it’s easier to just practice and take advantage of the opportunity with the live sirens instead of trying to explain to the students why we would be practicing,” said RJ Lomas, Interim principal at Saint Mary’s.
It’s practice that not only puts safety on the minds of kids at school but also at home as well.
“We talk about that usually to like what would you do at home,” said Edwards. “We talk about you'd probably go to your basement because that has no windows and you just want to go to the safest spot.”
Be sure to download the WILX app for instant alerts whenever there is severe weather.
Local police and sheriff's offices also offer "Nixle" and "Code RED" services you can sign up for to get emergency information sent right to your phone.
