Severe Weather Awareness Week holds special significance in Marshall County
SUBMITTED PHOTOS — Severe Weather Awareness Week began Monday and will end Friday. Each day is dedicated to different types of severe weather or information. The week was designated by the Iowa Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management and the National Weather Service.
Marshalltown has certainly had its share of severe weather history — the 2018 tornado and the 2020 derecho both created swaths of destruction.
That history makes Severe Weather Week more significant for the community. Severe Weather Awareness Week began Monday and will end Friday. The week was designated by the Iowa Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management and the National Weather Service.
Each day is designated to different types of severe weather or important information residents should be aware of:
• Monday, severe thunderstorms;
• Tuesday, receiving warning information;
The statewide tornado drill was held Wednesday at 10 a.m. Residents were encouraged to walk through or talk about what they should do if another tornado hits Marshall County.
• Wednesday, tornadoes. The annual statewide tornado drill also took place .
• Thursday, family preparedness;
• Friday, flooding.
Marshall County Emergency Management Coordinator Kim Elder said the week is important for residents to brush up on their severe weather skills, so they do not have to figure out plans at the last minute.
“Doing that will help prepare residents in Marshall County for a disaster, which also helps first responders,” she said.
During the statewide tornado drill, people should have walked through or talked about what they need to do, she said. That includes designating an area where people should go in the event of another tornado.
“We don’t do tornado drills as often as we used to,” Elder said. “People should know they need to go to the innermost, lower area and get as many walls between them and the tornado as possible.”
Some people who live in apartment buildings might not have an area, such as an inner closet, she said. They need to find their nearest tornado shelter, such as a bathhouse in an RV park or a community center. If one is not available, Elder said they need to get away from the outside walls. A hallway is not the best option, either.
“You can get sucked out,” she said.
Crouching or laying in a bathtub could be a possibility, but Elder said it is best if it is an interior room.
“If the bathtub is next to an outer wall, it will not protect you,” she said.
One tornado myth that Elder wanted to debunk is lowering the windows.
“It’s supposed to equalize the pressure,” she said. “That is untrue. If there is a tornado, don’t open the windows. Don’t take the time to do that. Get to a safe place.”
Elder also spoke about the dangers of strong winds and hail.
“Wind can do more damage than a tornado,” she said. “The damage from the derecho was more widespread. The tornado did horrible damage, but the derecho was border to border.”
Hail is just as dangerous, Elder said. According to the National Severe Storms Laboratory, wind-driven hail can damage structure exteriors, break windows in buildings and cars and severely injure or kill people or animals.
Elder recalled a 2009 hail storm at Pine Lake State Park near Eldora.
“There were runners outside during that,” she said. “There were some softball and fist-sized hailstones.”
The safest place during a hail storm is inside. If someone is outside without a building to access, the best place is inside a vehicle, even during a tornado.
“You have to ride it out,” Elder said. “Put your seatbelt on and tuck down as low as you can. If that is your only choice, it will give you some protection from the outside.”
Marshall County residents who signed up for Alert Iowa received an emergency alert test on their phones on Monday, which Elder sent out. She urged people to get the service, which is the official emergency notification system by the state of Iowa. Those with landlines will also get the alerts.
“When something pops up, you will be able to get out quicker,” Elder said.
Besides signing up for Alert Iowa, she encouraged residents to continue practicing drills, have a plan if a tornado or hail storm hits and to update emergency kits.
“Being prepared will reduce your stress of the situation and the stress on the emergency system,” Elder said.
ALERT IOWA:
To sign up for the emergency notification system, go to smart911.com/smart911/ref/reg.action?pa=marshallcountyia. The service is free of charge. Alerts are sent out via phone, text or email.
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Contact Lana Bradstream
at 641-753-6611 ext. 210 or
lbradstream@timesrepublican.com.
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- SUBMITTED PHOTOS — Severe Weather Awareness Week began Monday and will end Friday. Each day is dedicated to different types of severe weather or information. The week was designated by the Iowa Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management and the National Weather Service.
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- The statewide tornado drill was held Wednesday at 10 a.m. Residents were encouraged to walk through or talk about what they should do if another tornado hits Marshall County.
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