It’s Severe Weather Awareness Week in Minnesota and today is Tornado Drill Day.
The sirens are a test of the civil defense system but also allows schools and families to develop a plan in the event of a real tornado warning.
Otter Tail County Emergency Management Director, Patrick Waletzko, “All the outdoor warning sirens in addition to weather radios will sound. If you happen to hear that that outdoor warning siren, or your weather radio, that now’s the time to practice. And that really is all we’re looking for is for people to be thinking about, and if they would like to, really encourage them to actually go check out their storm shelter location at those two points in time.”
The siren tests will be at 1:45 p.m. and 6:45 p.m.
The National Weather Service reminds you that counties own, operate, and maintain the sirens. The National Weather Service does not activate them but rather it’s the counties who set their policies on when to activate.