"This is awareness:" Tornado drill provides opportunity to make sure you have tools to keep you safe

MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- During Severe Weather Awareness Week, a tornado drill was held statewide on Thursday afternoon, April 16th. It provided an opportunity for school children and adults alike to make sure they know what to do if and when severe weather strikes. It was also a good opportunity to make sure you have the tools you need to stay safe during severe weather season.

"So many lives are lost because people ignore the warnings," Christine Westrich, the director of Milwaukee County's Office of Emergency Management said.

Westrich and her staff are participating in Wisconsin's Tornado and Severe Weather Awareness Week, which included a tornado watch and warning drill Thursday afternoon.

"The most significant part of this is awareness -- to actually get people to do the drill, actually leaving their desks, going to their tornado shelter area. And if they`re at home and they`re working outside and they hear the tornado or the outdoor warning sirens as they`re appropriately called to actually respond -- to go inside, to go to the basement," Westrich said.

Smartphone apps and weather radios can help to keep you informed when severe weather is imminent or possible -- and this technology can save lives. The FOX6 Weather Experts say you shouldn't rely only on the outdoor sirens.

"It`s a very important time to make sure your weather radio is working and to have your phone by you because we have the alert system on your phone," FOX6 Weather Expert Stephanie Barichello said.

In addition, Westrich says when you hear the outdoor sirens, you should avoid assuming it's a drill. Instead, she says we should all behave as though it's a legitimate emergency.

It was one week ago when we saw severe storms in southeastern Wisconsin -- and tornadoes in northern Illinois. A tornado that devastated the small town of Fairdale, Illinois was rated an EF-4 by the National Weather Service.