Storm season is underway and this week during Severe Weather Awareness Week everyone is encouraged to refresh their emergency plans. 

A statewide tornado drill took place at 10 a.m. Tuesday. Buchanan County Emergency Management Director Bill Brinton said the main thing people should do during Severe Weather Awareness Week is make sure they have a plan or go over their home or business emergency plan. 

“When the sirens go off it’s not necessarily a time to go outside and look for the tornado, it’s about going to somewhere in your house,” Brinton said. “It’s about whether you’re going to be safe, it’s whether it would be a basement away from the windows or if you don’t have a basement, go into a closet and possibly cover yourself up with a blanket or something which would protect you the minute your house is hit by a tornado.” 

Brinton said the annual storm spotter class put on by the National Weather Service will be held next week. 

“Our focus is not necessarily about turning people into storm spotters,” Brinton said. “It’s more about educating people about seeing what could possibly happen, understand what the weather conditions are, be able to identify the different cloud formations and how not to become a victim of a tornado.” 

Brinton said the class is free and open to anyone. It takes place at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, March 14, at the Missouri Theater in St. Joseph. For more information contact Bill Brinton (816) 271-1574.

For more on severe weather preparedness click here: Storm Aware.