It's Severe Weather Awareness Week

Did you know that it is Severe Weather Awareness Week? The purpose of this week is to draw attention to the fact that extreme weather (including possible tornadoes) are common this time of year.

Lakewood will join other municipalities throughout Cuyahoga County in conducting a Tornado Safety Exercise on Wednesday, March 24, 2010 at 9:50 a.m. This means the city's outdoor early warning alert siren will be set off and schools in Lakewood will conduct a tornado drill.

The early warning alert siren system is the City's way of alerting residents of possible danger, and advising them to seek shelter and listen to the radio, watch television or check the web for complete information.

If a situation should occur that may pose danger, a steady weather alert siren--a three-minute long steady tone--will sound. If necessary, verbal instructions can be announced using the system. When you hear the steady alert siren, take appropriate shelter and tune into radio or TV for more information. Please don't call 911 if you hear the alert; those lines need to remain open for emergencies. Try the non-emergency number at 521-7580 if you have concerns about the siren.

Though the city's four sirens are very loud (about 100 decibels 100 feet away, similar to a standing over an operating jackhammer) they are to notify residents who are outside. So, some residents may not hear the sirens if they are inside. The City tests the sirens every Saturday at noon. The test sirens play chimes, except the last Saturday of the month when the steady weather alert siren sounds for thirty seconds.