Long before tornado warnings were issued Monday afternoon in Coffeyville and Pittsburg, Allen County Emergency Management Coordinator Jason Trego was participating in a conference call with the National Weather Service out of the Wichita region.
A lot of work and planning takes place to keep citizens safe during hazardous weather, especially when one lives in the heart of Tornado Alley.
Whenever severe weather is expected, the National Weather Service typically issues a Situation Report to all emergency managers in the area. Allen County falls within Wichitas region. This morning (Monday) they hosted a conference call to address the recent weather. These reports are analyzed and distributed to elected and senior officials, as well as the distribution list for the Local Emergency Planning Committee, Trego said. This includes schools, private industry and other emergency service agencies. They are also shared on the Allen County Emergency Management Facebook page. With this information, cities take actions based on the hazards presented by the weather such as opening the public storm shelters.
Trego said that during a severe weather event, ACEM may open up the Emergency Operations Center.
The purpose of the EOC is to collect information from emergency responders and citizens, and pass them on to the National Weather Service, Trego said.
Its essential, he said, to corroborate what is actually on the ground with what appears on the radar.
With this information, they can issue, continue, or cancel severe weather warnings. For example, if deputies report several roads are still under water, the NWS will continue a flood warning instead of allowing it to expire. The EOC also disseminates information from the NWS and surrounding counties and passes it on to responders in the field, he said.
If any significant damage takes place, the NWS will typically tour the area and perform an assessment of what happened.
Trego said that a couple of years ago, the NWS visited Humboldt to determine it had been hit with strong straight-line winds up to 80 mph during a severe storm.
He said that it is important to take severe warnings seriously and to take directions and precautions issued by authorities.
There are several ways to stay aware and be prepared when severe weather is a threat.
Trego offered the following tips in the event of a severe weather outbreak:
Sign up for CodeRED Weather Warning. This service is provided by the county. One can sign up at https://public.coderedweb.com/CNE/en-US/BFB7CC4C6C0A or get more information at https://www.allencounty911.org/code-red
Attend Storm Fury on the Plains; a storm spotter talk presented by the forecasters from the NWS held in every county every year, usually in February or March. The event is free and offers information on how to read weather radar and how to look at the sky and clouds as a weather spotter. In Allen County it is held at the Bowlus Fine Arts Center.
Pay attention to outdoor warning sirens and seek shelter.
Have multiple ways to get weather information. Weather radios, live TV broadcasts, radio broadcasts and other severe weather alert phone apps.
