Due to weather concerns, the 2025 Annual Kentucky Statewide Tornado Drill will now occur on Friday, March 7, at 10:07 a.m. EST. Lexington Emergency Management will participate in this drill.
During the drill, the National Weather Service (NWS), in partnership with Kentucky Emergency Management (KYEM) will issue a test tornado warning message. This will activate weather alert radios, outdoor warning sirens may sound, and many television and radio stations will broadcast the alert, allowing all Kentuckians the opportunity to practice tornado safety. Many television and radio stations may interrupt programming to cover the tornado drill. If severe weather is forecast for the test time, the drill will be postponed to a fair-weather day.
In Fayette County, Lexington Emergency Management will test the tornado sirens at 10:07 a.m. The sirens will sound a tornado wail for one minute as part of the test. Please do NOT call 9-1-1 about the tornado drill.
This year, the tornado drill will activate the Emergency Alert System (EAS), including messaging over NOAA Weather Radio, local television and radio stations, and cable override. (The one exception is in northern Kentucky, where the message will be sent as a Routine Weekly Test on NWR, per agreement with Cincinnati-area broadcasters.) The drill will not set off Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) on your mobile phone.
To learn about Lexington Emergency Management’s warning sirens, visit https://bereadylexington.com/sirens/ for information on siren testing, use, and range. For Frequently Asked Questions, visit https://bereadylexington.com/siren-faq.
Tornado safety tips are outlined below, but for any other preparedness information, visit Lexington Emergency Management’s website, www.BeReadyLexington.com, as well as Facebook: @LexingtonKYEM, Instagram: @lexkyem, and X (Twitter): @lexkyem.
Tornado Safety Information
- Stay informed. Check daily forecasts and tune in to weather radios, which can be kept in your home or workplace.
- Plan ahead. Know your designated shelter locations at home and in the workplace. Practice tornado drills and make a communication plan with your family so everyone is on the same page.
- Be prepared. Gather emergency supplies, especially food, water, and medicine. It may be helpful to have two kits – a Go-Kit with at least three days of supplies (including batteries and device chargers), and a Stay-at-Home Kit with at least two weeks of supplies. Keep copies of important records. Store protective coverings in or near your shelter space.
- Be aware. Monitor weather conditions and seek shelter if a warning is issued or if you suspect a tornado is coming.
- Protect yourself. Use helmets and any other protective equipment to cover your head and neck. Flying debris is the greatest danger in tornadoes.
- Seek shelter. Avoid windows! Go to the lowest level of the building and take shelter in an interior room. Cover yourself with thick padding, like a mattress or blankets, if you can. Do not seek shelter under bridges; they may collapse.
- In a house with a basement: Seek shelter in the basement and hide under sturdy protection (like a heavy table or workbench).
- In a dorm, apartment, or house without a basement: Seek shelter in a small interior room on the lowest level.
- In a car or truck: Park quickly and safely out of the traffic lanes. Stay in your car with the seatbelt on and put your head down below the windows. Cover your head. If you can safely get noticeably lower than the level of the roadway, leave your car and lie in that area instead.
- In the open outdoors: Lie flat and face-down on low ground, protecting the back of your head with your arms. Get as far away from trees and cars as you can.
- Remain calm and alert. Stay in your shelter until the tornado warning is over. Listen to the radio or TV for instructions from authorities. Keep your family together and wait for emergency personnel to arrive.
- Treat injuries. If anyone has been injured, provide first aid. Do not attempt to move anyone with a back or neck injury unless they are in immediate danger. Seek medical assistance.
- Avoid hazards. These include downed power lines, broken glass, nails, and other sharp objects. Steer clear of heavily damaged houses or buildings. Do not use matches or lighters; natural gas pipes or fuel tanks might be leaking nearby.
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