By Mike Kruzman /news@whmi.com


A Statewide Tornado Drill has been scheduled and Livingston County’s Emergency Manager is encouraging local participation.

Every year more than 1,000 tornadoes touch down in the United States, with an average of 15 in Michigan. To help prepare, the state runs a drill annually in which they emphasize communication and warning along with sheltering. Livingston County has participated every year since 2016, with the exception of 2020 when it was believed that people were already under a lot of strain early in the pandemic.

Emergency Manager Therese Cremonte spoke with the County’s Public Safety Committee on Monday, sharing details and asking for support in participating in the drill once again.

The drill will take place on Wednesday, March 23rd, at 1pm. There will be a tornado siren test at that time with a warning from the Livingston County Public Alert System. The drill will last for 20 minutes before an “all clear” is sent out.

Cremonte said this will allow County agencies and departments to review their emergency response plans for tornadoes with employees and any guests in the facility.

Cremonte shared the importance of participation with the Committee, pointing to two events in recent history. One was an F3 tornado that moved from the western edge of the County down M-36 towards Pinckney, before jumping south and hitting Dexter in 2012. In that tornado, no lives were lost. Cremonte, though, also pointed to the December 2021 tornadoes in Kentucky that claimed 77 lives.

The Committee approved a resolution to participate unanimously, and it will now go to the full Board for final consideration.

Photo: Michigan.gov