The Cleveland-Bradley County placed the advertisement to inform the public of an upcoming tornado drill conducted between February twenty-eight and March sixth, 2021. The tornado drill is an activity during the severe weather awareness week. The exercise trains the public and creates awareness of what to do when there is a tornado warning. The area is prone to extreme weather conditions such as tornadoes, therefore it is important to create awareness on tornado safety. The advertisement about the tornado drill will attract the public to attend the event. Creating awareness about tornado preparedness will ensure that the public is prepared with the medical and physical tools that can assist them in remaining safe during a tornado.156199114_2264381350359984_3647329543344226715_n.jpg
A tornado can occur at any time and, in most cases, without warning. Therefore, it is essential to educate the adults on what to do with school-going children. The disaster advertisement primarily affects schools, both physically and as a community. Tornadoes are weather disasters that cannot be avoided and can cause significant damage to property and human life. By teaching students and teachers about what to do when there is a tornado warning, they can take shelter as soon as possible, which will protect them from injury or death. Nurses play a critical role in tornado safety drills by providing triage and emergency care services and distributing medical resources to people in need (Harris, 2018). Nurses work both individually and a team in mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery during a disaster to maintain public safety.
One of the most prevalent characteristics of weather disaster situations such as tornadoes is that they go hand in hand with chaos and medical emergencies, therefore making the most critical stakeholders during a tornado drill in schools, school administrators. In normal weather conditions, it is the responsibility of the school administration to provide quality education and safety to school-going children. During severe weather conditions such as tornadoes, it is the responsibility of the same administration to secure the children, provide them with safe shelter and alleviate their fears until the ordeal is over (Edwards & Center, 2008). Including them in the tornado preparedness drill would provide them with individual and group resources and tools and skills, which they can use to protect children during a tornado.
Communication is essential amidst a disaster. Where was this advertised? Schools tend to do a good job of this. My kindergartener is always telling me about the different drills they practice. My community also has a text alerting system which can be lifesaving. I recall a couple of years ago we had some friends over watching a football game, and everyone’s phones started alerting about a tornado warning, even though they were all from out-of-town. Location services can also be a key element. Which brings up another point, considering vulnerable populations who may not have smart phones–homeless, elderly, etc., how can we effectively communicate in an emergency?
