Outdoor warning devices, commonly called tornado sirens, were sounded across Kansas at 1:30p.m. today.

The annual statewide tornado drill is part of National Severe Weather Awareness Week which continues through Saturday.

Students at Washington Elementary School practice their tornado drill three times a year, according to principal Allan Park.

“The students and teachers come out of their classrooms or in from the playground, and go down the stairs in two lines to our cafeteria.  It’s in the basement and also serves as the school’s tornado shelter,” Park says.  “Today it took two and half minutes for 166 people-everybody in the building-to get in the shelter, about an average time.”

The tornado siren nearest Washington School is at Fort Hays State University, south of Lewis Field.  Park has a National Weather Service weather radio in his office which also sounds the warning.

An alarm in the hallway outside the second-grade classroom also beeps as students practice their tornado drill.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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