As part of Severe Weather Safety Week, Wednesday, March 25 has been designated Tornado Awareness Day. On this day, the tornado warning signals throughout the entire state of Ohio will be activated at 9:50 a.m. Kent State University will participate in that testing, slated to last for three minutes, by testing all emergency alert devices on campus.

Kent State, the city of Kent and Franklin Township have an emergency outdoor warning system that provides residents with immediate notification of impending emergencies, such as tornadoes. When emergency conditions exist, the city of Kent, as well as Kent State, will activate an audible outdoor siren and during an actual emergency, its signal will sound for at least nine minutes. When the alarm is activated, everyone should go immediately to the nearest tornado shelter.

In addition to the warning siren system, each building on campus has been equipped with a Mass Notification System (MNS). When activated, the MNS will sound an alert tone, followed by information and instructions concerning the warning. Additional instructions and updates of the current emergency situation may be broadcast from this system.  This system may be activated during situations that are not weather-related and may be independent of the emergency outdoor warning system.

More than 111 tornadoes have been recorded in Ohio since 2000. Typically at peak season, beginning in April through the month of July, tornadoes are among nature’s deadliest storms, capable of enormous destruction and wind speeds in excess of 200 to 300 miles per hour.

For more details about these procedures, contact Matt Radigan, Department of Public Safety at 330-672-3111 or via e-mail at mradigan@kent.edu. Additional information about tornado safety also can be found in the Department of Public Safety’s Emergency Guide.