PONTIAC, Mich. (WXYZ) — It's severe weather awareness week, and 7 News Detroit is committed to making sure you're prepared. Tornado sirens will sound across Michigan in communities participating in the statewide drill. It's set for 1 p.m. today.
The deadly tornadoes in Southwest Michigan earlier this month, serve as a heartbreaking reminder of how these storms can devastate communities in just minutes. It's important to have a safety plan for both you and your family.
Unfortunately, a lot of people do not think about these things until it is too late.
Oakland County's Emergency Operations Center in Pontiac is setting up right now, making last minute adjustments so that things go off without a hitch. Today's statewide tornado drill at 1 p.m. will take place as part of Severe Weather Awareness Week nationwide.
Watch Ryan's report below
The Oakland County emergency response center will test all of their sirens countywide. It's not just residents preparing for a weather emergency, should one occur; it's also businesses like Le Crepe in Royal Oak.
Restaurant owner Dennis Williams recalls a dangerous situation that happened while preparing food during a major event. He also discussed how his team quickly handled everything.
“12 years ago, we believed that a tornado did touch down in Royal Oak. It was during Arts, Beats, and Eats. And, you just saw tents flailing in the air. And, so those in our immediate circle, you know, shut down your equipment because you don’t want anything to happen. And everyone came into the restaurant. We pushed everybody to the back of the restaurant cause our goal is to make sure everyone goes home to their family," Williams said. “So, I have some reasonable accountability to make sure everyone is safe. So, I have to be abreast of what’s going on in the community and the region to make sure my customer base is safe and they have good memories when they leave my restaurant.”
We spoke with Bill Mullan, the Public Information Officer and Director of Communication with Oakland County, about the response center's preparations live during the 5 a.m. show.
"This tornado test statewide is an opportunity for people to remind themselves to know their plan," Mullan said. "We have 275 sirens that we are going to test at 1 o'clock, and when we set this off, we'll get an indication in the system if any of the sirens are malfunctioning, and if they do, we'll send someone out to check it out and make repairs."
Related: Watch our other stories from Severe Weather Awareness Week
