LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — Students at Garrett Morgan Elementary School in Lexington took part in a statewide tornado drill Wednesday, practicing the steps they would need to take if a real tornado warning were ever issued.
The drill began at 10:07 a.m., when sirens echoed across Lexington as part of a National Weather Service statewide tornado drill. When the warning sounded, students were directed into the hallways and away from windows.
Fifth-grade student Violet Adams said she understood exactly why staying away from windows matters.
"The glass could break and like the tornado, it's super heavy and stuff, so stuff could fly in, break the windows. You'd get cuts. The stuff that's flying in could like hurt you, like a rock or something. So you never want to be close to them," Adams said.
Within seconds, students lined the halls and dropped into the crouch position, with heads tucked and hands covering their necks.
Fellow fifth-grader Hollis Turkson described the drill steps.
"We go on the ground. We have our hands behind our neck and then we like put our head down and just wait until it's over," Turkson said.
Adams emphasized the importance of protecting yourself during a tornado.
"You should always cover your head or like you could get a lot of damage and stuff and like you never want to be like far away from people or you could also get serious damage and stuff," Adams said.
For Turkson, the value of practicing goes beyond the drill itself.
"Like safety matters, practice. So if there's like something real, then we can ace it," Turkson said.
The drill was designed to build muscle memory so students know exactly where to go and how to stay safe if a real tornado warning is ever issued.
