03/17/2026
Tomorrow, Darke County and state of Ohio will have a statewide tornado drill for 3 minutes:
Time: 9:50 a.m. on March 18, 2026
Siren Activation: Outdoor warning sirens throughout Ohio (including Darke County) will be activated for approximately three minutes.
Purpose: To encourage residents, schools, and businesses to practice their tornado safety and shelter plans.
Procedure: Treat the siren as a real "Tornado Warning" and move to a safe, designated shelter area (basement or interior room).
Contingency: If there is severe weather in the area on the morning of March 18, the drill may be cancelled or postponed to avoid confusion.
Per Darke County Darke County Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Management:
​Spring is here and with that comes the potential for severe weather such as thunderstorms, tornadoes, high winds, and flooding. In preparation for severe weather, Darke County residents are encouraged to:
Get informed about the different hazards that could occur in your community and the multiple ways that you can receive severe weather alerts and warnings. Learn the appropriate response to the risks that you and your family may face.
Create a family emergency plan. You and your loved ones may not be together when disaster strikes, so it is important to plan in advance. Develop a plan on how you will communicate with one another, how and where you will reconnect, and what you will do in each type of emergency.
Build an emergency kit. Following a disaster, it may take time for power to be restored and emergency workers to reach your community. It is important to have an emergency supply kit with food, water, and other necessary supplies to last a minimum of three days.
Spread the preparedness message with relatives, friends, and neighbors. Preparedness is contagious.
It is inevitable that emergencies will happen. By taking these simple actions, you can minimize the impact a disaster could have on your family and the community.
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