County urges residents to sign up for Civic Ready alerts ahead of statewide tornado drill

Sedgwick County officials urged residents March 5 to prepare for Severe Weather Awareness Week and to sign up for the county’s Civic Ready alert system ahead of a statewide tornado drill.

Cody Sharvitt, Deputy Director of Sedgwick County Emergency Management, told the commission Kansas records a disproportionate number of high‑end severe storm reports per populated area and described basic preparedness steps: build a disaster kit with food, water, flashlight, radio and chargers; develop a plan for where to shelter; and use multiple ways to receive warnings.

Sharvitt reminded the public that the statewide tornado drill and outdoor siren test were scheduled for 10:00 a.m. and that Civic Ready would also push a countywide notification to registered users. He said only about 5,000 people in the county were signed up for Civic Ready — a fraction of the county population — and encouraged broader enrollment at sedgwickcounty.org/civicready. Sharvitt also listed upcoming severe‑weather safety classes, including a March 24 Weather Service presentation and evening classes in smaller cities.

Chairman Ryan Beatty and other commissioners emphasized that outdoor sirens are designed for people outdoors and reiterated the need for indoor notification channels; Beatty said Civic Ready is one of the best options for indoor alerts. The commission accepted the presentation; no formal action was required.

Ending: Emergency management urged residents to complete the statewide tornado drill, sign up for Civic Ready and attend local safety classes to prepare for an active severe‑weather season.