Severe weather is a fact of life in the United States. This most notably includes tornadoes, which have happened in all 50 states (+DC) and in all 12 months of the year. The US sees an average of over 1,000 tornadoes in an average year-by far the highest. For comparison, the silver medalist, Canada, barely scratches 100 in an average year.

And Pennsylvania is not immune to this, either. According to NOAA, the Keystone State averages about 16 tornadoes annually. Last summer, a major outbreak occured in the Delaware Valley on July 29th, producing multiple tornadoes, the most notable of which an EF-2 that touched down in Northeast Philly and lifted near Bensalem in Bucks County. Another one due to the remnants of Hurricane Ida on September 1st produced multiple tornadoes in the Delaware Valley yet again, including an EF-3 in Gloucester County, N.J. that prompted the first-ever tornado emergency ever issued in the Northeast, which extended into Lower Bucks County. It also produced two separate EF-2s in Chester and Montgomery counties, and put Center City Philadelphia under a PDS (Particularly Dangerous Situation) Tornado Warning, a distinction received by very few TORs.

And after last year's active summer, it is more imperative that Pennsylvanians know how to protect their families and for businesses to know how to protect their patrons. The top answer? Preparing. Having a good plan that can be easily put into action is the best way to stay safe in the event of a tornado. 

Last year, Pennsylvania and New Jersey were the only states of the six in the Mid-Atlantic that didn't conduct a statewide tornado drill in cooperation with the National Weather Service. Virginia, West Virginia, and Maryland are slated to conduct their own drills again this year. Therefore, this petition requests that PEMA and the National Weather Service to conduct a statewide tornado drill during Severe Weather Awareness Week (April 17-23), requiring public facilities such as schools to participate and also encouraging businesses and residents to participate as well.