Statewide Tornado Drill Thursday - WXOW News 19 La Crosse, WI – News, Weather and Sports |

La Crosse, WI (WXOW)-- On Thursday, Wisconsin Emergency Management will conduct a statewide tornado drill. Emergency management is teaming with the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association for that event.

You will see a practice alert on all TV and radio stations, as well as weather radios. It's set for 1:45 PM on the 19th.

Wisconsin Emergency Management determined a statewide test is important because of their extensive use last year.

An emergency management coordinator says these alerts along with technology, make the sirens even more effective.

"Sirens have a lot of limitations. If the winds blowing, you may not be able to hear the siren, even if you're standing outside," said Tod Pritchard, of Wisconsin Emergency Management. "And obviously the siren doesn't tell you a whole lot. It tells you something's going on but you have to go to second source of information. And I think we'll be relying a lot more on Smartphone technology, texting."

Pritchard says one of the best and cheapest weather alerts to have is a weather radio. It not only alerts you to severe weather...but it tells you exactly what's going on.