PNSCHS
SCZ040-042>045-047>051-292300-

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
954 AM EST FRI FEB 29 2008

...SOUTH CAROLINA TORNADO DRILL POSTPONED UNTIL THURSDAY MARCH 6TH...

DUE TO THE THREAT FOR SEVERE WEATHER...THE STATEWIDE SOUTH CAROLINA 
TORNADO DRILL THAT WAS ORIGINALLY SCHEDULED FOR TUESDAY...MARCH 
4...2008 HAS BEEN POSTPONED UNTIL THURSDAY...MARCH 6...2008. 

THE TEST TORNADO WARNING WILL NOW BE ISSUED AROUND 930 AM ON 
THURSDAY WITH THE TONE ALARM ON THE WEATHER RADIOS AND WILL BE IN 
EFFECT UNTIL 950 AM. AN ALL CLEAR MESSAGE IN THE FORM OF A SEVERE 
WEATHER STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED AT 950 AM WITH NO TONE ALARM. THE 
WARNING AND ALL CLEAR MESSAGES WILL BE SENT THROUGH THE NORMAL 
DISSEMINATION SYSTEMS WHICH WILL INCLUDE NOAA WEATHER RADIO...THE 
FAMILY OF SERVICES...THE NATIONAL WARNING SYSTEM /NAWAS/ AND THE 
EMERGENCY ALERT SYSTEM. AGAIN ONLY THE WARNING WILL BE TONE ALARMED 
ON NOAA WEATHER RADIO.

THE MAIN PURPOSE OF THE DRILL IS TO TEST DISSEMINATION SYSTEMS AND 
TO GIVE THE PUBLIC AN OPPORTUNITY TO PRACTICE THEIR TORNADO SAFETY 
PLANS. WE URGE ALL MEDIA OUTLETS TO BROADCAST THE DRILL SO THE
PUBLIC CAN PARTICIPATE. PUBLICIZING THE TORNADO DRILL PRIOR TO THE
EVENT WILL HELP REDUCE THE POSSIBILITY THAT PEOPLE WILL THINK THE
DRILL IS A REAL TORNADO WARNING.

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AND THE SOUTH CAROLINA STATE EMERGENCY 
MANAGEMENT DIVISION ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE DRILL. 
IF IT IS NOT PRACTICAL TO ACTUALLY EXERCISE YOUR PLAN...YOU SHOULD
AT LEAST TAKE TIME TO THINK ABOUT WHERE THE SAFEST LOCATION IS AND
WHAT YOUR SAFETY PLAN REQUIRES YOU TO DO.

$$

JAQ