This week is Severe Weather Awareness Week in Mississippi, andlocal officials say the postponement of a statewide tornado drillbecause of possible bad weather across the state is a perfectexample of how unpredictable the elements can be.

Lincoln County Civil Defense Director Clifford Galey said thecounty will participate in the statewide tornado drill with analert that goes out over the weather radio. He said the alert isexpected to go out around 9:15 a.m. Thursday.

The drill was planned for Wednesday, but officials from theMississippi Emergency Management Agency postponed it, ironically,because of impending stormy weather.

“Things like that happen sometimes,” Galey said.

And local businesses are encouraged to participate in Thursday’sdrill, Galey said, because everyone needs a plan when there issevere weather on the horizon.

“It’s important to have a plan in place so that you’ll knowright away what to do if something happens,” he said. “The quickerand easier you can get to safety if the weather gets threatening,the better.”

With several situations in recent years where tornados,hurricanes and torrential rains have beaten the county, Galey saidmost organizations and businesses already have strategies in placefor when the horizon gets dark.

“I know all the schools have plans, and they have drills two orthree times a year,” he said. “Every business should have a planready that they would do in case of a tornado warning orwatch.”

Part of the reason it is so important to be prepared in LincolnCounty is that the lay of the land makes weather trends a littleunpredictable, Galey said.

“We’re in that unfortunate area where the weather patterns cancreate severe weather for us,” he said. “And due to the terrain, itcan make it hard to see severe conditions coming.”

Galey pointed out that through the years, Lincoln County has hadweather-related injuries, and that every precaution is necessary toinsure complete safety if the outlook becomes threatening.

“I would advise that everyone test their tornado plans onThursday,” he said, adding that even businesses and individualswithout a weather radio can participate.

Severe weather is something no one can completely avoid, butofficials say there are precautions that can be taken, as well asways to protect against the ravages of storms and otherunpredictable forces of nature.