It is important to know what to do if a tornado
were to touch down in La Crosse. University designated Emergency Response
Number is (608)-789-9999. This number is a direct line to a live representative
at the University Police station.
According to the National Climatic Data Center, there are
approximately twenty-four recorded tornadoes annually in Wisconsin. The last
time La Crosse had a tornado touchdown was in May 2011. No one was killed, but
there was extensive property damage.
If in a campus building, go to the lowest interior hallway
and do not use the elevators. Make sure to be near a TV or a radio in order to
receive updates as the storm progresses. If in a house, get away from the
windows and go to the basement or cellar if available.
Tornadoes typically appear around late spring/early summer
in the Midwest. However, it is important to remember that tornadoes can appear
at any point in the year.
Over eighty tornadoes were sighted on a weekend in November,
spanning across Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio. Six people
were killed and over 50 were injured in Illinois. Thousands of people in the
state were without power. Gov. Pat Quinn of Illinois reported that seven
counties were disaster areas.
