Article Link: READYWISCONSIN NEWS RELEASE: Wisconsin Severe Weather Awareness Week is April 13-17 | Wisconsin Emergency Management

For more information Contact: dmawempio@widma.gov
For Immediate Release

MADISON, Wis. – Storms can develop quickly in Wisconsin and knowing what to do when a severe weather warning is issued can help keep you and others safe. To help encourage everyone to be prepared for tornadoes, thunderstorms and flooding, Gov. Evers signed a proclamation declaring April 13-17 as Severe Weather Awareness Week in Wisconsin.

“Severe weather, especially tornadoes, can develop quickly and with little to no warning,” said Wisconsin Emergency Management Administrator Greg Engle. “This week is an opportunity for families, schools and workplaces to take steps to be prepared for and know what to do when severe weather strikes.”

Wisconsin averages 23 tornadoes annually. In 2025, the National Weather Service (NWS) confirmed 39 tornadoes in the state. That includes 15 tornadoes that touched down in a single day, when storms moved across southern Wisconsin on May 15 of last year.

The annual Wisconsin Statewide Tornado Drills will occur on April 16 at 1:45 p.m. and 6:45 p.m. Schools, businesses, and families are encouraged to practice going to their nearest tornado shelter or safe location during these drills.

• For houses: If you live in a house, the safest areas could be a basement, a ground floor interior room of a building that is not near windows, or a specially constructed safe room designed to withstand high winds and falling debris.
• For apartment buildings: If you live in an apartment, the safest location to be is the lowest level, with as many walls between you and the outside as possible. Stay away from windows.
• For mobile homes: Mobile homes are not a safe shelter location during a tornado. Identify a safer structure to go to whether that is a community shelter location, nearby public buildings or family and friends who live in sturdy structures. Know your evacuation route from your home and how long it will take to get to a safer location.

During the drill times, Wisconsin’s NWS offices will conduct NOAA Weather Radio tests that can be heard if you are actively listening to those devices or have one programmed to activate on test alerts. Local media outlets may also participate on the air or over social media. Some communities may also choose to test their outdoor warning sirens during drill times. Check with local emergency management offices for information on the siren testing schedules.

If there is a threat of severe weather in Wisconsin on April 16, the statewide drills will be postponed until Friday, April 17. The drills will go on in all other conditions, including non-severe weather (clouds, rain, dark sky, scattered thunderstorms, etc.). If severe weather is also expected on Friday, the drills will be cancelled. Notification of the drill status will be posted at http://readywisconsin.wi.gov by 10 a.m. on April 16.

To stay safe during severe weather, ReadyWisconsin encourages people to do the following:

• Create an emergency plan and practice it.
• Know where designated shelters are located at home, work, and school. Be ready to go there when a tornado warning is issued.
• Have multiple ways to receive alerts about approaching severe weather. Outdoor warning sirens, NOAA Weather Radios, local media, and mobile devices are all important tools. Don’t rely on any single source for important life-saving information.
• If you have a mobile device, make sure it is enabled to receive Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA). On many devices, that option is available in the settings menu. Find out more about WEA at https://readywisconsin.wi.gov/be-informed/be-alert/.
• Stay weather aware by checking the daily forecast for your area.
• Create an emergency kit for your home. Find tips for making a kit at https://readywisconsin.wi.gov.

About ReadyWisconsin

ReadyWisconsin is a public service campaign of Wisconsin Emergency Management, a division of the Wisconsin Department of Military Affairs. In alignment with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s national Ready campaign, ReadyWisconsin aims to educate and empower Wisconsinites to prepare for and respond to both natural and human-made emergencies, while engaging the public and boosting basic preparedness statewide. For more emergency preparedness resources, head to readywisconsin.wi.gov or follow ReadyWisconsin on Facebook, X, and Instagram for tips delivered straight to your feed.

SWHSP members are invited to save the date for a two-day conference in Milwaukee. Stay tuned for details soon!

Warehouse Space Needed to Support Flood Recovery in Southeast Wisconsin

In August 2025, historic flooding across Southeast Wisconsin damaged thousands of homes and disrupted the lives of many families. While the floodwaters have long since receded, recovery is still underway—and for many households, the rebuilding process is only just beginning.

Across Milwaukee County and surrounding communities, volunteer rebuilding teams are preparing to help repair homes affected by the floods. These efforts are being coordinated with leadership from the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) Wisconsin Conference, along with local partners working through the Southeast Wisconsin Community Organizations Active in Disasters (SEWI COAD).

As rebuilding efforts ramp up this spring, one key resource is needed to support this work: temporary warehouse space to stage building materials.

Why Warehouse Space Matters

Volunteer rebuilding teams rely on donated or purchased materials—things like drywall, flooring, paint, and basic construction supplies—to repair homes. Having a central staging location allows teams to efficiently pick up materials and bring them directly to active rebuilding sites.

Without a staging location, coordinating supplies across multiple projects becomes significantly more difficult.

A warehouse or storage space would allow recovery partners to:

• Store construction materials safely and securely

• Stage supplies for volunteer rebuilding teams

• Coordinate pickup and transport to active repair sites

• Support multiple rebuilding projects across the region

This type of support can make a major difference in how quickly families are able to return to safe and stable homes.

What Kind of Space Is Needed

Recovery partners are currently seeking a community partner that may have unused or underutilized warehouse or storage space.

Ideal space includes:

• 2,500–5,000 square feet of storage space

• Located in Milwaukee County (nearby areas may also work)

• Available approximately late April through December 2026

• Space that can be accessed by volunteer rebuilding teams to pick up materials

Materials stored would include typical construction supplies such as drywall, flooring, tools, paint, and occasional appliances like water heaters. No hazardous or perishable materials would be stored.

The space would not be open to the public and would only be accessed by designated recovery partners and organized volunteer teams.

A Community Partnership Opportunity

Recovery after disasters is rarely accomplished by a single organization. It takes collaboration across nonprofits, government, businesses, and community partners.

Sometimes the most impactful contributions are not financial—they are practical resources that help the entire recovery effort move forward.

If your organization, business, congregation, or network may have warehouse or storage space available, we would welcome the opportunity to explore a partnership.

Help Us to Spread the Word

Share this post, or this flyer to help us spread the word! FLYER: Community Partnership Opportunity: Warehouse Space Needed to Support Flood Recovery in Southeast Wisconsin

Learn More or Start the Conversation

If you or someone in your network may be able to help, please reach out:

Southeast Wisconsin Community Organizations Active in Disasters (SEWI COAD)
coadsewi@gmail.com
414-639-4456

You can also learn more about ongoing recovery efforts at:
www.sewicoad.org

Even sharing this opportunity with others in your network can help connect the right space with the rebuilding teams working to help families recover.

“If it can rain, it can flood.”

Flooding is Wisconsin’s most common natural hazard, and recent history has shown that flood impacts can reach far beyond mapped floodplains.

The historic August 2025 rain event demonstrated how flooding can disrupt operations, facilities, and continuity—even for organizations that may not consider themselves at risk. Strengthening awareness and planning today can help organizations remain resilient when future events occur.

The Southeast Wisconsin Homeland Security Partnership (SWHSP) invites organizations across the region to join this educational session focused on understanding flood risk and strengthening organizational preparedness.

SWHSP Education Session

• Event: From Risk to Readiness: Flood Awareness & Preparedness for Organizations
• Date: March 11, 2026
• Time: 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM

Event Flyer

What This Session Will Cover

Participants will explore practical, high-level considerations to support organizational readiness, including:

• Increasing awareness of flood risk across Wisconsin

• Addressing common misconceptions about who is at risk

• Identifying practical steps organizations can take before flooding occurs

• Exploring key planning considerations to strengthen readiness and decision-making

Featured Speaker

Sarah Rafajko
Floodplain Management Policy Coordinator & State National Flood Insurance Program Coordinator
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

Who Should Attend

Businesses, community organizations, and any others interested in strengthening their readiness for flooding events are encouraged to participate.

Register

The U.S. Secret Service National Threat Assessment Center (NTAC) offers new opportunities to attend live virtual presentations on preventing targeted violence. In these presentations, their expert researchers will share findings and implications from decades of research on targeted violence and offer strategies for preventing acts of violence impacting the places where we work, learn, worship, and otherwise live our daily lives. This list of available virtual training events is regularly updated, and presentation topics change from month to month.

To learn more about this series of live virtual presentations, or to register for one or more of these events, please follow the link below:

REGISTER

If you live in Milwaukee County and were impacted by the August, 2025 flooding, you could be eligible for a free hot water heater from Revitalize Milwaukee. The organization recently received a limited donation of brand new water heaters that are available to homeowners who:

• experienced flood-related water damage,
• currently need a new water heater, and
• meet required damage assessment criteria to verify eligibility.

Due to limited availability, eligible applications will be processed in the order they are received. To apply or learn more, please call Revitalize Milwaukee at 414-312-7531. 

Learn More

SWHSP Membership Renewals Now Open

As we look ahead to the coming year, the Southeast Wisconsin Homeland Security Partnership (SWHSP) invites current members to renew their membership and encourages new organizations to consider joining our regional partnership.

SWHSP brings together public, private, and nonprofit organizations to strengthen preparedness, response, and recovery efforts across Southeast Wisconsin. Membership provides organization-wide access to education sessions, exercises, planning resources, and cross-sector collaboration opportunities that help break down silos and improve coordination before emergencies occur.

Membership is open to organizations of all sizes and sectors, with multiple membership and sponsorship levels available. Annual dues are collected by calendar year, and membership includes everyone at your organization.

How to Join or Renew

Membership dues may be submitted in one of two ways:

• Pay online via our secure PayPal link

• Pay by check, payable to Southeast Wisconsin Homeland Security Partnership, Inc. and mailed to:
  P.O. Box 1059, Milwaukee, WI 53201-1059

Invoices are available upon request.

If you have questions about membership, renewal status, invoices, or would like to explore different membership levels or sponsorship opportunities, please contact us at swhsp.info@gmail.com.

We appreciate the continued engagement of our members and look forward to strengthening regional preparedness together in the year ahead.

Due to several competing commitments next week, we have made the difficult decision to cancel the December 10 SWHSP Education Session on Winter Preparedness. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

While our in-person session would have provided a tailored discussion for Southeast Wisconsin partners, we encourage you to review the National Weather Service Winter Outlook, which covers many of the seasonal considerations we planned to highlight:

• Webinar: 2025-26 NWS Milwaukee Winter Partner Webinar.
• Slides: 2025 NWS Milwaukee Winter Partner Services.pdf

Annual Meeting:

We will hold our SWHSP Annual Meeting on Tuesday, December 16, and welcome SWHSP members to join us for elections and year-end updates. No registration is required. Please note that the Annual Meeting will be in-person:

SWHSP Annual Meeting

Date: Tuesday, December 16, 2025

Time: 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM

Location: Wauwatosa Fire Department, 1601 Underwood Ave, Wauwatosa, WI 53213

Thank you for your understanding. Please reach out with any questions by emailing info.swhsp@gmail.com.

During the August floods, emergency shelters were essential in helping displaced families stay safe and begin to recover. Those experiences reminded us how critical it is to have a strong, ready network of shelter partners before the next emergency.

As we approach winter, the American Red Cross of Wisconsin is seeking additional partners with facilities that could serve as emergency shelters when severe weather or disasters strike.

Ideal facilities include spaces that:

• 4,000–5,000 sq. ft. or more
• Open area to safely accommodate 50 or more people
• Restrooms and handwashing facilities (showers preferred, but not required)
• Access to kitchen or food preparation area 
• ADA accessibility preferred

This is an all-hands-on-deck effort to strengthen community preparedness — and organizations both within Milwaukee County and across Southeast Wisconsin are encouraged to reach out to learn more or explore potential partnerships.

If your facility could be considered, or if you know of one that might be a good fit, please contact: MilwaukeeShelters@redcross.org

Winter Weather Preparedness & Annual Meeting

Date: Wednesday, December 10, 2025
Time: 1:30 – 4:30 PM
Location: Paul Davis Restoration, W226 N918, Northmound Dr Suite 100, Waukesha, WI 53186

Overview

Join us for the final SWHSP Education Session of 2025, focused on Winter Weather Preparedness. This session will include a presentation from the National Weather Service and a facilitated group discussion on how organizations prepare for winter hazards.

Following the educational portion, all members are invited to stay for the SWHSP Annual Meeting, where we’ll reflect on the year’s activities and look ahead to 2026.

Why Attend

• Learn practical winter preparedness strategies and updates from local experts.

• Engage in peer discussion about your organization’s planning efforts.

• Participate in the SWHSP Annual Meeting—an opportunity to help shape the partnership’s future.

• Connect with peers and explore opportunities for board service or greater involvement.

Stay tuned for registration details!