As a part of Severe Weather Awareness Week in Georgia, Dougherty County Emergency Management personnel participated in a statewide tornado drill on Wednesday to test their preparedness in the event of a natural disaster.

The Dougherty County School System participated in the tornado drill as well, filing over 400 students in each elementary school into hallways to a safe position. State officials have been pushing the public to purchase All Hazard Weather Radios in case of severe weather.

Local authorities say Dougherty County’s severe weather trend has shifted in the last couple years.