Nobody wants to think of tragedies happening to them.

In most cases, severe weather is unpredictable. No one can truly predict the exact path of a storm or the damages it will cause, which makes it fairly impossible to prepare for the worst.

However, our public safety officials are committed to finding ways to prepare for the worst case scenario. When storms make their way to Michiana and present destructive changes and dangerous situations for the people who live here, local emergency responders must act quickly, which requires training and practice.

Earlier this week, Niles Township firefighters had the rare opportunity to practice for a tornado when a local business donated a home on its property to simulate tornado damage.

To prepare for the drill, firefighters placed mannequins in the home and then knocked multiple trees onto the structure, which was set to be razed anyway.

Both Selge Construction, which owned the home, and the fire department should be commended for their efforts.

Typically, the only time firefighters would have to practice for a situation like a tornado is in the case of an actual tornado. Having the experience of already performing a “rescue” in a disastrously destructed home will make the firefighters who participated in the training even quicker and more skilled should they ever have to rescue residents in a real tornado.

We encourage businesses and other homeowners in similar situations as Selge to consider these opportunities before demolishing structures.

Ideally, emergency responders would never have to use the skills learned during these training exercises, but should they be presented with a situation, we prefer they are fully prepared with the experience needed to make a quick and safe rescue.

 

Opinions expressed are those of the editorial board consisting of Publisher Michael Caldwell and editors Ambrosia Neldon, Craig Haupert, Ted Yoakum and Scott Novak.