Kentucky students take part in annual statewide tornado drill

Coventry Oak Elementary practices tornado drill Friday

FRANKFORT, Ky. (ABC 36 NEWS NOW) — You may have heard an unusual sound around 10 a.m. Friday as Kentucky held its annual statewide tornado drill.

At Coventry Oak Elementary in Lexington, tornado preparedness is more than just an annual event—it’s a year-round practice. At 10:07 a.m., students lined the halls as part of the statewide drill.

“During the spring when we can have more tornados or severe weather, we practice our severe weather drills monthly, so our students did a great job. They know exactly what to do in an emergency,” said Michelle Grant, principal at Coventry Oak Elementary.

Kentucky has already experienced a tornado in 2025, prompting state leaders to encourage participation in the drill and a refresher on tornado safety precautions. Lexington Emergency Management also took part in the drill, helping teach important safety skills to students.

“We all remember ‘stop, drop, and roll,’ right? That started in elementary school, so the same concept applies to a tornado drill. You hear the sirens, you see the weather, you see the clouds, you go ahead and become safe,” said Emily Fay, public information officer for Lexington Emergency Management.

Despite the excitement of a Friday pajama day, the mood turned serious when the drill began. Students reflected on their experience.

“It felt pretty standard, we do them quite a bit,” said Graham Theumissen, a third-grader at Coventry Oak Elementary.

“The reason why we didn’t stay in our classroom was because the windows would be the first thing that could break,” said Mekhi Barber, another third-grader.

Principal Grant said even with roughly 800 students in the school, the drill ran smoothly.