A number of Edmonton’s schools faced criticism Thursday, a day after a tornado warning had many running for cover, and some schools took drastic measures, while at least one parent said her son’s school didn’t appear to do anything.
Tracy Doherty was at work Wednesday afternoon when a tornado warning was issued for the Edmonton area.
She was on the other side of the city from Doctor Donald Massey School where her 12-year-old son was in class – but when classes ended at 3:15, 45 minutes after the tornado warning was called, he walked home through the storm.
“He said that on his way home there was a big lightning and thunder, and it scared him really bad,” Doherty said.
The mother said students at the school weren’t told about the severe weather and everyone left when classes ended – plus, Doherty said neither she, or her husband was notified.
She hopes the school changes its policy.
“E-mail, phone call, text, anything,” Doherty said. “Just let us know to come get our child.”
At another school, Esther Starkman School, parents who spoke to CTV News said they encountered a chaotic scene when they picked up their children.
“There were parents and students coming in and out, and teachers trying to corral everybody,” Parent Lance McWilliams said. “Everybody’s going in and out of the door.”
However, students at that school said teachers had told them to stay indoors.
An Edmonton Public Schools spokesperson told CTV News a number of e-mails were sent to schools Wednesday between 2 and 4:30 p.m., warning principals about the severe weather – but after that, it’s up to the principals to act.
“You know your school better than anyone else, if you think your students or staff is in imminent danger, don’t dismiss,” Jane Sterling said.
For Edmonton Catholic Schools, a spokesperson said students were asked to stay inside, and bus service was halted.
“We felt that it went very well, considering it was at a crucial time of the day when students were going to be dismissed and we had to act very quickly,” Edmonton Catholic spokesperson Lori Nagy said.
As for what experts suggest should be done during severe storms, the Storm Prediction Centre in Oklahoma suggests being in a basement, or hallway away from windows are the best places to be.
In the case of students in a school, they shouldn’t be moved into rooms with large roofs, like gymnasiums or cafeterias, as those spaces are at the greatest risk of collapse in a severe storm.
City fields dozens of storm-related calls
City officials were busy Wednesday afternoon dealing with the aftermath of the severe storm, which moved from southwest Edmonton to the northeast, with the heaviest rain falling in the west-central area of the city.
The city said 170 storm-related calls were made to the city between 3 and 7 p.m. Wednesday – of those, 138 regarded missing manhole covers, or clogged catch-basins and flooding on roadways.
With files from Veronica Jubinville
