This week, several people in the area worked together to help prepare Lawrence County in the event a disaster should occur.

Members of the Ohio Amateur Radio Association Emergency Service (ARES) partnered with the National Weather Service and other radio operators to take part in statewide tornado drill.

The Lawrence County group also worked with a digital network that ties in with Internet radio.

While the county is not prone to tornadoes, it is not an impossibility.

Even an area with a rugged terrain can be struck by one. Look no further than the 1944 Shinnston, West Virginia tornado that killed 66 people.

And this readiness will also help with other severe weather events. In 2012, the county was on the outer edge of a derecho that struck mostly in West Virginia.

While damage was limited here, our neighboring state saw power outages lasting weeks and major physical damage.

We thank everyone who was involved in this week’s drill and it is comforting to know that, should the worst occur, we have people in the county who are ready to step in.