By Madison Ford

Entertainment Editor

As a stampede of twelve tornadoes barreled through the Dallas-Fort Worth region, those in the community scrambled to prepare for the imminent danger and damage that approached. While much could not be avoided, such as property damage, and in some cases, destruction, the region was fortunate the weather to storm without fatality.

This preservation of North Texan life could be attributed to the safety precautions taken by many institutions throughout the area, most specifically schools. These learning establishments took active precautions against the storm as it reached their region in the early afternoon on Tuesday.

Coppell High School initiated their duck and cover drill at approximately 2:10 pm, gathering students in side hallways and internal classrooms on the first floor. Here students waited patiently for the storm to pass.

However, Coppell was not the only district affected by the inclement weather. Lewisville Independent School District was also assertive in its safety drills in the face of the storm. Flower Mound High School junior Emilio Mazur shed light on his experience.

“I was at my career center school, [Dale Jackson Career Center], and my class all hid in our back storage room (filled with boxes and equipment) which has a door made of a chain link fence,” Mazur said. “We were in there for a good amount of time, and I know other classes were hiding as well. “

In the sake of caution, some schools in the area held their students past typical school hours in order to ensure their safety.

“We were held 30 minutes late,” Mazur said.

Local universities also adjusted their typical routine Tuesday.

“Classes in rooms without windows went on as usual, but those in windowed rooms started going into staircases around 2:00 pm,” CHS graduate and University of North Texas freshman Sarah Hillier said. “All of the dorms had people go into halls and bathrooms. The buses quit running and set everyone into the student union.”

The degree to which the storm affected North Texans varied not only by county, but on an individual basis as well.

“I was not personally affected here, but my friend’s house was actually hit by a tornado,” Hillier said. “UNT did not seem to be hit too hard.”

While North Texas did not walk away from this storm unscathed, the region was blessed to walk away from this phenomenon in the company of their loved ones. The quick and organized actions of schools, businesses and residents in the area bring assurance of the level of preparedness present in this section of Tornado Alley.