Alberta is in the midst of an abnormal summer storm period and Foothills residents are encouraged to take the proper safety steps.

In the past week the Foothills and surrounding area has experienced multiple thunder and hail storms as well as several tornado watches, and it's keeping locals on their toes.

Protective Services Director Scott Roberts says there's certain precautions people can be taking.

"Well with a massive hail storm of course we are always worried about damage to our homes or to our vehicles...so we can only hope for the best when it comes to our homes and making sure we are properly insured should our homes incur any damage. If you are able to put or vehicles in a garage, you should, and if you are outside try to get inside or take shelter during a hail storm."

Scott says it's a different story with tornado warnings; residents safety comes first.

"In a tornado the best course of action is to always get to the lowest part of the house, put as many walls between you and the outside as you possibly can and to stay away from any doors or windows that can become dislodged during a high wind event."

In the case of copious amounts of rain Scott says the storm sewers can handle most events, however there are times the water management system can get overwhelmed.

"In those cases we could see some pooling in low lying areas, what's important to remember is don't try to drive through that water. If you can't see the road, you don't know what's there and there is always danger hidden in the water. So either wait for the water to recede or drive around if you can."

Driving through pooling water can put you and your car in danger, only 15cm (6 inches) of water is enough to stall an engine and 30cm (1 foot) of water can typically float any car.

In these irregular weather times Albertans can be alerted to better prepare for the weather, Scott says like everything else, there's an app for that.

"We have the Alberta Emergency Alert. All residents can sign up for this app on your mobile device and it's free. It provides emergency notifications and will give you sufficient notice to be able to take cover and stay safe during an extreme weather event."

The app can be downloaded on any iPhone or Android device.

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