James Bryant brings tornado safety lessons to Marvell Academy

When James Bryant walked into Marvell Academy, the lesson was not about radar screens or storm jargon. It was about making one decision before the sirens ever sound: where to go when a tornado warning reaches Phillips County.

Bryant, a meteorologist at KATV in Little Rock, has said he often visits schools to talk about tornado safety, and the Marvell stop fit that pattern. He has said March 31, 2023 was one of the most challenging days of his career after a tornado hit Little Rock and then North Little Rock, his hometown, where he described the experience as “up close and personal.” That kind of firsthand memory gives his school visits weight, especially in a county where severe weather can turn ordinary routines into emergency drills.

The practical message for families was plain. Before the next warning, decide where everyone goes, practice it, and make sure children can repeat the plan without help. The mistake many households make is waiting until the storm is already close to figure it out. Schools are required to drill, but homes often rely on memory and guesswork. In a place like Marvell, that gap matters.

Arkansas law requires public schools to conduct tornado safety drills at least three times a year, in September, January and February. That means schools are already being pushed to treat preparedness as part of daily safety, not as an afterthought. Families should treat their homes the same way. The state also has nearly 200 public storm shelters, and many are in school buildings, which shows how central schools are to local sheltering when weather turns dangerous.

The timing of Bryant’s visit also matched a troubling pattern. The National Weather Service in Little Rock said Arkansas had 60 tornadoes in 2025, well above the average year of 37. April was the busiest month, with 21 tornadoes. For Phillips County families, that is a reminder that tornado season is not a distant possibility; it is a recurring risk that arrives with spring.

Bryant’s visit to Marvell Academy made the point concrete for students and staff alike. A school can teach the plan, but the plan only works if it follows children home to their parents, siblings and neighbors. In Arkansas, preparedness is already built into school policy. The next step is making sure it is built into every household too.