Perform tornado drills every tornado season.
• Designate an area in the home as a shelter, and practice making everyone in the family going there in response to a tornado threat.
• Analyze the difference between a "tornado watch" and a "tornado warning" with your family.
• Get in touch with the local emergency department or American Red Cross chapter to request more information about tornadoes.
Have items for disaster protection handy:
• Flashlight and additional batteries.
• Additional batteries and portable battery operated radio
• First aid kit and manual
• Emergency food and water
• Non electric can opener
• Essential medication
• Cash and credit cards
• Resistant shoes
In case the family members are separated from each other during a tornado (a real possibility during the day when the adults are at work and the children at school), have a plan to reunite.
Ask a relative or friend living out of state to act as the “family contact”. After a disaster, it is often easier to make long distance calls. Make sure that everyone in the family knows the name, address and telephone of the contact person.
Tornado Watches and Warnings – A tornado watch is issued by the National Weather Service in a tornado possibility in your area. Be alert in case of approaching storms. This is a moment to remind family members about the safest places inside the house and listen to the radio or television to learn about new developments.
A tornado warning is issued when a tornado has been seen or indicated by the weather radar.
Mobile homes – Mobile homes are especially vulnerable. A mobile home can tip over easily even if precautions have been taken to secure the unit. When a tornado warning is issued, seek shelter in a building with strong foundations. If there is no shelter nearby, lie on a ditch or area at a prudent distance from the unit.
Tornado danger signs – Learn to identify these danger signs:
• An approaching rubble cloud can mark a tornado location, even if the funnel is not visible.
• Before a tornado is triggered, wind may recede and the air may become very still. Usually, tornadoes occur near the exit edge of a thunder storm. It is not rare to see the skies clear and illuminated by the sun behind a tornado.
What to do during a tornado
If you are at home:
• If you have a safe room or adapted shelter go there immediately.
• Go to a windowless, inner room immediately; go to the basement or the lowest level of the building.
• Go to a windowless, inner room immediately; go to the basement or the lowest level of the building.
• Stay away from windows.
• Get under resistant furniture, like a work bench, tale or heavy desk and hold on to it.
• Use your arms to protect your head and neck.
• If you are in a mobile home, go out and seek shelter elsewhere.
If you are at work or in school:
• Go to the designated area in your plan against tornadoes.
• Avoid places with wide ceilings, such as auditoriums, cafeterias, long hallways or malls.
• Get under resistant furniture, like a work bench, tale or heavy desk and hold on to it.
• Use your arms to protect your head and neck.
If you are outdoors:
• If possible, go into a building.
• If there is no shelter nearby or you don’t have time to seek shelter indoors, lie on a ditch or a low lying area or crouch near a strong building. Beware of a chance of flooding.
• Use your arms to protect your head and neck.
If you are in a car:
Never try to beat a tornado driving a car or truck
Get off of the car immediately and seek shelter in a building nearby.
If there is no time to find indoor shelter, get off of the car and lie on a ditch or a low lying area, away from the car. Beware of a chance of flooding.
