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Tornado
Safety
There is no such thing as guaranteed
safety inside a tornado. Freak accidents
happen; and the most violent tornadoes can
level and blow away almost any house and its
occupants. Extremely violent F5 tornadoes
are very rare, though. Most tornadoes are
actually much weaker and can be survived
using these safety ideas...
Prevention and practice before
the storm: At home, have a
family tornado plan in place, based
on the kind of dwelling you live in
and the safety tips below. Know
where you can take shelter in a
matter of seconds, and practice a
family tornado drill at least once a
year. Have a pre-determined place to
meet after a disaster. Flying debris
is the greatest danger in tornadoes;
so store protective coverings (e.g.,
mattress, sleeping bags, thick
blankets, etc) in or next to your
shelter space, ready to use on a few
seconds' notice. When a tornado
watch is issued, think about the
drill and check to make sure all
your safety supplies are handy. Turn
on local TV, radio or NOAA Weather
Radio and stay alert for warnings.
Forget about the old notion of
opening windows to equalize
pressure; the tornado will blast
open the windows for you! If you
shop frequently at certain stores,
learn where there are bathrooms,
storage rooms or other interior
shelter areas away from windows, and
the shortest ways to get there.
Know the signs of a tornado:
Weather forecasting science is not
perfect and some tornadoes do occur
without a tornado warning. There is
no substitute for staying alert to
the sky. Besides an obviously
visible tornado, here are some
things to look and listen for:
1. Strong, persistent rotation in
the cloud base.
2. Whirling dust or debris on the
ground under a cloud base --
tornadoes sometimes have no funnel!
3. Hail or heavy rain followed by
either dead calm or a fast, intense
wind shift. Many tornadoes are
wrapped in heavy precipitation and
can't be seen.
4. Day or night - Loud,
continuous roar or rumble, which
doesn't fade in a few seconds like
thunder.
5. Night - Small, bright,
blue-green to white flashes at
ground level near a thunderstorm (as
opposed to silvery lightning up in
the clouds). These mean power lines
are being snapped by very strong
wind, maybe a tornado.
6. Night - Persistent
lowering from the cloud base,
illuminated or silhouetted by
lightning -- especially if it is on
the ground or there is a
blue-green-white power flash
underneath.
WHAT TO DO...
In a house with a basement: Avoid
windows. Get in the basement and under some
kind of sturdy protection (heavy table or
work bench), or cover yourself with a
mattress or sleeping bag. Know where very
heavy objects rest on the floor above
(pianos, refrigerators, waterbeds, etc.) and
do not go under them. They may fall down
through a weakened floor and crush you.
In a house with no basement, a dorm,
or an apartment: Avoid windows. Go to
the lowest floor, small center room (like a
bathroom or closet), under a stairwell, or
in an interior hallway with no windows.
Crouch as low as possible to the floor,
facing down; and cover your head with your
hands. A bath tub may offer a shell of
partial protection. Even in an interior
room, you should cover yourself with some
sort of thick padding (mattress, blankets,
etc.), to protect against falling debris in
case the roof and ceiling fail.
In an office building, hospital,
nursing home or skyscraper: Go directly
to an enclosed, windowless area in the
center of the building -- away from glass.
Then, crouch down and cover your head.
Interior stairwells are usually good places
to take shelter, and if not crowded, allow
you to get to a lower level quickly. Stay
off the elevators; you could be trapped in
them if the power is lost.
In a mobile home: Get out! Even if
your home is tied down, you are probably
safer outside, even if the only alternative
is to seek shelter out in the open. Most
tornadoes can destroy even tied-down mobile
homes; and it is best not to play the low
odds that yours will make it. If your
community has a tornado shelter, go there
fast. If there is a sturdy permanent
building within easy running distance, seek
shelter there. Otherwise, lie flat on low
ground away from your home, protecting your
head. If possible, use open ground away from
trees and cars, which can be blown onto you.
At school: Follow the drill! Go to
the interior hall or room in an orderly way
as you are told. Crouch low, head down, and
protect the back of your head with your
arms. Stay away from windows and large open
rooms like gyms and auditoriums.
In a car or truck: Vehicles are
extremely dangerous in a tornado. If the
tornado is visible, far away, and the
traffic is light, you may be able to drive
out of its path by moving at right angles to
the tornado. Otherwise, park the car as
quickly and safely as possible -- out of the
traffic lanes. [It is safer to get the car
out of mud later if necessary than to cause
a crash.] Get out and seek shelter in a
sturdy building. If in the open country, run
to low ground away from any cars (which may
roll over on you). Lie flat and face-down,
protecting the back of your head with your
arms. Avoid seeking shelter under bridges,
which can create deadly traffic hazards
while offering little protection against
flying debris.
In the open outdoors: If possible,
seek shelter in a sturdy building. If not,
lie flat and face-down on low ground,
protecting the back of your head with your
arms. Get as far away from trees and cars as
you can; they may be blown onto you in a
tornado.
In a shopping mall or large store:
Do not panic. Watch for others. Move as
quickly as possible to an interior bathroom,
storage room or other small enclosed area,
away from windows.
In a church or theater: Do not
panic. If possible, move quickly but orderly
to an interior bathroom or hallway, away
from windows. Crouch face-down and protect
your head with your arms. If there is no
time to do that, get under the seats or
pews, protecting your head with your arms or
hands.
AFTER THE TORNADO...
Keep your family together and wait for
emergency personnel to arrive. Carefully
render aid to those who are injured. Stay
away from power lines and puddles with wires
in them; they may still be carrying
electricity! Watch your step to avoid broken
glass, nails, and other sharp objects. Stay
out of any heavily damaged houses or
buildings; they could collapse at any time.
Do not use matches or lighters, in case of
leaking natural gas pipes or fuel tanks
nearby. Remain calm and alert, and listen
for information and instructions from
emergency crews or local officials.
Information from Roger
Edwards @
Storm Prediction Center in Norman, OK
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tornado facts