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BEFORE
Conduct
tornado drills each tornado season.
Designate
an area in the home as a shelter, and practice having everyone in the
family go there in response to a tornado threat.
Discuss
with family members the difference between a "tornado watch" and
a "tornado warning."
Contact
your local emergency management office or American Red Cross chapter for
more information on tornadoes.
Have disaster supplies on hand:
- Flashlight
and extra batteries
- Portable,
battery-operated radio and extra batteries
- First
aid kit and manual
- Emergency
food and water
- Non-electric
can opener
- Essential
medicines
- Cash
and credit cards
- Sturdy
shoes
Develop an emergency communication plan:
In
case family members are separated from one another during a tornado (a real
possibility during the day when adults are at work and children are at
school), have a plan for getting back together.
Ask
an out-of-state relative or friend to serve as the "family
contact." After a disaster, it's often easier to call long distance.
Make sure everyone in the family knows the name, address, and phone number
of the contact person.
Tornado Watches and Warnings:
A tornado watch is issued by the
National Weather Service when tornadoes are possible in your area. Remain
alert for approaching storms. This is time to remind family members where
the safest places within your home are located, and listen to the radio or
television for further developments.
A tornado warning is issued when a
tornado has been sighted or indicated by weather radar.
Mobile Homes:
Mobile
homes are particularly vulnerable. A mobile home can overturn very easily
even if precautions have been taken to tie down the unit. When a tornado
warning is issued, take shelter in a building with a strong foundation. If
shelter is not available, lie in ditch or low-lying area a safe distance
away from the unit.
Learn These Tornado Danger Signs:
- An
approaching cloud of debris can mark the location of a tornado even if
a funnel is not visible.
- Before
a tornado hits, the wind may die down and the air may become very
still.
- Tornadoes
generally occur near the trailing edge of a thunderstorm. It is not
uncommon to see clear, sunlit skies behind a tornado.
DURING
If at home:
- Go
at once to a windowless, interior room; storm cellar; basement; or
lowest level of the building.
- If
there is no basement, go to an inner hallway or a smaller inner room
without windows, such as a bathroom or closet.
- Get
away from the windows.
- Go
to the center of the room. Stay away from corners because they tend to
attract debris.
- Get
under a piece of sturdy furniture such as a workbench or heavy table
or desk and hold on to it.
- Use
arms to protect head and neck.
- If
in a mobile home, get out and find shelter elsewhere.
If at work or school:
- Go
to the basement or to an inside hallway at the lowest level.
- Avoid
places with wide-span roofs such as auditoriums, cafeterias, large
hallways, or shopping malls.
- Get
under a piece of sturdy furniture such as a workbench or heavy table
or desk and hold on to it.
- Use
arms to protect head and neck.
If outdoors:
- If
possible, get inside a building.
- If
shelter is not available or there is no time to get indoors, lie in a
ditch or low-lying area or crouch near a strong building. Be aware of
the potential for flooding.
- Use
arms to protect head and neck.
If in a car:
- Never
try to outrun a tornado in a car or truck. Tornadoes can change
direction quickly and can lift a car or truck and toss it through the
air.
- Get
out of the car immediately and take shelter in a nearby building.
- If
there is no time to get indoors, get out of the car and lie in a ditch
or low-lying area away from the vehicle. Be aware of the potential for
flooding.
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