Tornado SafetyThere 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.
- All administrators of
schools, shopping centers, nursing homes, hospitals, sports arenas,
stadiums, mobile home communities and offices should have a tornado
safety plan in place, with easy-to-read signs posted to direct everyone
to a safe, closeby shelter area.
- Schools and office building managers
should regularly run well-coordinated drills.
- If you are planning to
build a house, especially east of the Rockies, consider an underground
tornado shelter or an interior safe room.
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:
- Strong, persistent rotation in the cloud base.
- Whirling dust or debris on the ground under a cloud base --
tornadoes sometimes have no funnel!
- 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.
- Day or night - Loud, continuous roar or rumble, which
doesn't fade in a few seconds like thunder.
- 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.
- 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.
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