Storm Safety and Preparedness

CRITICAL QUESTIONS:

*** DO YOU HAVE A NOAA WEATHER ALERT RADIO?

PLEASE FOLLOW THIS LINK FOR MORE INFORMATION ON NOAA WEATHER ALERT RADIOS

1. Do YOU and YOUR FAMILY (including all pets) have a “Safety Plan” in place to “Survive the Storm”?.

2. Are you and your family READY in the event a “Tornado Watch” or a

“Tornado Warning” is issued for your community?

3. Do you or your family members understand the difference between a

“Tornado Watch” and a “Tornado Warning”?

An important note*

DO NOT GO OUTSIDE AND TRY TO “SEE” THE TORNADO. TORNADOES CAN BE OBSCURED BY WRAPPING

CURTAINS OF RAIN!

Remember…Staying Calm in a crisis situation allows for clear thinking and quick reaction – “crucial elements”
in making right choices to survive any emergency situation. Being prepared in advance allows for that element of
calm, just in knowing that you have a plan of action, in place, to make fast acting decisions THAT WILL SAVE YOUR LIFE!

Take the time to develop a plan of action for you and your family, not only for the home, but at work, at school or
when outdoors. Practice the plan and review the plan at least once a month during the Severe Weather months.

Some Safety Tips for “Safe Place Plan of Action"

A. HOME - Choose a safe place in your home for you and your family members to gather if a tornado is headed
your way. Go to your storm shelter or basement. Even when taking shelter in a basement try to get under
a stairway or a sturdy piece of furniture and HANG ON!

      If you don’t have a basement or a storm shelter move to a small, windowless interior room such as a closet,
      bathroom or interior hall on the LOWEST level of the house. Cover yourselves with a blanket to reduce injury
      from small flying debris. (Follow this link to the FEMA Pets and Disasters Guide)

B. AVOID WINDOWS! DO NOT OPEN WINDOWS TO EQUALIZE PRESSURE.
DOING SO IS INEFFECTIVE IN REDUCING DAMAGE.

C. MOBILE HOMES – Get OUT! Leave immediately and seek shelter in a nearby sturdy building, preferably a
building with a solid foundation. OR find a ditch or depression in the ground away from the mobile home and
cover your head with your hands.

D. When away from home i.e., a mall or civic arena, try to get to the restroom, hallway or an area reinforced
with concrete blocks. How do you find this “safe area” on short notice? It is all part of the planning process…
BE AWARE of your surroundings at all times. Being AWARE during Storm Season could save your life! If there
is no area of concrete reinforcement or interior halls, try to get next to something that will deflect falling debris
and protect your head by covering it with your hands and arms.

E. AUTOMOBILES AND OUTDOORS – An automobile, much like a mobile home, can be easily thrown around by the
violent winds of a tornado. If a tornado is approaching DO NOT try to out run the tornado by traveling in your car.
DO NOT take shelter under a highway overpass or an underpass. THEY ARE DEATHTRAPS. Get out of your vehicle
and try to find shelter inside a sturdy building. Once outside of your vehicle, if there is not a sturdy shelter available
then DO lie down in a culvert, ditch or depression in the ground and protect our head with your arms and hands.

PREPARE A "TORNADO EMERGENCY SAFETY KIT"

DO IT NOW…..Before severe weather starts in your area. Make the kit and have it readily available/accessible
in your “Safe Area”.

The following is a recommended list for a Tornado Emergency Safety Kit:

· First Aid Kit Can be purchased at most leading drug chains or pharmacies. Also, include at least an extra week’s
supply of ALL PRESCRIPTION MEDICATIONS you and your family members are taking.

· BATTERY POWERED AM/FM NOAA WEATHER RADIO, FLASHLIGHT(S) also, 3 or 4 extra sets of batteries…or more!

· CANNED FOOD and a MANUAL CAN OPENER

· BOTTLED WATER…Plenty of bottled water, enough for several days, to a week’s supply or more. Change the bottled
water supply out every 4 to 6 months or when the manufacturer recommends.

· CLOTHING…At least one change of clothing for each member of the family, including a pair of sturdy shoes (no sandals)
and a pair of work gloves.

· A MAP OF YOUR STATE and local area with surrounding counties. Become familiar with the surrounding counties and
areas to accurately follow the progression of the storm.

· BLANKETS Enough to cover yourself and members of your family. Blankets offer minimal but at least some protection
from small flying debris.

o OTHER ITEMS YOU SHOULD CONSIDER INCLUDING IN YOUR KIT:

o Sanitary items, such as toilet paper, disinfectant and garbage bags

o Car keys, an extra set! Cash – small denominations.

o Reading glasses or prescription glasses – an extra set.

o If you plan on keeping an extra set of important family documents in your safe area…remember to store them in a
waterproof container.

As you can see from the list of the Tornado Kit, planning takes forethought and these items are not things you want to
take the time to find in a “last minute” emergency situation and certainly not if a tornado is on the ground and coming
your way.

Tornado Watch
A tornado watch means that weather conditions are favorable for the development of tornadoes. If a tornado watch is broadcast, stay tuned for further advisories and be prepared to take cover.

Tornado Warning
A tornado warning means a tornado has actually been sighted. Warnings are issued for individual counties and include the tornado’s location and its direction and speed. If you are in or near its path, seek shelter immediately. Do not attempt to look for the tornado. Many tornadoes are obscured by rain and are not visible at all or are not visible until it is too late.