Tornado Safety

The tragic deaths this past week, in the southern part of the United States, shows us just how powerful a tornado can be. The students in Enterprise, Alabama did what they were suppose to do. However for eight of them, it wasn't good enough. Many people believe that no matter what precautions you take, it won't be good enough. To some degree that is true. We can't predict the outcome of being hit by a tornado. We can only prepare for it.

The National Weather Service has spent lots of time and money to advance the science of tornado detection. The best and most sophisticated equipment can only be used to warn us. They have not been able to prevent a tornado from striking. Along with the improvements of radar detection, comes the standard old advice of what to do as a tornado approaches.

Here are some helpful tips. First if you live in Tornado Alley, understand when the tornado season begins and ends. Pay attention to the weather forecast every day. Understand where the problem areas might be located for that particular day. Make sure you have the necessities available. Flashlights, extra batteries, a First aide kit, a fully charged cellular phone, a battery powered radio, blankets, bottles of water, ponchos, and dry clothing stored in a plastic garbage bag. I discourage candles and matches. They aren't safe around broken gas lines.

The best place to take cover is in the southwest corner of the basement. Some people in the Midwest have tornado shelters underground. However, in many cities these don't exist. If you are in a high-rise apartment, get to the lowest level quickly as possible. Don't assume you can ride it out. If you are on the ground floor and have no basement or shelter, go to the southwest corner of the house and pull a table over you if possible. You can also go into an inner hallway or bath room. Use a closet to hunker into. If you are in the bathroom, get down inside the tub. If you can pull something over the tub quickly, do it. When you are in the hallway, sit with your back towards the wall and try to cover your head. A mother in New Orleans, during Katrina, put bike helmets on her children. Stay away from all windows and glass areas.