Tornado safety

​Advance planning is an important safety measure when it comes to tornadoes because storms that produce tornadoes can develop quickly. Everyone should know exactly what to do before and during a tornado. 

Before a Tornado Strikes

• Create a tornado plan, including where everyone should seek shelter when a tornado warning is given and where to meet after a disaster in the event of separation. Practice the tornado plan at least once per year.
• Gather items that can protect you, such as mattresses, sleeping bags and thick blankets and place them near your shelter area.
• When the National Weather Service issues a tornado watch, go to your shelter area and check to see that everything you need for protection is there.
• Gather bottled water, non-perishable food items, flashlights and a battery-operated radio.
• Use a weather app or keep an ear to the radio or television and listen for storm status updates, and stay alert for warnings.

Signs of a Tornado
In addition to listening to weather reports, the following signs may indicate a tornado is near:

• Strong, persistent rotations at a cloud’s base
• Whirling dust or debris
• Hail or heavy rain, followed by a dead calm or intense wind shift
• Loud rumbles of noise that do not fade away in seconds like thunder

During a Tornado

• Go to the basement or lowest level of your home, get under a sturdy structure, such as a table, and then cover yourself with protective materials. If your home does not have a basement, go to a small, central space such as bathroom, closet, under a stairwell or a hallway with no windows. Then, crouch down to the floor, face down and cover your head with your hands.
• If you live in a mobile home, leave your house and seek other shelter. If there is nowhere else to go, lie flat on the ground and cover your head with your hands.