Tornado season is upon us. We have already had some tornado activity in January.
Making some basic safety preparations can help you avoid injury or death due to severe storms and tornadoes.
Preparation Before the Storm:- Sit down with your family and have a plan in place for what to do in the event that a tornado warning is issued in your area.
- If no storm shelter or safe room is available, seek shelter in the lowest part of your house such as a basement, or a room with no exterior walls or window, such as a closet.
- If you are caught outside, teach your family to find a low lying area like a ditch or culvert.
- Keep a good NOAA weather radio or even a regular radio handy with fresh batteries in the event that you lose power during a storm.
- Have a basic survival kit prepared with some of the following: change of clothes, sturdy shoes, cash, water, nonperishable food, flashlight, toilet paper; anything that your family might need in the event that disaster strikes. This should include at least one day’s worth of any prescription medication that you family needs.
- Be sure that valuable documents such as a stock certificate or irreplaceable photographs are in a safe place.
- Make a list of valuables and registration or identification numbers and keep it in a lock box or safety deposit box.
Once you are prepared, the next important thing to know is the difference between a “tornado watch” and a “tornado warning.”
A tornado watch means that conditions are favorable for tornado activity. A tornado warning means that there is an active tornado on the ground. Do not take chances!!! When a tornado warning has been issued for your area, take cover and activate your plan immediately!
After the Storm:
- Stay out of damaged buildings
- Watch for downed power lines or broken gas lines
Click here for more safety information about tornadoes.
Reported by: By Michael Freyaldenhoven, Program Technician, AgrAbility, University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service
