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.