Protect Your Family With These Tornado Safety Tips A smart tornado safety plan for your family starts with knowing the basics. To help identify a tornado, these two terms are important: Tornado Watch Tornadoes are possible. Remain alert for approaching storms. Watch the sky and stay tuned to weather radio, commercial radio, or television for information. Tornado Warning A tornado has been sighted or indicated by weather radar. Take shelter immediately.
Before you get caught off-guard by a tornado, pay attention to changing weather conditions. Listen to the radio or television newscasts for the latest weather information and look for approaching storms with the following danger signs: Dark, often greenish sky. Large hail. A large, dark, low-lying cloud (particularly if rotating). Loud roar, similar to a freight train. If you see approaching storms or any of the danger signs, be prepared to take shelter immediately. If you are under a tornado WARNING, seek shelter immediately!If you are in a structure (e.g. residence, small building, school, nursing home, hospital, factory, shopping center, high-rise building: Go to a shelter area such as a safe room, basement, storm cellar, or the lowest building level. If there is no basement, go to the center of an interior room on the lowest level (closet, interior hallway) away from corners, windows, doors, and outside walls. Put as many walls as possible between you and the outside. Get under a sturdy table and use your arms to protect your head and neck. Do not open windows. If you are in a vehicle, trailer, or mobile home:
Get out immediately and go to the lowest floor of a sturdy, nearby building or a storm shelter. Mobile homes, even if tied down, offer little protection from tornadoes. If you are outside with no shelter Lie flat in a nearby ditch or depression and cover your head with your hands. Be aware of the potential for flooding. Do not get under an overpass or bridge. You are safer in a low, flat location. Never try to outrun a tornado in urban or congested areas in a car or truck. Instead, leave the vehicle immediately for safe shelter. Watch out for flying debris. Flying debris from tornadoes causes most fatalities and injuries. Follow these tornado safety tips and avoid disaster. Your home can be replaced - you or your family cannot.
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