Tornado Safety

The first major tornado outbreak of the new year is under way. The storm threat will continue to move east overnight, and more tornadoes are possible. So what should you do if you happen to fall under a Tornado Warning? 

1. You need to have a way of getting a warning. There are several ways to get the warnings, including through NOAA Weather Radio, through smartphone apps such as iMap Weather Radio, and through TV and Internet. The official weather service site is also a good spot to get severe weather updates. weather.gov

Above all else, though, DO NOT RELY ON THE SIRENS. Sirens will oftentimes go off for whole counties, even if most of the county isn't included in a warning. Sirens main target is people outside, and if you're inside sleeping at 3AM, relying on the sirens is ridiculous. You won't hear them going off, and it may be too late if and when you do wake up and hear them. 

2. When you take cover: Get to the lowest floor of your house. If you have a basement, excellent, if not, ground level will usually be fine. Get away from windows, and go to an interior room, a bathroom, or under the stairs, or a closet. Get out of mobile homes and cars. Mobile homes will be knocked over by even weak, EF0 tornadoes, and cars will be moved or thrown off the road by most tornadoes. If you are in a large building with a high roof, like a Walmart, get to the bathrooms. Even away from windows, the center of the store will provide little protection, as the roof could cave in and trap you. In apartments, hotels, etc., get to ground level and take cover in the hallways. If you have a ground level apartment, you could go take shelter in a windowless place in your apartment, such as a bathroom. 

3. If you have helmets (bike/motorcycle, football, etc.), put them on. If you have kids, put helmets on them first. The helmets may look silly, but will protect your head from flying tornado debris.