How to Be Prepared for a Tornado

A tornado may strike with little warning.

A tornado, one of the most vicious storms nature can produce, carries enough strength and power to kill people and destroy property. If you live in tornado country, take adequate safety precautions to protect yourself and family members well in advance of an impending storm. The winds that make up the destructive power of a tornado often measure up to 300 miles per hour as they swirl into the distinctive shape of a spinning funnel. Tornadoes, the offspring of thunderstorms, can strike anywhere and at any time of the year and their destructive power can devastate an entire neighborhood within a few seconds.

Difficulty:

Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Disaster plan
• Emergency supplies

1. Learn your community's warning signals or alarms. Some municipalities use sirens or loud horns to signal approaching weather emergencies and you should understand the meaning of these early warning signals.

2. Develop a disaster plan. Gather your family members together and review procedures everyone should follow in the event of a tornado. Designate two places, in or around the home, where everyone should meet. Designate the safest place on your property as the primary shelter and choose a safe secondary location for those who find themselves outside the neighborhood area in the event of severe weather.

3. Prepare an emergency supply kit. Store a gallon of water and canned foods for each person -- enough to last for one day. Include a change of clothes and footwear as well as a sleeping bag, blanket and flashlight for each person. Also include a battery-powered National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) weather radio, portable radio, first-aid kit, medicines and prescriptions, special items for very small children or adults with special needs, extra batteries, at least one credit card and some extra cash.

4. Practice makes perfect. Conduct practice tornado drills every two months. This gives elderly family members and children a chance to learn and remember correct emergency procedures to follow in the event of a tornado strike.

Tips & Warnings

• If you have pets, make sure your tornado shelter is pet accessible.

• An above ground shelter may not withstand a tornado.

References

• National Severe Storms Laboratory: Tornadoes ... Nature's Most Violent Storms
• Texas Cooperative Extension; Tornado Safety; David W. Smith
• Middle Tennessee State University: Preparation Alert
• Purdue University Extension: Tornadoes

Resources

• Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA); Tornado; August 2010
• State of Delaware; Prepare for Weather Emergencies; May 2011