How to Survive a Tornado

  1. Be prepared. Before the storm clouds even gather, know where you will go. It is a good idea to have a 72-hour emergency kit available. Purchase self-powered lights, radios and light sticks. Include water and non-perishable food items in your kit along with a change of clothing.
  1. Be observant. Tornadoes can occur without warning, even if there is no thunderstorm in your area. Signs of a possible tornado include a pea-soup green sky and/or a low, dark cloud; spotting a wall cloud around here is always a cause for concern.
  1. Know the difference in a tornado watch and a tornado warning. A tornado warning is much more serious. This means that a sign of rotation has been spotted on Doppler radar. A tornado watch means that there is a threat of tornadoes in the immediate area.
  1. Hear the warning! What good is a warning if you can’t hear it or don’t see it. Prepare yourself ahead of time by getting a weather app on your phone, subscribing to local weather alerts on email or text, or invest in a weather radio.
  1. Have a safety plan in place. Talk to your family about a “safe place” in the house that you will go when you hear of a tornado warning. If you are not at home, what will you do? Talk about these things as a family.
  1. If you’re inside already, take cover. The best place to take cover in your house is in the basement. If you don’t have a basement (and they’re not too common out here actually), head to an interior bathroom, hallway, or closet without windows on the lowest floor of your house; the more walls you can put between you and the wind, the better.
  1. If you are outside, lie flat in a low area of ground like a ditch or gully and cover your head with your hands and arms.
  1. If you are in a mobile home, as soon as you hear the tornado warning, you should seek shelter elsewhere. Most local schools or churches are used as storm shelters.
  1. Turn off all utilities. Especially gas and electric. If you smell something burning, get out immediately. A fire could start.
  2. Don’t open windows. Keep the wind and rain outside. A common tornado myth is to open the windows to equalize the pressure in the house. This is only a myth!