Tornado season can be a scary time of year, even more so for those who are unsure how to prepare. To ease some of that tension and help keep you and your family safe it’s important to first start by making a plan– especially if you live in areas prone to tornadoes like East of the Rocky Mountains. Tornados range in intensity that's measured on the Fujita scale also known as the “F Scale,” that classifies tornadoes from 0 to 5, F5 being the most damage intense. Given that tornadoes can vary in intensity, your safety plan might differ, but here are a few things you should have in mind.
When creating your plan, keep in mind that it should be simple and easy for everyone in the family to understand and execute. A little prep can help keep you safe should a tornado hit, consider the following to help stay safe.
Essentials
A good tornado plan should include gathering essentials that you might need in case of emergency. At the top of your list should be three-days worth of food and water per person. Water is measured as one gallon per person per day. All food should be non-perishable and have a manual can opener for cans. If you have pets you should be packing for them too. While three days is the general rule, if you have room for more than store more just in case.
You’ll also want to have safety whistles– more on that below– duct tape, plastic sheeting or tarp to help with any damage or leaks, flashlights, batteries, glow sticks in case the power goes out. Avoid matches or flames– gas lines could be broken and open flames could cause an explosion.
Make sure to have a first aid kit as well as any prescription medications. Don’t forget spare eyeglasses and other personal items you might need.
Meeting Place
After the essentials are packed, an important next step in creating a thorough plan in case of tornado – but is a good idea in any type of natural disaster– is to set a predetermined meeting place. An established meeting place can really help if everyone is at different locations, or you get separated.
Shelter
Once you’ve decided on a meeting place, that will determine next moves. If you have a basement, then you’ll be able to set that as your meeting place and shelter there. If you don’t have any below-ground refuge then you'll have to think about where else in your home you can shelter, or prepare to evacuate.
If you’ve prepared to shelter in your home or it was too late to evacuate, you’ll want to get as close to the middle of the house or building as possible away from any windows or glass doors and stay low to the ground. Make sure to also have something to cover your head. Helmets are great but blankets, mattresses, couch cushions, or getting under a table are also effective.
If you walk around at all be mindful of nails and broken glass that could be around the floor. Also watch out for downed power lines and avoid stepping in water near power lines.
Information
If you’re in the midst of a natural disaster the last thing you want to be is in the dark in terms of the progression, impact, and current conditions. You might be thinking, “i’ll just check my phone,” but while you maybe able to keep your phone powered with battery packs, you should prepare for the internet to be down. The best think to have is a hand-crank radio that will allow you to get all the updates you need.
Recovery
Depending on the level of the tornado there might be under debris making it harder to be found. Be sure everyone in your household has a safety whistle on them, that will help emergency personnel locate you.
You can’t plan for everything, but the best way to stay safe during a tornado is to be as prepared as you can be.
