Ten Tornado Safety Tips

Have you recently checked your family’s tornado protection tips? Do you even have a list like that? If you don’t have any, it’s about time you got some. Every year, people are killed in tornadoes because they are unprepared. Don’t become a statistic! Every year, tornadoes wreak havoc on the southern states, especially from March through May. Northern states have a season that lasts from spring to summer. On the other hand, Tornadoes are becoming increasingly common at unexpected periods due to a continually shifting weather system.

There is no such thing as a non-violent storm, and tornadoes are the most violent. They have the ability to attack without notice and wreak massive damage to a whole town in a couple of minutes. The sirens cannot always arrive quickly enough. In essence, hurricanes are more powerful, but tornadoes are adaptable and difficult to anticipate. They attack rapidly and with great force. Therefore, it might be difficult for weather surveillance systems to detect them and issue timely warnings.

As a result, people are frequently unaware of the presence of a tornado unless they are scanning the skies. Tornadoes look like a giant funnel stretching down from the skies and continually revolving. Winds can get so powerful that homes become tumbling weeds.

How to Tell If a Tornado Is Approaching

Before taking any precautions, you must understand what you are dealing with to recognize the signals and look at this dangerous weather phenomenon. You must remember that before a tornado strikes, winds may not even look dangerous, even if you witness a tornado build. There is a phenomenon known as the quiet before the storm, in which the wind is calm, and it may not even rain.

Thunderstorms are often the first to occur; they may or may not be followed by a tornado, but you must be prepared for such an event. There is always the danger of anything going wrong that should not be left to chance. Tornadoes are not always clearly seen. After all, they’re simply wind. It’s making them much more difficult to monitor. The material that is picked up along the way is what makes the visible funnel. People who have survived tornadoes frequently remember a tremendous roaring sound. Or that it sounds like a freight train is passing through your house at full speed.

These are 10 Tornado Safety Tips to be Considered

Tornadoes may strike without warning, even though scientists are continually working on ways to anticipate them more precisely. Most of the time, the media can declare a tornado watch, but the warning is not issued until the tornado sets down someplace. This can be quite devastating to the area where the tornado made contact. During tornado season, it makes tornado preparedness even more crucial for every household, and there are a few tornado safety recommendations that you should follow.

1.      Get Under Something Sturdy

You must be ready for the building to fall. While you don’t want to be near big things that may fall on you, you do want to be beneath something strong, such as a big table, workbench, or desk. If the entire room falls, this might provide you with a safe haven.

2.      Monitor Storm Alerts

There are different methods to determine if tornadoes are still a threat in your region. (NOAA) will provide an update through its network of radio stations, as will your local news. You may also sign up for community notifications on your mobile phone if you haven’t already. Keep one of these ready, so you know when you may safely return outside.

3.      Evacuate a Mobile Home

Mobile houses are especially vulnerable to storm damage. Storm shelters are available in many mobile home communities for residents. If yours does not, or if you reside on private property, you may need to seek another refuge, ideally in a structure with a foundation. If a tornado is on its way, you’ll need to act quickly, so start looking for alternatives now.

4.      Listen to Warnings

The most crucial tornado safety advice is to remain vigilant when severe weather passes through your region. This involves paying attention to weather information, staying vigilant during a tornado watch, and seeking shelter quickly if a tornado warning is issued.

5.      Move to the Basement Quickly

While no place is completely secure during a tornado, areas below ground like a basement provide the most protection. If you don’t have a basement, your best chance is a room on the lowest floor of your home, preferably one without windows, such as a bathroom, closet, or middle corridor. You should also avoid hiding in areas where heavy things, like appliances, are on the floor above you.

Getting to the lowest floor is also a good idea if you live on a high rise. However, because the typical lead time for a tornado warning is approximately nine minutes, this may not be practicable. Your next choice is to seek the safest room in your residence. Again, this may be a bathroom, a central hallway, or an inside closet.

6.      Crouch Low to the Ground

Avoid sleeping near heavy, unsecured things that might fall on you. To protect yourself from flying debris, lie face down on the ground and cover your head with your hands when you discover a good area to hide. You may also wish to hide behind heavy blankets and pillows. Even winter jackets may function as a cushion if anything falls on you, and they may keep you warm after the storm has passed.

7.      Stay Indoor

Being outside puts you at risk of being carried away by tornado winds, you should seek cover in a shelter. Choose a structure with a basement if feasible since you will be safer from collapse and debris. If there isn’t any adequate cover available or you don’t have enough time to get there, go to the lowest ground you can locate and lie flat with your hands over your head. Make every effort to avoid autos and trees.

8.       Avoid Overpasses if Possible

An overpass may appear to be a secure place to seek cover, but it might put you at greater risk during a tornado. Because the form provides a tunneling effect, which can increase wind speeds, avoid sheltering behind overpasses or bridges.

9.      Don’t Try to Outdrive the Tornado

In general, you should not try to flee a tornado, but in some cases, you may need to get in your car and drive to a safer spot. When this happens, take the shortest path to safety. If you are stuck in your automobile during a tornado, keep your head below the windows and your seatbelt fastened. Leave your automobile only if you can safely get to terrain that is visibly lower than your car. When you arrive, lie down and cover your head.

10.  Prepare an Emergency Disaster Kit

Thinking about what you might need when a tornado strike is a part of being prepared for one. You must consider that it may be days before help arrives; therefore, you should prepare a disaster pack with essential goods such as:

·       A NOAA radio.

·       Bandages, gauze, and other first aid supplies.

·       Cell phone charger.

·       Prescription medications.

·       Bottled water.

·       Nonperishable food.

·       Cash.

·       Copies of your identification.

Put these and any other stuff you can’t live without in a bag and stow it in the location you’ve selected for refuge. While certain weather phenomena give adequate warning to prepare for the potential effects, tornadoes may strike within minutes. A disaster preparation strategy might be the difference between life and death for you and your family.

Conclusion

Losing a house is difficult, but losing a life is more complicated. Tornadoes may be destructive and can take lives in a matter of seconds, with little or no warning. However, lives may be spared if you study up the warning signals and safety steps to take in the case of a tornado.

Prepare yourselves! Making a family plan, prepping your house, and gathering all of the necessary lifesaving survival materials before the catastrophe strikes can dramatically boost your chances of surviving the next major storm. After going through these stages, your family will feel much more at peace. You may drastically lessen the danger of injury to yourself or your loved ones by following basic emergency preparation actions before a tornado strikes. So don’t put it off any longer.Bottom of Form