Home Safety Zone - Tornado Safety

Tornado Safety

Springtime in the midwest is tornado time. Tornadoes can completely destroy homes in a matter of minutes, but you can survive a tornado if you know tornado safety tips.

What to Do in the Event of a Tornado

Probably the most important tornado safety tip is to get in the basement when a tornado warning is in effect. If you prefer to wait, just know that if there's rain, then hail, then a period of calmness during a tornado warning, the next thing to hit is probably the tornado itself. At that point, your city's emergency sirens will probably go off. If you didn't go to the basement when there was a warning, this would be the time to get there. It's generally your last hope. By the time the city sirens go off, forecasters are 99% sure the tornado will bear down--and soon!

What if You Don't Have a Basement?

If you don't have a basement and a tornado is on its way, go to an enclosed closet or a bathroom. You need to be in a room that doesn't have walls that connect to the outside and doesn't have windows. Ideally, you would get in the bathtub and cover yourself with a mattress to protect yourself from flying debris. (Protecting yourself from flying debris is a great weather safety for any severe weather situation involving high winds, especially tornadoes and hurricanes.)

What if You're Driving?

If you're driving, don't try to race the tornado. You have a good chance of losing. Plus, flying debris could go through your car window and you could get hurt. If you find a building, try to go inside. If no building is nearby, as difficult as this might be to do, pull over, get out of the car and get into a ditch or low-lying area relatively far away from your car. A tornado can lift a car and throw it like you can throw a baseball, so you definitely don't want to be in or near a car during a tornado.

These are the basics. Another thing you should do is try to stay calm and remember that a tornado is over in a matter of minutes. Yes, it will be scary, and the damage could be intense, but your priority should be to keep yourself and your family safe.

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