Safety Tips During a Tornado

Tornadoes are powerful storms characterized by rotating, funnel-shaped clouds with wind speeds of up to 300 miles per hour. These storms can occur with little to no advance warning. All states have some risk of tornado activity. By taking certain precautions and actions before and during a tornado, safety risks due to this storm can be mitigated.

Shelter

• If a tornado occurs and you are in a permanent structure, make your way to the lowest possible floor. The best place would be a basement or storm shelter. Otherwise, move to an interior room on the lowest floor of the building, staying away from corners, windows and outside walls. Closets, interior hallways and bathrooms are best. Anyone in a vehicle, trailer or mobile home should leave and seek shelter in the nearest building.

Protection

• If there are no rooms available without windows, stay as far away from them as possible and do not open the window under any circumstances. Duck under a large piece of furniture and cover your neck and head with your arms. A mattress or other soft objects can also be used as protective covering from any debris that may make its way inside.

Outdoor Safety

• If you find yourself stuck outdoors with no nearby shelter find a nearby ditch or depression in the earth and lie flat in it, covering your head with your hands. Do not wait to see the tornado before doing this. Many tornadoes are accompanied by heavy rain, so watch for flooding. If the area you are lying in does start to flood, quickly move to the nearest similar area unaffected by flooding and lie there instead.

Overpasses and Cars

• Do not seek shelter under an overpass or a bridge. Debris that is blown under these can cause serious harm as wind speeds can even increase when moving under a bridge or overpass. Also, do not try to outrun a tornado in a car. They are very fast storms, able to reach moving speeds of over 70 miles per hour. Their movements are also erratic and they can jump from point to point without warning.