Tornado Safety

Having extended family in Illinois, my ears are always tuned into tornado alerts on the national news during summer periods. I know that there are more Illinois tornados and Kansas tornados in one summer than what I may have in my neck of the woods for the entire decade, or so it seems.

The damage from one tornado however, will never be forgotten, especially like the one that flattened a trailer park in Edmonton, Alberta, the footage which will play over in our minds for those who watched it or experienced it. That was called Black Friday in 1987.

What to do for tornado preparedness? Well, there are a few things crucial that can help save lives.

You and your family need to decide where to run if a tornado alert has been announced. For those fortunate enough to have basements, this is the well-known spot to go for a tornado shelter. There are a lot of people who don’t have that luxury, such as in apartments buildings where they don’t have enough time perhaps to get to the basement. In that situation, the best plan is to go to a hallway situated in the middle of the building. This is the same for those living in a house without a basement. Those in a house could choose not only a center hallway, but also a closet or bathroom that does not have heavy furniture that could fly around. People also forget about shattering glass, a factor to keep in mind when tempted to crawl on the floor over to the window to keep watch for the tornado, or worse, trying to get video footage. Please everyone, this is not the time to be a tornado chaser. If you are in a car, pull over and if there is no building nearby with a basement, crawl into the ditch in the event of a tornado coming your way. Flying through the air with a car will end your life quickly and is not worth the excitement.

Tornado watch: the weather is conducive for a tornado, and therefore people should keep a radio or television on for news alerts and news flashes. Ever heard a freight train? Most of us have, and a tornado can sound uncannily like that.

Tornado warning: This means a tornado has been spotted, and you need to use the above emergency preparedness to get to your safest location.

One more thing – grab that emergency disaster supply kit you were supposed to have organized long ago, because guess what you’ll be needing – the radio with batteries, the hygiene supplies possibly, the first aid kit, the water maybe, the supplies for your baby especially, and something to occupy your children while they are cramped downstairs wanting to “go see” the tornado. Use flashlights in the kit, not the candles as you don’t want to risk an explosion if the house has been damaged or in case there is a gas leak. Remember that power lines may go down – very likely. Keep the radio on for further tornados forming.

Tornados result in strange stories – coincidental and/or miraculous findings of items and people safely found in another geographic location far from where the tornado hit, and paths of the tornado that hit and miss in places one can only be grateful forever for. I for one, do not want to be waiting to hear about whether my loved ones were safely found, so taking emergency precautions for a tornado is the best intervention for us.