Tornado Safety

Here is how we deal with tornado safety. In addition to our normal emergency preparedness kit supplies, we have a NOAA Weather Radio that automatically alerts us when there is a tornado warning in our county.

Because of the normal weather patterns in our county, the weather radio usually goes off a couple of minutes before the local tornado sirens and the storm hits. That give us time to grab the kids out of bed and get into the room we have setup in our basement.

In our "tornado shelter" we have set up a couple of chairs and stocked some books and snacks for the kids. This makes the waiting part bearable. If a tornado is actually upon us we dive under the workbench and cover ourselves with blankets for added protection from flying debris. (More ideas on tornado shelters below.)

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Tornado Risk

Understanding risk is an important part of tornado safety. Fortunately, most tornado warnings turn out to be just severe thunderstorms -- at least for most of the people warned. But tornados form with little or no warning and their paths are completely unpredictable. They can also be transparent until they touch down and start sucking up debris. This makes them even more dangerous since you may not see one approaching!

So, under no circumstance should you become complacent and not take immediate action when a warning is issued.

Tornadoes cause damage in relatively localized areas when compared to other disaster such as hurricanes. You can usually go a mile or so in several directions and be out of the destruction zone. This means that post-disaster emergency services are normally still available from nearby communities.

For more information about tronadoes, see this page at science-is-exciting.com.

The following map gives some guidance regarding tornado risk. However, tornadoes can occur anywhere! All 50 states have had tornadoes. And there are over 1,000 tornados worldwide each year. So, even though you don’t live in a "high risk" area you still need to plan what to do if there is a tornado!

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Tornado Alerts

NOAA Weather Radio

The most important thing you can do to prepare for tornado safety is get a NOAA Weather Radio. Get one that automatically alerts you of dangerous weather. (Some hand crank or economy models don't have this feature!)  Make sure you get a SAME capable radio so you don't get desensitized to alerts that don't pertain to you.

If you don't have tornado sirens in your area or can't hear them (ex. you are watching a movie or are sleeping), the weather radio, with its loud alarm, is doubly important for you!

Read my NOAA Weather Radio page for details on how to select the best weather radio for this purpose.

Tornado Safety Cell Phone Alerts

You can also sign up for alerts on your cell phone from various weather sites. One site that provides this service is weather.com. Check the "Severe Weather Alerts" option. After you finish creating the alert click "edit settings" and select the "severe only" option. This will filter out the non-life threatening alerts.

Services like these are great when you are not at home by your weather radio. Just remember though that during disasters cell phone networks don't always work. They are also not nearly as reliable as the weather radio, so don't just do this in place of your weather radio.

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Tornado Shelters

Having a place to go, a tornado shelter, is the second most important things you can do for tornado safety.

Plan now where you will go in the event of a tornado warning. Knowing ahead of time where to go when you are paralyzed by fear could mean the difference between life and death.

You need designated locations everywhere you spend lots of time. This will include home, the office, and your best friend's house.

Even when you are in restaurants and theaters think about where you will go. This mental preparation will give you the edge that makes you a survivor instead of a victim.

We have a small room in our basement that we have designated as our tornado safe room. It has no windows and has cinder block walls on all sides. The only opening is the doorway that leads to the rest of the basement.

We put our tornado kit (see below) in the room so we can just run down there without having to grab anything except the weather radio. (We grab the weather radio so we can know when it's safe to come back up.)

We were fortunate our house had such a room when we bought it. But you may not have an ideal room just waiting in your basement – if you even have a basement!

Tornado Safety At Home

Here are some things to consider when choosing the best location to shelter in during a tornado.

The basement is best.

If you don't have one, choose a location on the first floor.

Select an internal room with few or no windows. If your house is hit by a tornado it will break the windows and send flying glass and debris everywhere.

Ideas here would be a bathroom, storeroom, or closet. Hallways can also work well.

Preferably there should be no heavy appliances or furniture on the floor above your chosen location. This is so if your house collapses they won't fall on you.

If your best room is the bathroom, and you have a steel or cast iron tub, you can get into it and cover yourself with something like a mattress. In the basement duck under a workbench or get under the stairs as this will provide additional protection.

Regardless of where you choose to go cover yourself with blankets, pillows, couch cushions, or even a mattress. This will help protect you from flying debris.

In an apartment, go to the lowest floor hallway and stay away from windows.

If you live in a mobile home consider it extremely unsafe during a tornado. Mobile home parks usually have a designated tornado shelter. Regardless, plan where you will go. Do not stay in a mobile home during a tornado warning!

Tornado Safety In Your Car

If you are caught in your car during a tornado abandon your car!

Seek shelter in a sturdy building.

If there is no suitable building available get in the ditch or the lowest spot you can find. The further you are away from potentially flying cars the better.

Do not hide under an overpass or bridge. They provide little or no protection from flying debris. Also, the structural integrity of bridges has not been tested at tornado wind speeds (up to 300 MPH) and it may rip apart or collapse on you.

Tornados can move at up to 70 MPH and have very unpredictable paths, so trying to outrun them in your car is not a good idea! Seeking shelter in a building is best.

Tornado Safety At Work or School

Your office or school should have an established emergency plan with a designated tornado shelter area. Ask your office manager or school administrator for a copy of the plan. Then scout out the location of the tornado shelter. Know how to get there in the dark in case the power is out when the tornado warning is issued.

If your school or office doesn't have a disaster preparedness plan then consider volunteering to make one for them. It's too important to not have one!

Build a Tornado Safe Room

For ultimate protection build a full-on storm shelter or safe room. Check out FEMA's Saferooms web site for official guidance.

Tornado Safety Document Protection

It is also a good idea to keep important documents in a waterproof, fireproof safe that you bolt to your basement or slab floor. This will help prevent the loss of such documents in the event that the rest of your house blows away. 

As your computer files (and even your external backups!) can be destroyed in a tornado use an online backup service to backup your important files. This will prevent the loss of critical financal records, photos, and other important documents.

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When Tornadoes Strike!

When a tornado warning is issued: Dive for cover!  Now! Don't wait for it to get bad, just go now.

That's it, really.

Well, except for waiting.

And, how long do you wait? The National Weather Service will specify how long the alert is in effect. Stay in your safe location until the alert expires.

Tornados often form on the tail end of thunderstorms. So, it's important to stay in a safe location until the threat is completely past.

Tornado Emergency Kit

It is helpful to have a few things set aside in your tornado room. I provide a full checklist below, but I'll discuss a few of the items here.

Flashlight: The power often goes out during major storms. Finding your way around the house in the dark is key to your safety. If it's dark and there is debris everywhere, a flashlight is critical.

The presence of light in your no-windows and now no-power storm safe room can be a necessary comfort item for scared children.

And don't use candles during tornadoes!  They can blow over (remember the 300 MHP winds?) and start a house fire. Talk about making a really bad situation worse!

AM/FM Radio: While the NOAA Weather Radio is great at getting alerts to you, the only news it gives you afterwards is the weather report. A battery operated AM/FM radio can be helpful for hearing local news reports after a disaster.

Batteries: Make sure you have extra batteries on hand. Rotate your battery stock at least every year so they remain fresh. I find it helpful if all my devices use the same batteries. Having to stock AA, AAA, CR123, and D batteries is a pain and expensive!

Entertainment Items: A good book, playing cards, and toys for young children can make waiting out a storm bearable.

Blankets and Pillows: In addition to the obvious uses, you can use these for added protection from debris during a tornado.

Food and Water: It's helpful to have a few snacks and a couple of bottles of water stored for extended tornado alerts. It's generally not safe to wander up into your kitchen during a possible tornado to get a drink of water. This is especially helpful to have on hand for your kids.

If you house collapses around you and you are trapped until rescuers come, the food and water you have stored may be all you can reach until help comes.

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Tornado Disaster Recovery 

The unfortunate reality is that during a major disaster it may take several days for rescuers to get to you. The classic figure given by almost every government organization is 72 hours (three days). This is probably realistic for tornados since they are usually fairly localized. (Just don’t count on that number for more wide spread disasters like hurricanes.)

In any case, you should be prepared to fend for yourself until help arrives.

Shut Off Utilities 

If your house is damaged after a disaster you may need to shut off the utilities.

Tornadoes can sever gas lines in your house, creating a major fire hazard. If you suspect gas line damage or smell any hint of gas: shut off the gas immediately!  Avoid doing anything that would cause a spark or flame until the gas dissipates.

Shutoff off the electric service to reduces the electric shock hazard in your house from exposed wires.

However, if you smell gas, do NOT touch any electrical switch or breaker. They may cause a spark that will cause the gas to explode.

Note that if the line from the electric pole to your house is down, those wires are still live. (The breaker in your house has no effect on them.) Use extreme caution when around downed electric lines.

If the water lines in your house are broken, you need to shut them off too. Find out where and how to do that before you need to.

See my utilities shutoff page for details on how to shut off your utilities.

Administer First-Aid

After a disaster, somebody will be hurt. It may be you. First, take care of any injuries you have so you can better help others. Then administer first aid to those around you. Make sure you check on your neighbors.

Maintain a well-stocked first aid kit in your emergency supplies. Get training on how to use if. It does you no good to have a first-aid kit if you don't know how to use it. (Contact your local Red Cross for a schedule of their basic first-aid classes.)

Disaster Cleanup

Part of tornado safety is creating a safe environment after a tornado. It is also wise to have some tools and supplies on hand to help in the post-disaster cleanup process. These would include:

• Adjustable wrench [for gas shutoff]
• Water valve tool – if required [for water shutoff]
• Pry bar [for pulling nails, lifting fallen timbers, etc.]
• Chain saw [for downed trees – only include if you are proficient at operating one as they are extremely dangerous]
  • Fuel and 2 cycle oil as appropriate
  • Bar oil
  • Extra chain
• Sturdy work clothing and protection [to protect you from debris during cleanup, especially if using a chain saw]
  • Eye protection
  • Respiratory protection (N95 rated "dusk mask") [there will often be large amounts of airborne dust after a disaster]
  • Gloves
  • Sturdy work shoes
  • Long sleeve shirt
  • Long pants
• Tarps [temporary roof coverings]
• Plastic sheeting [temporary window coverings]
• Duct tape [to attach plastic sheeting]
• Hammer and plastic cap nails [to attach the tarp to the roof]

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Tornado Safety Plan Checklist

• Get a weather radio
• Sign up for alerts on your cell phone
• Designate tornado shelters
• Assemble your tornado emergency kit
• Know where and how to turn off utilities (gas, water, and electric)
• Put important documents in a waterproof and fireproof safe. Bolt it to the floor.
• Backup important computer files
• Get first-aid training

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Tornado Safety Preparedness Kit Checklist

• NOAA Weather Radio (with automatic alert, SAME capability, and battery backup)
• AM/FM Radio, battery operated
• Flashlight or Headlamp with an LED bulb
• Spare Batteries (for both radios and flashlights)
• First-Aid Kit (see first-aid kit page for detail information on what this should contain)
• Food / Snacks
• Water
• Entertainment (books, crayons, cards, etc.)
• Post-disaster tools (listed above)
• Pillows
• Blankets