Tornado Precautions - Take it from Someone Who Knows

Born and raised in Kansas, you learn to respect the weather. It can change at the drop of a dime. When people hear you are from Kansas, they automatically think, Wizard of OZ, Dorothy, Todo, and tornados. Yes, Kansas has tornados and mile wide ones to boot. It's just a way of life and you learn what to do at a very young age.

I have had tornados go over my family's house, destroy my relations house and my grand parents were even picked up by one, as they were running to the cellar, and put back down at the cellars door. I've watched them from my back yard, hit one house and miss the next. My father even had to dive in a ditch while running for shelter.

Tornados can happen practically anywhere but tornado alley is where the monster ones hit. Tornado alley consists of Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Nebraska, Illinois, Arkansas, South Dakota, Missouri, Indiana, and Iowa. Other states that are frequented by tornados are Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, and Louisiana.

I have put together for your safety, information on what you need to know if a tornado warning is announced for your county. If you are prepared and follow your tornado drills you will most likely come out safe and sound. The key is to respect nature.

Tornadoes are nothing to play around with, while you would like to go out and watch one, like I have, it's not safe, don't do it. A scale called "Enhanced Fujita" (EF) ranks tornados 1 to 5. The wind speeds are from 0 to 300 plus. They can uproot trees and structures and turn harmless objects into deadly missiles. I have seen a piece of wood sticking out of a brick.

The first thing you need to know is the county you live in and the surrounding counties.
A tornado watch is posted by the National Weather Center in Norman, Oklahoma. A watch will list the counties that are under the watch area. This means the atmosphere is right for tornados to form from a super cell thunderstorm.

A tornado warning means a tornado has been sited. You are to go to your tornado shelter, immediately. You will hear sirens going off, your local TV stations, and radios stations will announce the warning also. But before there is ever a tornado watch posted for your area, you should have your tornado safety items already put together and in your tornado shelter. The best time to do this is before spring arrives because tornados form when hot and cold fronts clash.

Here is a list of the items you should have together.

Water - You should have one gallon of water per person. They say you should have a three-day supply but I never did. I would say if you live in the country, do this. It might take rescuers several days to get to you.

Food - Have items that will not spoil like, ready to eat fruit cups, fruit, vegetables, crackers, canned juices, and don't forget food for an infant if needed.

First Aid Kit - Adhesive bandages, (various sizes), sterile dressing, gauze bandage, sterile gauze pads, (various sizes); hand wipes or alcohol-based hand sanitizer, non-latex gloves, adhesive tape, anti-bacterial ointment, cold pack, scissors, and tweezers.

Non-Prescription Drugs - Aspirin, antacid (for stomach upset).
Prescription Drugs - Anything you or a family member is taking that is prescription like, heart and high blood pressure medicine, and insulin.

Tools and Supplies - Battery-operated radio and extra batteries. I would recommend getting a NOAA, Atmospheric Administration Weather Radio with battery backup and tone-alert feature which automatically alerts you when a Watch or Warning is issued. These really do work. Also have flashlights and extra batteries, fire extinguisher; small canister ABC type, wrench to turn off gas and water valves, whistle and plastic sheeting.

If you have an old mattress, use it to cover everyone's heads. This protects from flying objects.

Personal items - Towelettes, tooth brushes, toothpaste, comb, brush, towels, (one per person), contact supplies, glasses, dentures, and make sure women have there purse and men have there wallet. This way if your entire neighborhood is destroyed you have proof of who you are and the police will let you back in when it is save. If you have an infant you will need diapers, formula and bottles.

Clothing - Include at least one complete change of clothing and footwear per person.
Sturdy boots or work boots are best. If not, watch where you step. A nail can go right through tennis shoes.

Important papers - If you don't have your will, insurance policies, deeds, stocks and bonds, passports, social security cards, immunization records, birth and marriage certificates, etc. in a safety deposit box, they all need to be put together so you know exactly where they are when you need to grab and go.

These are just a list of the important items to should have in your tornado shelter. If you have anything that is small and precious to you, grab that also. I have a quilt that goes back 8 generations in my family that goes with me know matter where I go.

One other very important thing you should do and that is to record every item in your house. A video camera is the ideal thing to use but if you don't have one, you can take pictures and put them on a CD. Just start room by room and film or snap away. Don't forget to open every drawer, and every closet. This will be for insurance purposes if your house is damaged or destroyed.

Now that you have your tornado safety kit ready, where do you go when the Warning hits.

If you live in a mobile home park, leave your mobile home. It seems like every tornado that Kansas likes mobile homes, no not really, but do leave. Talk to your manager and see if there is a designated tornado shelter for your park. If there isn't, talk to your American Red Cross or Emergency Management. They will help you find the closes place for you to go. Just remember if a Watch is posted, keep alert. You'll have to drive or run to your shelter area.

If you are at home and the sirens go off, go to the lowest level of your home; if you have a basement or cellar that's better. If you can get under the stairs that you came down, do it. If not, go to the center of the room and get under something sturdy like a table or workbench.

If you have no basement or cellar, go to an inner hallway or small inner room that does not have windows, such as a bathroom or closet. In the bathroom, get in the tub with something over your head to protect it or lie down and rap your arms around the toilet. These are not the best and safest but people have survived this way.

If you are out shopping, at school, hospital, factory or working, know where the tornado shelters are located. Most shopping centers and grocery stores tornado shelters are located in the restrooms. There should be signs posted. Schools have routine tornado drills. Check with your employer for the closes safe room.

If you are outdoors, get to cover immediately. If you are unable, lie in a ditch, culvert, or low-lying area; cover your head and neck with your arms. Be alert for flash flooding.

If you are in your vehicle never try to out run a tornado. Tornadoes can travel very quickly and can turn directions in a split second. They can toss your car as if it is a toy. Try to find a spot on the side of the road that has no power lines and other objects that could by toss through the air and hit you. Get out of your vehicle immediately and lie in a ditch or low-lying area away from your vehicle and cover your head with your arms.

We all have see the video that was filmed by the news team just south of Wichita, Kansas. They tried to out run a tornado and couldn't. They were on the highway, they stopped under a bridge for safety, but now it has been proven that that is very dangerous. People have been killed doing this.

The best advice I can leave you with is, Respect Mother Nature and just be prepared. You never know where the next EF5 will hit!