|
| |
Tornado Preparedness: The Six Keys to Safety
The US has more tornadoes than any other area on the
globe. We get them in the spring, as weather changes in the fall, when summer
storms hit, and as byproducts of hurricanes. Though the Midwest is known as
“tornado alley,” there’s really no place in the country that’s immune. Add to
this the fact that hurricanes and severe thunderstorms can produce directional
winds nearly as destructive as the vortex of a twister, and it’s easy to see
that we need additional preparedness info beyond “duck and cover.”
We’re going to cover the six
main areas of tornado preparedness that will help you before, during, and after
a tornado or heavy storm strikes. Appropriately, we’ll use the acronym
S.T.O.R.M.S.:
Shelter
– Strengthen your home and know where to find expedient shelter.
Time –
Increase your chances of getting the early warning.
Others
– Safety and protection involves the whole family and communicating with others.
Resources
– You’ll need everything from immediate supply to good insurance.
Medical
– Help yourself now to save the injured later.
Sweeping
Up – Tips and tricks for dealing with the aftermath.
Shelter
Severe storms
with driving rain, possible hail, and projectiles hurled by strong winds offer
extreme dangers from which we need to protect ourselves. The best
protection would be a steel-reinforced concrete safe room located in the
basement of a structurally sound building. Lacking that, let’s look at a few
things you should do now:
-
Reinforce your house. There are simple
things we can do to greatly strengthen our homes. Ask your local
home-supply store rep about angle brackets, strapping, and techniques to
install them to make your roof, walls, and connection to the foundation
stronger. Also, do an internet search for “hurricane retrofit” (including
quotes) to find additional instruction. One such source is from the
Institute for Business and Home Safety at
http://www.ibhs.org/publications/downloads/128.pdf.
-
Create a safe room or area within your
home. The general rule of thumb is to pick an area near the center of your
house and below ground if possible or at least on the lowest floor.
Consider these points:
Ø
Turn your walk-in closet into a safe area. Remove the sheetrock
from walls and ceiling, add extra wall studs held in place with screws,
strapping, and angle brackets, and then replace the sheetrock with one or two
layers of ¾” marine plywood held in place with structural adhesive and screws.
Finish and paint the walls and you’ll never know it was retrofitted.
Ø
For some online sources of “safe-room construction” do an internet
search or see:
·
National Hurricane Center
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/HAW2/pdf/building_safe_room.pdf.
·
The University of Missouri has a detailed “Storm Shelter Pack”
available online at
http://extension.missouri.edu/webster/webster/security/Storm_Shelter_Packet-2007-03-05.pdf.
Ø
If you live in a mobile home, your best bet for safety would be a
storm cellar. One simple and relatively inexpensive way to make a storm cellar
is to have a septic tank company install a clean new unit in your yard, but
leave about a foot above the ground. You can build a strong cover over that and
use it as an outdoor deck, or as the foundation for a storage shed.
Ø
Some locations might reimburse you for building a safe room.
Check with your tax assessor, county extension office, insurance provider,
insurance commissioner, or local emergency management office.
-
Learn the “safe points.” When a tornado
strikes you might be at home, but it’s more likely you’ll be at work, out
running errands, or on a trip. Learn to recognize all the locations that
will provide protection. Does the building you’re in have shelters? For
example, in the Denver Airport, the restrooms are designated tornado
shelters. Does the building have a basement? Are you on the road? How far
are you from a known safe building, or from a deep ditch?
Time
In emergencies,
our most important asset is time. The two best ways to gain extra time in
weather emergencies are to prepare now, and to get as early a warning as
possible that severe weather is heading your way. If you wait for your
community’s alert sirens, you’ve waited too long.
-
Buy a Weather Alert Radio. Not only do
they warn you of inclement weather, but the system is now being tied in to
the regular EAS system to warn you of other emergencies.
-
Sign up for an alternate alert service
such as the Weather Channel’s at
www.weather.com/notify. Hint: When you get the warning, take action!
Don’t do dumb things like videotaping the tornado.
-
Learn the indicators of severe weather.
The Weather Channel and others such as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration at
http://www.noaa.gov, have educational information that will teach you
how to spot incoming severe weather. Some “symptoms” may include:
Ø
A large anvil-shaped thunderhead cloud or a thick, very dark,
cloud cover with a pea-soup consistency.
Ø
Hail or, in some cases, unseasonable snow.
Ø
Green lightning (as lightning flashes behind clouds heavily laden
with water).
Ø
A sudden change in humidity, wind direction or wind speed, rain
volume, or rain direction.
Ø
A sudden change in air pressure (your ears may pop).
-
Network with others. Sometimes our
friends and coworkers are our best early warning system. Develop a phone
tree or at least a general agreement among friends and relatives that you’ll
warn each other about dangers in the area.
Others
There are two
sets of “others” you might deal with in concert with a severe storm. One is
your family and the other is first responders. Communicate with your family
both now – to prepare for a tornado – and later in the event a tornado watch or
warning is given. You also may need to communicate with first responders if you
experience injury or certain types of property damage that requires official
assistance. Consider:
-
Tornado drills. Emergency reactions are
worth practicing. Have your family practice getting into the safe room and
into a safe position (“duck and cover”) within 30 seconds or less.
-
Protect your pets. On warning of severe
weather, round up your pets, put them on leads or in carriers, and take them
to your safe area. If your house is damaged in the storm your pets are more
protected and easier to care for afterward. Hint: You can train your pets
to head to the safe room on command. Your vet can give you some training
pointers.
-
Communication and signaling may be
vitally important if your home is damaged and/or someone sustains injury
during a tornado. For example, though everyone might be uninjured, you may
be trapped in the debris that was once your home and need someone to dig you
out. In addition to your house phone and cell phone, have backup options
like a hand-held two-way radio, and something that can make a loud noise
such as an air-horn or whistle. Also, make sure your neighbors know you have a safe
room in the house, or storm cellar in your yard. They can tell authorities
where to look if no one has heard from you.
Resources
In a disaster,
you’ll need goods, gear, or services to help you deal with the event and then
recover afterward. Make sure you have adequately covered each of the following
areas:
-
Make sure your insurance policy covers
all types of natural disaster including water damage from rain or flood
since many policies have strict exclusions. Also, make sure your policy
will provide for the costs of temporary lodging and the full replacement
value for your property and possessions.
-
Keep your isolation and evacuation
supplies together in a protected spot where you can access them immediately,
or where they’ll be protected if your home is damaged while you’re away.
-
Make a list of services you might need
after a tornado, such as cleanup and repair services or temporary lodging.
Look through your phone book to find services like tree-cutting and debris
removal, structural home repairs, automotive repairs, lodging, etc. Write
their contact information down and keep it with your emergency kits so you
can call these services immediately after a disaster to get your name on
their lists.
Medical
We’re hoping
that all the advice above has kept you safe in the event of a tornado. However,
we know things do happen and people get hurt. Cover the following, just in
case:
-
First aid training is important for every
family regardless of the threat, so learn the basics of general first aid
and CPR. Next, talk with your doctor about first aid measures for specific
ailments. For example, if someone in your family has Asthma and they have
an attack, what are some things you can do to care for them if you can’t
immediately get to their inhaler or medication?
-
First aid kits are a must and families
should have several and not just one. The main kit should be kept in the
home, but smaller kits should be kept in each automobile and at your
workplace.
-
Copies of medical information should be
kept at home. After a destructive event there’s no guarantee your family
doctor will be available or that the hospital’s computers will be
functional. In case of injury, medical practitioners will need to know a
general medical history of the injured. Keep a list of ailments,
conditions, special medical needs, and current medications of each family
member (including pets). Remember, even though you’re the head of household
and you know all that information, you may be injured and unable to
communicate.
Sweeping Up
All destructive
events have at least one thing in common; they’re going to create quite a mess.
Here are a few tips to help you stay safe while cleaning up:
-
Though you might think the power is
completely out, stay away from downed power lines.
-
Stay alert to the hissing sound of a
broken gas line or the smell of gas.
-
Dress for the weather, but still dress to
protect. Wear sturdy shoes or boots (and watch out for boards with nails),
a hat and sunscreen, insect repellant, and heavy work gloves. The hospitals
will be too full of major injuries to deal with the minor injuries you could
have prevented.
-
Physical labor after a stressful event
can be quite taxing. Drink plenty of fluids, eat regularly, and take
periodic breaks.
-
Here is where you’d need your list of
professional cleanup services. Call as soon as possible.
-
In the case of total destruction, your
property itself will be a trash pile. Therefore, use your main trashcan as
a receptacle for the items you want to salvage. Label it accordingly so no
one throws away its contents. Hint: Take photographs or video of all the
damage for insurance purposes.
-
It’s possible that your valued
possessions might be strewn about the neighborhood. It’ll be easier to have
things returned if your name is written or engraved on them. If you don’t
want to use your name, use a unique identifier such as the first phone
number you can remember from childhood. Hint: Never use your Social
Security Number.
Though this
article is longer than average, there is still no way we can pass along all the
helpful hints and tips that will keep you safe in an emergency and help you
recover afterward. Do what you can with the information presented, and continue
your education on your own. The steps you take to protect yourself against
tornadoes will help protect you and yours during any number of other disaster
preparedness scenarios. Stay safe!
About the author: Paul Purcell
is an Atlanta-based security analyst and preparedness consultant with over
twenty years risk management and preparedness experience. He’s also the author
of Disaster Prep 101 found at
www.disasterprep101.com, and he’s a partner / advisor to 1-800-PREPARE found
at
www.1800PREPARE.com. Copyright 2005 - 2007, Paul Purcell.
(Permission
granted to reprint this article and share it with others provided all portions
remain intact.)
Download this
article as a PDF file:
Click Here for Free Download (or "right click" and "save as.."). |
