What Do I Do?
Severe Thunderstorm Safety Tips
'Im at home. What do I do?'
-Watch the sky for approaching dark clouds, increasing winds, and flashes of light.
-Listen for thunder.
-If thunder can be heard, you are close enough to the storm to be struck by lightning, and you should take shelter immediately.
-Keep up to date on weather forecasts through local TV stations and NOAA Weather Radio.
-Seek shelter in a building or vehicle (avoid convertibles). Keep windows closed.
-Avoid using electrical equipment/appliances, and preferably, unplug things such as televisions, air conditioners, and computers. Electrical lines are excellent conductors of electricity. (Leaving electric lights on, however, does not increase the chances of your home being struck by lightning.)
-Do not take baths or showers during storms, as water is an excellent conductor of electricity. Use as little water as possible during storms.
-Draw blinds and shades over windows as a precaution to prevent windows shattering into your home, should they be broken by blowing debris.
'Im in my car. What do I do?'
-Find a safe place on the side of the road and pull over. Make sure there are not any trees that could blow over onto the car.
-Put on emergency flashers, especially during heavier rains.
-Remain in the car, only leaving in the case of a flash flood.
-Watch for possible flash flooding. Should you notice the beginnings of flooding, abandon your vehicle, and seek higher ground immediately.-Avoid flooded roadways.
'Im outside. What do I do?'
-Attempt to seek shelter in a vehicle or building.
-If no structure is available, stay as low to the ground as possible. In the woods, find a group of smaller trees. Avoid standing under single tall trees. Be aware of the potential for flooding in low-lying areas.
-Get as small as you can by crouching on your knees on the ground.
-Remember to avoid tall structures, such as towers, tall trees, fences, telephone lines, or power lines. Also avoid golf clubs, tractors, fishing rods, bicycles, and camping equipment. All are excellent electrical conductors.
-Stay away from all types of bodies of water. If you are boating or swimming, get to land and find shelter immediately.
-If you feel your hair stand on end, which indicates that lightning is about to strike, drop your your knees and bend forward, putting your hands on your knees. Do not lie flat on the ground.
-Watch the sky for approaching dark clouds, increasing winds, and flashes of light.
-Listen for thunder.
-If thunder can be heard, you are close enough to the storm to be struck by lightning, and you should take shelter immediately.
-Keep up to date on weather forecasts through local TV stations and NOAA Weather Radio.
-Seek shelter in a building or vehicle (avoid convertibles). Keep windows closed.
-Avoid using electrical equipment/appliances, and preferably, unplug things such as televisions, air conditioners, and computers. Electrical lines are excellent conductors of electricity. (Leaving electric lights on, however, does not increase the chances of your home being struck by lightning.)
-Do not take baths or showers during storms, as water is an excellent conductor of electricity. Use as little water as possible during storms.
-Draw blinds and shades over windows as a precaution to prevent windows shattering into your home, should they be broken by blowing debris.
'Im in my car. What do I do?'
-Find a safe place on the side of the road and pull over. Make sure there are not any trees that could blow over onto the car.
-Put on emergency flashers, especially during heavier rains.
-Remain in the car, only leaving in the case of a flash flood.
-Watch for possible flash flooding. Should you notice the beginnings of flooding, abandon your vehicle, and seek higher ground immediately.-Avoid flooded roadways.
'Im outside. What do I do?'
-Attempt to seek shelter in a vehicle or building.
-If no structure is available, stay as low to the ground as possible. In the woods, find a group of smaller trees. Avoid standing under single tall trees. Be aware of the potential for flooding in low-lying areas.
-Get as small as you can by crouching on your knees on the ground.
-Remember to avoid tall structures, such as towers, tall trees, fences, telephone lines, or power lines. Also avoid golf clubs, tractors, fishing rods, bicycles, and camping equipment. All are excellent electrical conductors.
-Stay away from all types of bodies of water. If you are boating or swimming, get to land and find shelter immediately.
-If you feel your hair stand on end, which indicates that lightning is about to strike, drop your your knees and bend forward, putting your hands on your knees. Do not lie flat on the ground.
Tornado Safety Tips
In a house with a basement: Stay away from windows. Move to the basement and seek shelter under heavy furniture. Cover your body with a shield of insulating material such as heavy blankets, pillows, or mattresses. Be sure to protect your head and neck. Avoid sheltering in areas where there are heavy objects on the floor above. These things could break through and crush you.
In a house with no basement, a dorm, or an apartment: Stay away from windows. Go to the lowest floor, to an interior room (like a bathroom or closet), under a stairwell, or in an interior hallway. Make sure there are no windows. Make yourself as small as possible by crouching into a ball like position. Cover your head and neck with your hands. Attempt to protect yourself with thick blankets and pillows to guard against falling debris. A bath tub may offer a shell of partial protection.
In an office building, hospital, nursing home or skyscraper: Go to enclosed, windowless, interior room. Then crouch down and cover your head and neck with your hands. If you can find an interior stairwell that is not too crowded, take shelter there by crouching and covering your head and neck. If there is time, make your way down the stairwell, to a lower level. Stay off the elevators; you could be trapped in them if the power is lost.
In a mobile home: Under no condition should you remain in a mobile home!!!Being outside is a better alternative to remaining in a mobile home. Mobile homes are much lighter and much more easily destroyed than other structures. If you have time, go to a designated tornado shelter. If not, look for a sturdy permanent building within easy running distance, and seek shelter there. If even this is impossible, lie flat on the ground and protect your head and neck. Try to lie in an area where there are not any types of power lines near you to avoid electrical shock should the lines fall.
At school:Schools are required to have a tornado safety plan of action and must have regular drills to test this plan. If there is a tornado, follow the practiced plan of action. Once you take shelter, which is often an interior room or hallway, crouch low, head down, and protect the back of your head with your arms. Stay away from windows and large open rooms like gyms and auditoriums.
In a car or truck: Vehicles are extremely dangerous in a tornado. Only try to drive out of the tornado's path, if there is considerable distance between your vehicle and the tornado, if traffic is light, and you have the ability to make right angle turns away from the tornado. If this is not an option, park the car as quickly and safely as possible, out of traffic. [It is safer to get the car out of mud later if necessary than to cause a crash.] Get out of the car and seek shelter in a sturdy building. If in the open country, run to low ground away from any cars (which may roll over on you). Lie flat and face-down, protecting the back of your head with your arms. Avoid seeking shelter under bridges, which can create deadly traffic hazards while offering little protection against flying debris. It has actually been proven that pressures increase under structures such as bridges and highway over passes, and can be even more dangerous than remaining in the open.
In the open outdoors: Try to find shelter in a sturdy building. If not, lie flat and face-down on low ground, protecting the back of your head and neck with your arms and hands. Stay away from trees, power lines, and other large objects that could become debris and dangerous.
In a shopping mall or large store: Remain calm. Watch for others, who may start to panic and become dangerous to yourself and others. Move as quickly as possible to an interior bathroom, storage room or other small enclosed area, away from windows.
In a church or theater: Remain calm. Watch for others, who may start to panic and become dangerous to yourself and others. If possible, move quickly but orderly to an interior bathroom or hallway, away from windows. Crouch face-down and protect your head with your arms. If there is no time to do that, get under the seats or pews, protecting your head with your arms or hands.
In a house with no basement, a dorm, or an apartment: Stay away from windows. Go to the lowest floor, to an interior room (like a bathroom or closet), under a stairwell, or in an interior hallway. Make sure there are no windows. Make yourself as small as possible by crouching into a ball like position. Cover your head and neck with your hands. Attempt to protect yourself with thick blankets and pillows to guard against falling debris. A bath tub may offer a shell of partial protection.
In an office building, hospital, nursing home or skyscraper: Go to enclosed, windowless, interior room. Then crouch down and cover your head and neck with your hands. If you can find an interior stairwell that is not too crowded, take shelter there by crouching and covering your head and neck. If there is time, make your way down the stairwell, to a lower level. Stay off the elevators; you could be trapped in them if the power is lost.
In a mobile home: Under no condition should you remain in a mobile home!!!Being outside is a better alternative to remaining in a mobile home. Mobile homes are much lighter and much more easily destroyed than other structures. If you have time, go to a designated tornado shelter. If not, look for a sturdy permanent building within easy running distance, and seek shelter there. If even this is impossible, lie flat on the ground and protect your head and neck. Try to lie in an area where there are not any types of power lines near you to avoid electrical shock should the lines fall.
At school:Schools are required to have a tornado safety plan of action and must have regular drills to test this plan. If there is a tornado, follow the practiced plan of action. Once you take shelter, which is often an interior room or hallway, crouch low, head down, and protect the back of your head with your arms. Stay away from windows and large open rooms like gyms and auditoriums.
In a car or truck: Vehicles are extremely dangerous in a tornado. Only try to drive out of the tornado's path, if there is considerable distance between your vehicle and the tornado, if traffic is light, and you have the ability to make right angle turns away from the tornado. If this is not an option, park the car as quickly and safely as possible, out of traffic. [It is safer to get the car out of mud later if necessary than to cause a crash.] Get out of the car and seek shelter in a sturdy building. If in the open country, run to low ground away from any cars (which may roll over on you). Lie flat and face-down, protecting the back of your head with your arms. Avoid seeking shelter under bridges, which can create deadly traffic hazards while offering little protection against flying debris. It has actually been proven that pressures increase under structures such as bridges and highway over passes, and can be even more dangerous than remaining in the open.
In the open outdoors: Try to find shelter in a sturdy building. If not, lie flat and face-down on low ground, protecting the back of your head and neck with your arms and hands. Stay away from trees, power lines, and other large objects that could become debris and dangerous.
In a shopping mall or large store: Remain calm. Watch for others, who may start to panic and become dangerous to yourself and others. Move as quickly as possible to an interior bathroom, storage room or other small enclosed area, away from windows.
In a church or theater: Remain calm. Watch for others, who may start to panic and become dangerous to yourself and others. If possible, move quickly but orderly to an interior bathroom or hallway, away from windows. Crouch face-down and protect your head with your arms. If there is no time to do that, get under the seats or pews, protecting your head with your arms or hands.
Above all things, in ALL situations mentioned above......DON'T PANIC!!!