How to Survive a Tornado
It’s spring time, which in a sad twist of fate happens to be tornado season. I have survived a E4 tornado that ripped through my quaint little Alabama town, and I feel compelled to write a How To on surviving one.
First of all, Pay attention to the alerts in your area. Remember that a watch is that conditions are right for a tornado to form, that a warning is one has been sighted or has been seen on radar in your area. You’ll hear those darn sirens, it’s best to heed them and find shelter.
Remember to keep your radio and/or television tuned to local channels for incoming information on storms.
If a tornado warning is in effect for your area you should: Go to a basement if you have one and go as far back as you can, away from windows and any outside access doors. Get down and cover your head until it passes.
If you don’t have a basement, find an interior room such as a closet or a bathroom inside the center of your house. A good rule for this is put as many walls between you and the tornado. Make sure you stay away from windows.
Another good place to be in a tornado is in the bathroom, the walls are strengthened with the pipes that run through them, and the tub can be used to shelter you from flying debris if you lay down inside it. Cover yourself up with pillows, clothes, blankets and even mattresses can be used for protection.
One very important piece of advice is this: If you live in a mobile home and a tornado is coming, abandon the home, same as with a car. Find a sturdy shelter and batten down the hatches.
There are survival kits you can buy or you can make them yourselves. Here is a list of things you can put in a kit:
Canned food that doesn’t need heating
Bottled water
A first aid kit
Batteries
Flashlight
An emergency Radio
Candles
matches in a waterproof package
Extra prescription medication you may need
Baby food and baby formula
Blankets
Work gloves
Extra shoes and clothing
Tools
It may be a good idea if you could find some kind of waterproof container to store your survival kit in, a plastic box with a watertight lid would work wonderfully.
The good thing about tornadoes is this, they don’t last a very long time and in my case, you can live and come out richer in the end. I know that our community came together during this time of fear and I know I learned a lesson. Live like there’s no tomorrow, because tomorrow isn’t guaranteed.
First of all, Pay attention to the alerts in your area. Remember that a watch is that conditions are right for a tornado to form, that a warning is one has been sighted or has been seen on radar in your area. You’ll hear those darn sirens, it’s best to heed them and find shelter.
Remember to keep your radio and/or television tuned to local channels for incoming information on storms.
If a tornado warning is in effect for your area you should: Go to a basement if you have one and go as far back as you can, away from windows and any outside access doors. Get down and cover your head until it passes.
If you don’t have a basement, find an interior room such as a closet or a bathroom inside the center of your house. A good rule for this is put as many walls between you and the tornado. Make sure you stay away from windows.
Another good place to be in a tornado is in the bathroom, the walls are strengthened with the pipes that run through them, and the tub can be used to shelter you from flying debris if you lay down inside it. Cover yourself up with pillows, clothes, blankets and even mattresses can be used for protection.
One very important piece of advice is this: If you live in a mobile home and a tornado is coming, abandon the home, same as with a car. Find a sturdy shelter and batten down the hatches.
There are survival kits you can buy or you can make them yourselves. Here is a list of things you can put in a kit:
Canned food that doesn’t need heating
Bottled water
A first aid kit
Batteries
Flashlight
An emergency Radio
Candles
matches in a waterproof package
Extra prescription medication you may need
Baby food and baby formula
Blankets
Work gloves
Extra shoes and clothing
Tools
It may be a good idea if you could find some kind of waterproof container to store your survival kit in, a plastic box with a watertight lid would work wonderfully.
The good thing about tornadoes is this, they don’t last a very long time and in my case, you can live and come out richer in the end. I know that our community came together during this time of fear and I know I learned a lesson. Live like there’s no tomorrow, because tomorrow isn’t guaranteed.
