Tornado Safety Tips That You Should Know

Tornadoes are known to hit Missouri, so as a resident here, you should prepare for them. You must find out what you should do in the event of a severe windstorm and take actions to protect yourself. We go over tornado safety tips that you should know below.

Know the Signs of Tornadoes

If you can identify the signs of a tornado brewing, you can anticipate its arrival before it actually touches down in your area. Weather stations will notify people of a tornado watch or tornado warning. A tornado watch means that weather conditions may lead to a tornado appearing, while a tornado warning indicates that weather instruments have detected a tornado. When you look outside, you should search for some distinct features. Large masses of dark clouds that are low to the ground, a dark or green sky, and big hail all indicate that a tornado may come. You may also hear a roar from the wind that sounds like a train. When you notice these signs, it’s time to take cover.

Determine Where To Seek Shelter

One important tornado safety tip that you should know is how to seek shelter. If a tornado is nearby, you must go straight to a safe location without lingering around, trying to figure out what to do. Ideal locations include indoor rooms without windows in central locations within buildings, such as closets or restrooms. Basements are also good if you have access to them. Though you may not be at home when a tornado strikes, you should invest in a storm shelter. This way, you have a small space built to withstand tornadoes specifically. A storm shelter can also hold survival supplies.

Gather Together Emergency Supplies

This brings us to the next point, which is to gather emergency supplies. By stocking up on these, you’ll be ready to not only survive a tornado, but also sustain yourself and your family after it’s passed. Necessary supplies include enough water and packaged food to last several days, a flashlight, a radio, extra batteries, a first aid kit, medications, extra clothes, and important documents. Most of these are for survival, but a few serve other purposes. A radio or some other communication device is crucial because it will become your main source of news information if you lose access to your television, computers, or phones. Taking important documents with you in your shelter can also save you a lot of trouble when dealing with damages in the aftermath of a tornado.