5 Safety Tips for Tornadoes: Staying Safe Before, During, and After Tornadoes

Tornadoes are among the most devastating natural hazards. Their wind speeds and violent rotation can kill people and damage houses and vehicles. Therefore, it is essential for those living in areas vulnerable to tornadoes to follow these 5 safety tips for tornadoes.

These tips can help them avoid the danger of tornadoes. Thus, they have more chances to survive this hazard and continue their lives. However, those tips are useless if the government does not have an effective tornado alert system. Without this system, people may not have enough time to survive tornadoes.

What are 5 Safety Tips for Tornadoes?

Each year, tornadoes kill and injure many people and destroy numerous buildings. However, with excellent tornado preparation and knowledge, communities can minimize the fatalities of this natural hazard.  Below are things they must do to survive this hazard.

1. Prepare a Tornado Emergency Kit

A tornado may cause a power outage, cut people’s access to drinking water, and injure people. Consequently, it is vital to have an emergency kit. This kit must contain the following essentials.

• At least 3-day supplies of water and food that are not easily perishable, such as biscuits.  

• 2-week supplies of medications.

• Flashlights and extra batteries.

• A Battery-powered radio.

• A power bank or a phone charger.

• Essential documents.

• Thick-sole shoes, work gloves, long-sleeve shirts, and long pants.

2. Prepare a Tornado Safety Plan

One of the 5 survival tips for a tornado is a tornado safety plan. Tornadoes may develop suddenly, and this emergency situation can trigger panic feelings in most people. Consequently, they cannot think clearly about how to properly respond to this hazard. 

Therefore, they need to prepare a safety plan in advance. Moreover, they must place or hang this plan in a strategic area.

The tornado safety plan must include things to do at home during a tornado. Most importantly, it must include a designated safe place. Those who don’t have a basement can choose a small windowless room on the ground floor as a safe place.

This plan must also include what to wear while hiding in the safe room, what to bring to the safe room, and what to do before seeking shelter. Moreover, the safety plan must also include things to do in a car or mobile home during a tornado. Thus, everyone can stay safe during this hazard.

3. Stay Connected

Among the 5 safety tips for tornadoes, staying connected is extremely vital. How to stay connected before, during, and after a tornado? 

First, people can sign up for emergency alerts from the local government. Therefore, they will get a warning every time a tornado is coming. Thanks to this alert, they can take immediate actions to survive a tornado.

Moreover, they must have a battery-powered radio or ensure their phone battery is full to monitor the condition during and after a tornado. It is also important to monitor local weather frequently because a tornado may strike earlier than the warning.

4. Staying Safe During a Tornado

During a tornado, people can practice the following guidelines.

• Seek shelter in a basement or an inner room of a sturdy building.

• Those who are in a mobile home must seek shelter in a strong building, a ditch, or an underground culvert. While hiding in a ditch or underground culvert, you must lie on your stomach and cover your head with your hands.

• Those who are driving a car may stay in it if they can find a safe shelter, such as a ditch. 

• Stay clear of outside walls and windows. 

• Hide under a table or cover the body with a blanket. When hiding under the table, ensure that there are no heavy items on the table.

• Cover the head with a pillow or your hands.

• Don’t use gas-fired generators or charcoal-burning devices in enclosed rooms.

5. Things to Do After a Tornado

Tornadoes may damage houses and buildings. Therefore, it is essential for people to conduct the following safety procedures after a tornado. 

• Inspect broken natural gas pipes or utility lines at home. Please contact local authorities if there are broken pipes or utility lines.

• Don’t re-enter damaged buildings unless the authority says it is safe to do so.

• Avoid breathing dust and mold during post-tornado cleaning by covering the face with a mask and wearing thick-soled shoes, long pants, and work gloves.

• Don’t make phone calls unless for emergency purposes. Doing it will keep lines free. Consequently, those who need to call for an emergency will not have trouble contacting the authority.

• Continue to monitor the weather and local news to keep updated.

The 5 safety tips for tornadoes above can minimize the fatalities caused by tornadoes. However, they will not be effective if the government does not timely send tornado alerts. Thankfully, cell broadcasters from smsbroadcaster.com can help governments disseminate tornado alerts quickly and effectively.