Tag Archives: Tornadoes

High winds, heavy rains, crashing trampolines — be prepared for spring storms

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By Tim Poe, American Red Cross volunteer.

Early April, a family gathering for an 81st birthday as an early spring storm rattles, patters and howls, not unlike the taps and rumbles at the windows as I write this. A bellowing whoosh and deep crash, a house-shuddering boom. I stand, thinking a tree has fallen, and look out the window to see a black-and-chrome mass fall from the sky, striking cars in a cacophony of shattering glass and bending metal. A family member repeatedly shouts, “What was that?!” I step outside and piece together what has happened. A neighbor’s trampoline, windblown, smashed into and knocked down a portion of fence, rose up, crashed onto the roof, where one of its legs protrudes from the hole it has just made, rose again and plunged onto the cars.

This was the scene last April, turning a birthday celebration into a flurry of activity to ensure everyone was safe, mitigate damage from the compromised roof, assess damage and make plans on how to proceed. Now that spring has returned along with its storms, we must be prepared for whatever they bring, whether high winds, tornadoes, heavy rains, flooding or falling trampolines.

As we have written before, preparation is key. The American Red Cross is responding to an increasing number of disasters and expects this trend will continue. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration also recently reported that Ohio set a record for tornadoes in 2024.

Here are tips for planning and staying safe.

  • Practice drills with everyone in your household.
  • Contact your local office of emergency management to learn what hazards may affect your community. Sign up for free emergency alerts from your local government. Remember, a WATCH alert means be prepared; a WARNING means take action.
  • Get inside a sturdy building, one with walls and a foundation, before a thunderstorm hits. Plan to shelter in the basement or a small, interior, windowless room on the lowest level to provide additional protection from high winds.
  • If you are in a mobile, manufactured, trailer home or RV, identify a sturdy building you can access quickly.
  • In certain emergencies you may need to travel to safety. Decide where you will go, how to get there and what you will need to take. Make additional plans if assistance or public transportation is needed.
  • Include pets in your plans.
  • Plan to reconnect with loved ones should you become separated or communications are down. Carry a contact card with important phone numbers. Also consider including a list of medications.
  • Plan to stay informed even if the power is out. Backup batteries, devices to charge cell phones and battery-powered or hand-crank radios are helpful.
  • Prepare both stay-at home and go kits. The go-kit should have three-day’s worth of critical supplies, while the stay-at-home kit should have two weeks of food and water and a one-month supply of medications/medical supplies.
  • Keep personal, financial and medical records in a safe, easily accessible place.
  • Make a list of items outside you will need to tie down or put away. (Yes, including trampolines).
  • Learn First Aid and CPR.
  • Download the Red Cross Emergency App.

More information is available here. As always, please prepare and stay safe, and call on the Red Cross if needed.

Edited by Glenda Bogar, American Red Cross volunteer

As extreme weather events increase, so does the need for Red Cross services and volunteers

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2024 is predicted to be an extremely active year

By Tim Poe, American Red Cross Volunteer

Polyrhythms of raindrops drum at the window, accented by rolling bellows of thunder, a severe late May storm approaches. Lights flicker. I am relieved the roof, damaged weeks ago, has finally been repaired. Yet as a Northern Ohio resident I am fortunate, as the region is less prone to natural disasters. Earlier, I watched reports from the latest of this spring’s tornado outbreaks. Amidst the catastrophic scenes, as always, American Red Cross volunteers and staff members are there, ensuring those impacted have food, shelter, care, comfort, and resources to begin recovering.

March 30, 2023. Amory, Mississippi. Red Crosser Eric Besson examines damage to a home on Thursday in Amory, Miss. As many as 2,000 structures across Mississippi received major damage or were destroyed by tornadoes on March 24. More than 380 trained Red Cross disaster workers are on the ground in Mississippi, Georgia and Alabama, as the nonprofit organization works with partners to make sure everyone has a safe place to stay, meals, emotional support and comfort in the aftermath of deadly tornadoes on March 24. Photo by Scott Dalton/American Red Cross

As extreme weather events become more frequent and severe–and 2024 is predicted to be an exceptionally active year–the need for Red Cross services is increasing. Already, the Red Cross responds to almost twice as many large disasters than it did a decade ago, and in just the last 10 months, 125 volunteers from Northern Ohio have assisted residents affected by hurricanes and wildfires across the U.S. Four Northern Ohio volunteers are currently deployed to Texas and Iowa.

As eventful as 2023 was, with weather-related disasters forcing an estimated 2.5 million people from their homes, one-third of them for longer than a month, according to the New York Times, 2024 may be even more severe.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reports that, as of May 8, 2024, the US has had seven confirmed weather/climate disaster events, each with losses over $1 billion, resulting in the deaths of 70 people. The NOAA also states there were 384 preliminary tornado reports in April, more than double the 1991-2020 average and the second highest April count on record.

March 31, 2023. Rolling Fork, Mississippi. Red Crosser Yolanda Gainwell visits with Karebya Christmas on Friday outside Christmas’ heavily damaged home in Rolling Fork, Miss. Christmas was home with her three children – ranging in age from 2 to 11 years old – when the tornado arrived. Just like Christmas’ grandmother taught her, she brought the family into the bathtub and put a pillow on top of them. No one was injured, but her home suffered major damages, disrupting their lives, as well as the self-owned business she ran from the home. On Friday, Christmas received help at a drive-through distribution center, where the Red Cross and partners distributed rakes, shovels, totes, clean-up kits, flashlights, batteries and more. Displaced, Christmas is staying at a hotel in Ridgeland, Miss. until at least Monday. As she finished talking with Gainwell, Christmas thanked her for coming to talk with her at her home, but with the damage rendering it uninhabitable, she hesitated to call it a home. “I don’t know what to call it – my blessing in disguise, maybe,” she said. Photo by Scott Dalton/American Red Cross

As summer approaches, the likelihood of an extremely active hurricane season and above-average wildfire season looms. Jim McIntyre, Regional Communications Director for the American Red Cross, Northern Ohio Region, recently conducted an interview with meteorologist Trent Magill of WEWS News 5. Jim and Trent discussed recent events, the need for planning and Red Cross services, and the outlook for the hurricane and severe storm season. Trent states, “everything we’re seeing shows above average intensity,” and that “it’s going to be a rough season.” Continuing, Trent says “Everyone should have a plan.”

Hopefully, you are wondering what you can do. For one, make sure you are prepared and have a plan. For another, please consider volunteering with the Red Cross. Volunteers account for 90% of the Red Cross workforce and represent a wide array of cultures, backgrounds, ages, gender identities, lifestyles, and beliefs, just like those we serve. Everyone is welcome, and free online training is provided.

April 9, 2023. Little Rock, Arkansas. William Burkey, a member of the Red Cross disaster mental health team, and Jamie Harms, a member of the disaster health services team, work together to bring comfort and hope to Paula Rocha, whose home was damaged by a tornado that struck Little Rock, Arkansas, and several nearby towns. Photo by Kevin Suttlehan/American Red Cross

Three key positions are especially needed: Disaster Action Team volunteers, who help families in need following a disaster; Shelter Services volunteers, who support day-to-day activities in an emergency shelter; and Disaster Health or Mental Health Services volunteers, who use their professional skills as licensed healthcare providers to assist those impacted by a disaster. Please consider joining, as I can personally attest you will work alongside outstanding people and the see difference Red Cross services provide.

Posted by Ryan Lang, American Red Cross board member and volunteer

    How to keep safe this severe weather season

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    By Sam Pudelski, Red Cross volunteer

    Now that it’s spring, the storms that come along with the season and summer months also arrive. While many rainy days are part of the season, Northeast Ohio usually experiences several severe weather events throughout the year. The American Red Cross has tips to help keep you and your loved ones safe when severe weather strikes.

    Severe Weather Safety

    If thunderstorms are likely to occur, postpone outdoor activities. Many people who are struck by lightning aren’t in the area of a storm where it is raining.

    Watch for storm signs – these can include darkening skies, lightning and increasing wind. If thunder roars, head indoors! If you can hear thunder, you are close enough to be in danger of being stuck by lightning.

    If a severe thunderstorm warning is issued for your area and arrives:
    – Take shelter in a substantial building. If you aren’t near a building, shelter in a vehicle with the windows closed. Make sure to get out of mobile homes, as they can blow over in high winds.
    – If you’re driving, make your way to safely exit the road and park. Stay in your vehicle and turn on the emergency flashers so other cars on the road can see you until any heavy rain ends.
    – If you are outside and are unable to seek shelter inside of a safe building or vehicle, avoid high ground, water, tall or isolated trees and metal objects, such as fences and bleachers. Picnic shelters, dugouts, sheds and pavilions are not considered safe shelters.
    – Keep away from windows.
    – Don’t take a bath, shower, wash dishes or use plumbing.

    If a tornado warning is issued for your area:
    – Move to an underground shelter, basement or safe room. If none of these are available to you, moving to a small, windowless interior room or hallway on the lowest level of a sturdy building is the safest alternative.
    Note: No area of a mobile home is safe during a tornado. If you have access to a sturdy shelter or a vehicle, move to this immediately.
    – If you are able to, go to the nearest local emergency shelter.

    Superstorm Sandy 2012 November 5, 2012. Photo by Talia Frenkel/American Red Cross

    If someone is struck by lightning:
    – Call for help immediately. Call 9-1-1 or your local emergency number. Anyone who has been struck by lightning requires professional medical care. Check the person for burns and other inquiries.
    – If the person has stopped breathing, call 9-1-1 and begin CPR. If the person is breathing normally, look for other possible injuries and care for them as necessary.
    – People who have been struck by lightning do not retain an electrical charge in their body.

    Flooding Safety
    Flooding often occurs following a hurricane, thawing snow or several days of sustained rain. Flash floods, on the other hand, occur suddenly due to rapidly rising water along a stream, body of water or low-lying area.

    If there is a flood risk in your area:
    – Listen to local radio, NOAA or TV news stations for the latest updates and information about weather in your area.
    – Be prepared to evacuate quickly if you need to evacuate. Know your routes and destinations ahead of time. Find a local emergency shelter.
    – Check your emergency kit and replenish any items missing or that are in short supply, such as medical supplies and medications.

    If you have pets or livestock:

    • Consider a precautionary evacuation of your animals, especially any
      large or numerous animals. Waiting until the last minute could be
      fatal for them and dangerous for you.
    • Where possible, move livestock to higher ground. If using a horse or
      other trailer to evacuate your animals, move sooner rather than later.
    • Bring your companion animals indoors and maintain direct control of
      them. Be sure that your pet emergency kit is ready to go in case of
      evacuation.

    For more information on how to prepare and respond in a severe weather emergency, visit redcross.org.

    Edited by Glenda Bogar, Red Cross volunteer

    Volunteers respond to multiple local disasters; mobilize to assist in national relief efforts after horrific weekend tornadoes

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    It was another busy weekend for American Red Cross Northern Ohio disaster volunteers. Disaster action team members assisted families in nine counties who were affected by home fires, storms and a building collapse. The Red Cross helped 56 individuals, providing $11,433 in immediate assistance. Tragically, two young children died in one home fire. The Red Cross continues to provide home fire safety information to residents and install smoke alarms for those who need them. To request a smoke alarm, visit this site. 

    December 12, 2021. Bowling Green, Kentucky. Sharon Wilson speaks to Red Cross volunteer Amy Miller and explains what happened to her last Saturday morning. Photo by Marko Kokic/American Red Cross

    In addition to responding to local disasters, the Red Cross is deeply saddened by the loss of life and incredible devastation brought by the horrific tornadoes that touched down this weekend across multiple states in the center of the country. Over the weekend, Red Cross personnel and volunteers were busy mobilizing to help assist on large relief efforts in Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, and Missouri to provide safe shelter, comfort and support in the face of one of the most devastating tornado outbreaks in years. Northern Ohio volunteers will be leaving in the coming days along with two emergency response vehicles from the Region, each with a two-person crew.

    If you are a current volunteer with the Red Cross, please consider deploying to assist in the relief efforts around the Midwest and southern tornadoes. With such widespread damage, we know families will need support for weeks to come and the Red Cross will be there for as long as we are needed. To be considered for deployment, please update your availability in Volunteer Connection and someone will contact you. The Red Cross also needs additional volunteers who are willing to be trained and to deploy to future disasters.  A two-week commitment is typically required. Visit our website or call 216-431-3328 to apply.

    In addition to disaster relief, the Red Cross has also provided approximately 200 additional blood products to hospitals in response to these devastating tornadoes. We remain in contact with our hospital partners throughout the affected areas and stand ready to provide additional blood products as needed. We anticipate Red Cross blood drives in affected communities may be canceled or experience lower donor turnout in the coming days, straining supply levels. We depend on the community to donate blood so we are able to provide it to those in need each day. If you are eligible to give, please schedule an appointment in the coming weeks. If you have questions about your eligibility to give, learn more here or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

    Nine fine tornado tips most people don’t know

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    By Doug Bardwell, American Red Cross volunteer

    As tornadoes began touching down around my son’s home in Nashville again this year, my mind wandered back to the massive spring tornado damage I saw there last year. It also made me start thinking more about tornado preparedness for Northern Ohio.

    Photo credit: Doug Bardwell, American Red Cross

    We live in a development of all frame homes, built on concrete slabs, with no basements. If you had asked me where I would head in case of a tornado, my answer for years would have been our interior master bathroom.

    WRONG –and since I’ve started researching it, I’ve compiled a list of myths and mistakes most people make about tornadoes.

    1. Huddle in the southwest corner of your basement because most tornadoes come from that direction.  Actually, tornadoes can come from any direction, including circling back on themselves.
    2. Basements are the safest places to be. Generally true, but consider this: when picking a location in the basement, don’t let it be under something huge on the first floor, like a piano, refrigerator or giant entertainment center which could crush you. I saw lots of homes in Tennessee where everything that didn’t blow away went straight down to the basement.
    3. Open your windows to equalize the pressure. Wrong. Scientists suggest that just isn’t the case. Rather, it can allow more wind inside causing even more damage. Better to spend your time dragging a mattress to put over you wherever you decide to hunker down. Bicycle or motorcycle helmets are also great protection.
    4. The average tornado warning gives you just 13 minutes to prepare. Surprisingly, that’s the best-case scenario. In Tennessee, the massive EF4 tornado hit those homes about 60 seconds after the sirens began to blare.
    5. I don’t need a NOAA weather radio because I’ll hear the sirens. Many people have reported not hearing the sirens at all due to  thunder and strong winds blowing the opposite direction, pushing the sound away from their homes.
    6. A great safe spot is your interior bathroom with no windows.  That’s what I thought until I inspected it more closely. We have a counter-to-ceiling, eight-foot-wide mirror above our vanity that could become  one giant guillotine if that wall were to buckle in a tornado. Secondly, we have two glass sliding doors on a walk-in shower. Bad location.
    7. Packing candles in your emergency bag since batteries can die of old age. Bad for two reasons. Should your house get hit by a tornado, there’s a good chance that the gas lines in your home have been compromised and you don’t want to chance an explosion. Secondly, a wind-up NOAA Alert radio/flashlight/cellphone charger like this or this, is much more useful.
    8. Many people keep their emergency kit in the garage near their cars.  A better place might be to keep the bag in your designated safe spot since you’ll probably have less time to leave in case of a tornado than you would a pending flood or wildfire.
    9. First thing to do in your safe spot is crouch under something heavy and cover your head.  Absolutely a great idea, but first, text a loved one with your exact location in the home, so should your home be hit, they could tell first responders exactly where to look for you.

    So, here’s to hopefully never needing these safety tips, but just to be safe, send this link to your friends, and read more tips for taking care of your older friends and family here.  Last suggestion, read more about preparing for all emergencies with the American Red Cross apps.

    Severe Weather Refresher

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    We normally share tornado safety information in the spring, when tornadoes in Northeast Ohio are most likely.  But the National Weather Service U. S. Hazards Outlook indicates a chance of severe weather for Northeast Ohio tomorrow.  So here is some information you can review:

    Tornado Safety

    Tornado70K

    Top Tips

    • Identify a safe place in your home where household members and pets will gather during a tornado: a basement, storm cellar or an interior room on the lowest floor with no windows.
    • In a high-rise building, pick a hallway in the center of the building. You may not have enough time to go to the lowest floor.
    • In a mobile home, choose a safe place in a nearby sturdy building. If your mobile home park has a designated shelter, make it your safe place. No mobile home, however it is configured, is safe in a tornado.

    What should I do to prepare for a tornado?

    • Know the Difference
      • Tornado Watch – A tornado WATCH means a tornado is possible.
      • Tornado Warning – A tornado WARNING means a tornado is already occurring or will occur soon. GO TO YOUR SAFE PLACE IMMEDIATELY.
    • During any storm, listen to local news or a NOAA Weather Radio to stay informed about tornado watches and warnings.
    • Know your community’s warning system. Communities have different ways of warning residents about tornadoes, with many having sirens intended for outdoor warning purposes.
    • Pick a safe room in your home where household members and pets may gather during a tornado. This should be a basement, storm cellar or an interior room on the lowest floor with no windows.
    • Practice periodic tornado drills so that everyone knows what to do if a tornado is approaching.
    • Consider having your safe room reinforced. Plans for reinforcing an interior room to provide better protection can be found on the FEMA web site (open in Chrome)
    • Prepare for high winds by removing diseased and damaged limbs from trees.
    • Move or secure lawn furniture, trash cans, hanging plants or anything else that can be picked up by the wind and become a projectile.
    • Watch for tornado danger signs:
    • Dark, often greenish clouds – a phenomenon caused by hail
    • Wall cloud – an isolated lowering of the base of a thunderstorm
    • Cloud of debris
    • Large hail
    • Funnel cloud – a visible rotating extension of the cloud base
    • Roaring noise

     

    What to Do During a Tornado

    • The safest place to be is an underground shelter, basement or safe room.
    • If no underground shelter or safe room is available, a small, windowless interior room or hallway on the lowest level of a sturdy building is the safest alternative.
    • Be aware that no area of a mobile home is safe during tornadoes or other severe winds.
      • If you have access to a sturdy shelter or a vehicle, abandon your mobile home immediately and go to either, using your seat belt if driving.
    • If you are caught outdoors, seek shelter in a basement, shelter or sturdy building.
    • If you cannot quickly walk to a shelter:
      • Immediately get into a vehicle and try to drive to the closest sturdy shelter. Remember to buckle your seat belt and drive at right angles to the storm movement to get out of its path.
      • Stay away from bridge/highway overpasses.
      • If strong winds and flying debris occurs while driving, pull over and park, keeping your seat belt on and engine running. Put your head down below the windows, covering your head with your hands and a blanket (if available).

     

    From Hurricanes to Home Fires – Get Prepared in September

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    Hurricane Harvey 2017By now you know may think that you know all about hurricanes — massive storm systems that form over the water and move toward land. Threats from hurricanes include high winds, heavy rainfall, storm surge, coastal and inland flooding, rip currents, and tornadoes. These large storms are called typhoons in the North Pacific Ocean and cyclones in other parts of the world. The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30, with the peak occurring now, between mid-August and late October. The Eastern Pacific hurricane season begins May 15 and ends November 30.

    It may seem like you’re well versed on basic preparedness tips, such as:

    • Know where to go if ordered to evacuate.
    • Put together a go-bag: disaster supply kit, including a flashlight, batteries, cash, first aid supplies, medications, and copies of your critical information if you need to evacuate
    • If not in an area that is advised to evacuate and you decide to stay in your home, plan for adequate supplies in case you lose power and water for several days and you are not able to leave due to flooding or blocked roads.
    • Make a family emergency communication plan.

    And with Ohio not being a coastal state, you may feel that you don’t have to worry about any of these things!

    But you should.

    Hurricane Harvey 2017Coming right smack in the middle of the peak of Hurricane season, is Preparedness Month. Celebrated every September, it is the perfect time for you, your family, and your community learn how to BE PREPARED.

    Prepare for the things you may experience as an Ohioan: tornadoes, flooding, extreme winter weather, power outages, or a home fire.

    Step one:
    Build a Kit or Do an Annual Supply Check

    Make sure your emergency kit is stocked with the items on the checklist below. Most of the items are inexpensive and easy to find, and any one of them could save your life. Headed to the store? Download a printable version to take with you. Once you take a look at the basic items, consider what unique needs your family might have, such as supplies for pets, or seniors.

    After an emergency, you may need to survive on your own for several days. Being prepared means having your own food, water and other supplies to last for at least 72 hours. A disaster supplies kit is a collection of basic items your household may need in the event of an emergency.

    Basic Disaster Supplies Kit

    To assemble your kit, store items in airtight plastic bags and put your entire disaster supplies kit in one or two easy-to-carry containers such as plastic bins or a duffel bag.

    A basic emergency supply kit could include the following recommended items:

    • Water – one gallon of water per person per day for at least three days, for drinking and sanitation
    • Food – at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food
    • Battery-powered or hand crank radio and a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert
    • Flashlight
    • First aid kit
    • Extra batteries
    • Whistle to signal for help
    • Dust mask to help filter contaminated air and plastic sheeting and duct tape to shelter-in-place
    • Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties for personal sanitation
    • Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities
    • Manual can opener for food
    • Local maps
    • Cell phone with chargers and a backup battery

    Download the Recommended Supplies List (PDF)

    Additional Emergency Supplies

    Consider adding the following items to your emergency supply kit based on your individual needs:

    • Prescription medications
    • Non-prescription medications such as pain relievers, anti-diarrhea medication, antacids or laxatives
    • Glasses and contact lense solution
    • Infant formula, bottles, diapers, wipes, diaper rash cream
    • Pet food and extra water for your pet
    • Cash or traveler’s checks
    • Important family documents such as copies of insurance policies, identification and bank account records saved electronically or in a waterproof, portable container
    • Sleeping bag or warm blanket for each person
    • Complete change of clothing appropriate for your climate and sturdy shoes
    • Household chlorine bleach and medicine dropper to disinfect water
    • Fire extinguisher
    • Matches in a waterproof container
    • Feminine supplies and personal hygiene items
    • Mess kits, paper cups, plates, paper towels and plastic utensils
    • Paper and pencil
    • Books, games, puzzles or other activities for children

    Maintaining Your Kit

    After assembling your kit remember to maintain it so it’s ready when needed:

    • Keep canned food in a cool, dry place
    • Store boxed food in tightly closed plastic or metal containers
    • Replace expired items as needed
    • Re-think your needs every year and update your kit as your family’s needs change.

    Kit Storage Locations

    Since you do not know where you will be when an emergency occurs, prepare supplies for home, work and vehicles.

    • Home: Keep this kit in a designated place and have it ready in case you have to leave your home quickly. Make sure all family members know where the kit is kept.
    • Work: Be prepared to shelter at work for at least 24 hours. Your work kit should include food, water and other necessities like medicines, as well as comfortable walking shoes, stored in a “grab and go” case.
    • Vehicle: In case you are stranded, keep a kit of emergency supplies in your car.

    Be Prepared for Spring Weather

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    Thunderstorms, Tornadoes, Flooding All Threats

    Spring can be a time for devastating weather. It is the peak time of year for tornadoes, flooding, thunderstorms and other severe weather.

    The American Red Cross wants everyone to know what steps they can take to stay safe if dangerous weather is predicted for their community.

    Prepare

    • Get a Kit. Make a Plan. Be informed.  See the Be Red Cross Ready Checklist
    • If you or a member of your household is an individual with access or functional needs, including a disability, consider developing a comprehensive evacuation plan in advance with family, care providers and care attendants, as appropriate. Complete a personal assessment of functional abilities and possible needs during and after an emergency or disaster situation, and create a personal support network to assist.

    Tornado Safety

    Southern Tornadoes and Storms 2017

    Tornado devastation in Albany, Georgia, January 2017. Photo credit: Daniel Cima for the American Red Cross

    Spring can be the peak season for tornado activity. Tornadoes occur mostly on warm spring days between 3:00 and 9:00 p.m. However, tornadoes can occur anywhere, at any time of the year, at any time of the day. The Red Cross has safety steps people should take now to be ready if a tornado warning is issued for someone’s neighborhood:

    What should I do to prepare for a tornado?

    • Know the Difference
      • Tornado Watch – Tornadoes are possible in and near the watch area. Review and discuss your emergency plans, and check supplies and your safe room. Be ready to act quickly if a warning is issued or you suspect a tornado is approaching. Acting early helps to save lives!
      • Tornado Warning – A tornado has been sighted or indicated by weather radar. Tornado warnings indicate imminent danger to life and property. Go immediately underground to a basement, storm cellar or an interior room (closet, hallway or bathroom).
    • During any storm, listen to local news or a NOAA Weather Radio to stay informed about tornado watches and warnings.
    • Know your community’s warning system. Communities have different ways of warning residents about tornadoes, with many having sirens intended for outdoor warning purposes.
    • Pick a safe room in your home where household members and pets may gather during a tornado. This should be a basement, storm cellar or an interior room on the lowest floor with no windows.
    • Practice periodic tornado drills so that everyone knows what to do if a tornado is approaching.
    • Consider having your safe room reinforced. Plans for reinforcing an interior room to provide better protection can be found on the FEMA web site
    • Prepare for high winds by removing diseased and damaged limbs from trees.
    • Move or secure lawn furniture, trash cans, hanging plants or anything else that can be picked up by the wind and become a projectile.
    • Watch for tornado danger signs:
      • Dark, often greenish clouds – a phenomenon caused by hail
      • Wall cloud – an isolated lowering of the base of a thunderstorm
      • Cloud of debris
      • Large hail
      • Funnel cloud – a visible rotating extension of the cloud base
      • Roaring noise

    What to Do During a Tornado

    • The safest place to be is an underground shelter, basement or safe room.
    • If no underground shelter or safe room is available, a small, windowless interior room or hallway on the lowest level of a sturdy building is the safest alternative.
      • Mobile homes are not safe during tornadoes or other severe winds.
      • Do not seek shelter in a hallway or bathroom of a mobile home.
      • If you have access to a sturdy shelter or a vehicle, abandon your mobile home immediately.
      • Go to the nearest sturdy building or shelter immediately, using your seat belt if driving.
      • Do not wait until you see the tornado.
    • If you are caught outdoors, seek shelter in a basement, shelter or sturdy building. If you cannot quickly walk to a shelter:
      • Immediately get into a vehicle and try to drive to the closest sturdy shelter. Remember to buckle your seat belt and drive at right angles to the storm movement to get out of its path.
      • Stay away from bridge/highway overpasses.
      • If strong winds and flying debris occurs while driving, pull over and park, keeping your seat belt on and engine running. Put your head down below the windows, covering your head with your hands and a blanket (if available).

    Thunderstorm Safety

    Icon Disaster

    Thunderstorms are most likely to happen in the spring and summer, during the afternoon and evening. However, like tornadoes, they can happen anywhere, at any hour of the day. A thunderstorm is considered severe if it produces hail at least 1 inch in diameter or has wind gusts of at least 58 miles per hour. Every thunderstorm produces lightning, which kills more people each year than tornadoes or hurricanes. Heavy rain from thunderstorms can cause flash flooding and high winds can damage homes and blow down trees and utility poles, causing widespread power outages. The Red Cross has steps you can take if a severe thunderstorm is predicted for your area:

    • Listen to local news or NOAA Weather Radio for emergency updates. Watch for signs of a storm, like darkening skies, lightning flashes or increasing wind.
    • Postpone outdoor activities if thunderstorms are likely to occur. Many people struck by lightning are not in the area where rain is occurring.
    • If a severe thunderstorm warning is issued, take shelter in a substantial building or in a vehicle with the windows closed. Get out of mobile homes that can blow over in high winds.
    • If you can hear thunder, you are close enough to be in danger from lightning. If thunder roars, go indoors! The National Weather Service recommends staying inside for at least 30 minutes after the last thunder clap.
    • Avoid electrical equipment and telephones. Use battery-powered TVs and radios instead.
    • Shutter windows and close outside doors securely. Keep away from windows.
    • Do not take a bath or shower or use plumbing.
    • If you are driving, try to safely exit the roadway and park. Stay in the vehicle and turn on the emergency flashers until the heavy rain ends. Avoid touching metal or other surfaces that conduct electricity in and outside the vehicle.
    • If you are outside and cannot reach a safe building, avoid high ground, water, tall, isolated trees, and metal objects, such as fences or bleachers. Picnic shelters, dugouts, and sheds are NOT safe.

    Flood Safety

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    Spring can be a time of year for flooding. Floods are among the most frequent and costly natural disasters. Conditions that cause floods include heavy or steady rain for several hours or days that saturates the ground. Flash floods occur suddenly due to rapidly rising water along a stream or low-lying area. People should be prepared to evacuate at a moment’s notice and head for higher ground when a flood or flash flood warning is issued. Other safety steps include:

    • Listen to area radio and television stations and a NOAA Weather Radio for possible flood warnings and reports of flooding in progress or other critical information from the National Weather Service (NWS).
    • Be prepared to evacuate at a moment’s notice.
    • When a flood or flash flood warning is issued for your area, head for higher ground and stay there.
    • Turn Around, Don’t Drown! Stay away from floodwaters. Just 6 inches of moving water can knock you down, and less than 2 feet of water can sweep your vehicle away.
      • If you come upon a flowing stream where water is above your ankles, stop, turn around and go another way. Six inches of swiftly moving water can sweep you off of your feet.
      • If you come upon a flooded road while driving, turn around and go another way. If you are caught on a flooded road and waters are rising rapidly around you, get out of the car quickly and move to higher ground. Most cars can be swept away by less than two feet of moving water.
    • Keep children out of the water. They are curious and often lack judgment about running water or contaminated water.
    • Be especially cautious at night when it is harder to recognize flood danger.