Last week’s focus was on tornadoes. Because this topic is so important, this week’s focus is on it again.
What do you do in case of a tornado? Where do you go in case of a tornado? How will your family find you if you go somewhere to be safe? It all comes down to pre-planning.
The National Weather Service offers these tips for you and your family — and acting quickly is key to staying safe and minimizing impacts.
• Stay weather-ready: Continue to listen to local news or NOAA Weather Radio to stay updated about tornado watches and warnings.
• At your house: If you are in a tornado warning, go to your basement, safe room, or an interior room away from windows. Don’t forget pets if time allows.
• At your workplace or school: Follow your tornado drill and proceed to your tornado shelter location quickly and calmly. Stay away from windows and do not go to large open rooms such as cafeterias, gymnasiums, or auditoriums.
• Outside: Seek shelter inside a sturdy building immediately if a tornado is approaching. Sheds and storage facilities are not safe. Neither is a mobile home or tent. If you have time, get to a safe building.
• In a vehicle: Being in a vehicle during a tornado is not safe. The best course of action is to drive to the closest shelter. If you are unable to make it to a safe shelter, either get down in your car and cover your head or abandon your car and seek shelter in a low-lying area such as a ditch or ravine.
The next part of this article comes from my past experiences.
The first thing to figure out is that there is a safe place to go in case of a tornado. What type of residence do you live in? Some residences are not safe under any circumstances. Other residences have certain areas where you are safer than others.
In my 66 years on this earth, I have lived in several different types of structures. The one structure that I lived in that is not safe under any circumstances is a manufactured home, known in the old days as a mobile home. Regardless of how well they are anchored down, they are not constructed well enough to withstand a tornado.
A home constructed with a basement is a better option than a home on a concrete slab. Realizing that in some areas you cannot have a basement, due to high water tables, your planning should include where to go in a tornado.
In a residence without a basement, the safest area will be in the interior of the home, away from any windows. Most people recommend a bathroom, a couple of reasons are that there are normally no windows, and the older ones tend to have a bathtub that you can lie down in. Part of your plan could also be to drag a mattress into the room and place it on top of whoever is in the room with you.
If you are in a house with a basement, then head down there as soon as you get the tornado warning. I have seen videos online where people are at the top of stairs and looking at a storm system moving toward them, and then they duck down at the last minute to safety. The only problem with that would be if you happen to have two tornadoes occurring at one time, and the one that you do not see slams into your residence while you are gawking at the other one.
If you live in a community in Brookings County, then it is helpful to figure out where the closest severe weather shelter is located. In the city of Brookings, the only citywide shelter is located at 520 Third St., in the basement. The Brookings Police Department opens the shelter when the weather service issues a tornado watch, and the weather system is expected to impact the city. In the other communities in Brookings County, I recommend that you contact City Hall or the fire department as they can direct you to the community’s severe weather shelter.
There is a list on the Brookings County website, but it is always best to ask and confirm to get the latest information. A listed shelter may be closed for some reason, but if it is then there should be another designated for that particular community.
Another recommendation is to drive to the nearest shelter before the severe weather sirens go off. If a tornado is expected, it usually means rain and hail will come with it, and you don’t want to get lost driving to it in the rain.
When you check on the location of the local shelter, you can also ask what amenities they have or allow. Some shelters will allow pets, some will not.
I do understand that some people’s pets are more important to them than anything else in the world. I am not judging; I just want you to figure out where to go with them in case of severe weather, before the storm hits.
This time of the year, people are starting to get outdoor fever, please stay aware of the weather. Forecasts are typically sent out about three days in advance. Plan ahead of time you can have the best year you have ever had in your lifetime.
As always, keep an eye on the sky and be safe when outdoors.
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