Here’s guidance from the National Weather Service (NWS)1, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)2, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)3 to help you prepare for tornadoes in your area.
- Know your area’s risk. Tornadoes can happen anytime and anywhere, but the Midwest and Southwest are at greater risk.4 You can find current tornado information on the , opens new window.
- Make a plan. Create a plan with the steps your family will take in response to a tornado. This should include knowing the best place to shelter in your home5—such as an interior, lower level room without windows, or the basement.
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Recognize warnings and alerts. Become familiar with your community’s tornado warnings and alerts. It is important in all disasters that you recognize your community’s warning system.
- Tornado Watch: A tornado is possible. Weather conditions favor thunderstorms capable of producing tornadoes at this location.
- Tornado Warning: A tornado is occurring or will occur shortly. Seek shelter immediately.
- Build a kit. Make sure you have a kit with essential supplies specifically for a tornado. This can include sleeping bags or pillows to use in a shelter, a flashlight and non-perishable food and water.
- Prepare your home.
- Arrange furniture so that chairs and beds are away from windows, mirrors and picture frames.
- Place heavy or large items on lower shelves.
- Secure large appliances where able with flexible cable, braided wire or metal strapping.
- Identify top-heavy or free-standing furniture that could topple. Secure it with L brackets or eye bolts.
- Install sliding bolts or childproof latches on cabinets.
Sources:
- “National Weather Service safety tips,” last accessed April 19, 2021, , opens new window
- “Disaster information,” last accessed April 19, 2021, , opens new window
- “Natural disasters and severe weather,” last accessed April 19, 2021, , opens new window
- “Tornadoes,” Ready.gov, last accessed 4/13/2021, , opens new window
- “Tornado Safety,” American Red Cross, last accessed 3/31/2021, , opens new window