Tornado Safety

Tornado image from NOAA and NSSL

Tornado season is beginning here in Ohio.  Some of you have already heard the loud tornado sirens go off, warning people that a tornado might be coming.  What should you do to be safe during a tornado?

1.  Stay away from windows and go as low as possible.  If you have a basement, go there until the tornado warning is over.  If you don't have a basement, try to go to a room low in your home that doesn't have windows.  If all of your rooms have windows, sit as far away from them as you can.

2.  Cover your head and neck.  If a tornado comes through your home, it will break the glass and pick things up and throw them around or even possibly cause the roof and walls to collapse.  A good way to protect yourself is to make sure nothing can hurt your head and neck.

3.  Don't drive next to a tornado.  If you can see a tornado coming, then stop at someone's house and see if you can stay with them in their basement until the tornado passes.  If you can't, get out of your car and lay on low ground.  Make sure you are not near any trees or poles which could fall on you.  DO NOT TRY TO DRIVE FASTER THAN A TORNADO.  Sometimes this works. but many people have been killed this way.

A car sliced by falling debris during a tornado

The science of a tornado