Tornado Safety

Tornado Safety

Robin @ Kids Matter

According to Tornado Project Online, nearly 1000 tornadoes touch down in the United States each year.  They have occurred in every month of the year, but spring in the Southeast is considered “tornado season”. 

Here are some things you can do to reduce your chance of being injured in a tornado:

·       Be alert to the onset of severe weather.  It is important to be watchful of severe weather and take steps to get to safety in time.  Be watchful of what is happening outside.  Some signs of tornado danger are: a “funnel-shaped” cloud, a sickly greenish colored sky, a sound like a waterfall rushing that turns into a roar as it gets closer, debris dropping from the sky, and a strange quiet that comes within or shortly after a thunderstorm. 

·       Know the terms tornado “watch” and “warning”.  A watch means that the conditions are present for a tornado to be possible.  A warning means that a tornado has been sighted and you should seek shelter right away.

·       Have a plan for your family.  Have a safe place such as a basement or an interior room with no windows to go to.  Know where the closest public shelter is if you are outside or in a home with inadequate protection.  Go there before the storm hits.  Also have drinking water, a battery operated radio, and flashlights in this location. 

The number of deaths and injuries that result from tornadoes has drastically dropped over the last half century.   Technological advances in being better able to predict tornadoes and the ability to alert the public at a moment’s notice via TV, internet, and phones are attributed with this decrease.   However, the most important part is still to be aware of the approaching storm, and take steps to get to safety in time. 

Follow this link for a Tornado Safety Crossword Puzzle that will help you brush up on your storm knowledge.