A tornado is a violent storm with spiraling high speed winds. Tornadoes are usually accompanied by hail, severe thunderstorms and wind. The noise of a tornado has been described as a roaring sound like a train far away.
Immediate actions can save your life such as:
- Stay away from windows, doors, and outside walls. Protect your head.
- In homes and mall buildings, go to the basement or to an interior part of the lowest level-take shelter in closets, bathrooms, or interior halls. Get under something sturdy or lie in the bathtub and cover yourself with a blanket.
- Go to the pre-designated shelter areas in:
- Factories
- Hospitals
- Nursing Homes
- Shopping Centers
- Schools
- Interior hallways on the lowest floors are best
- In high-rise buildings, go to interior small rooms or hallways on the lowest floor possible with no windows. If you can see outside you are not safe.
- In vehicles or mobile homes, leave them and go to a substantial structure. If there is no shelter nearby, lie flat in the nearest ditch, ravine, or culvert with your hands shielding your head and neck.
Definitions
- A Tornado Watch - means there is a possibility of one or more tornadoes in your area. Continue normal activity but monitor weather conditions closely.
- A Tornado Warning - means a tornado has been sighted and may be approaching. Seek shelter immediately!