Be Prepared for a Tornado

ByKE8CVP

Tornadoes are violently rotating columns of air that extend from a thunderstorm to the ground.

Quick Facts

  • Can happen anytime.
  • Bring intense winds.
  • Can happen anywhere.
  • Look like funnels.

Words to Know

Funnel:A long shape that is wider at the top and skinny on the bottom, like an ice cream cone.Hail:Frozen rain.Storm Shelter:A room or space built below ground level and without windows that is safer place to be during a tornado.

Protect Yourself Key Messages

  • If you are under a tornado warning, find safe shelter right away.
  • Go to a safe room, basement, or storm cellar.
  • If there is no basement, get to a small, interior room on the lowest level.
  • Stay away from windows, doors, and outside walls.
  • If you can safely get to a sturdy building, do so immediately.
  • Do not get under an overpass or bridge. You’re safe in a low, flat location.
  • Watch out for flying debris that can cause injury or death.
  • Use your arms to protect your head and neck.

Featured Protective Actions

  • Safe rooms and storm shelters save lives. Installation of a safe room built to FEMA standards, and storm shelter built to ICC 500 standards is the best protective action.
  • If a storm shelter or safe room is unavailable, the attributes that provide the next best protection are small, interior, windowless rooms in a sturdy building on the lowest level (underground is best).
  • Buildings with high occupancy, large span roofs such as multi-story office buildings, schools, malls, and sports arenas require review by trained architects or engineers to determine the Best Available Refuge Areas (BARA) for occupants. General guidance does not apply to the variations in building structures.
  • Manufactured structures are completely unsafe in a tornado. Fatality rates were significantly higher than sturdy buildings. An alternative shelter should be identified prior to a tornado watch or warning.
  • While there is research to support the use of a vehicle as a “last resort,” no research on the efficacy of below ground level outdoor locations was found.
  • Tornadoes have the ability to cause massive and total destruction. There is evidence of significant injury and even death resulting from participation in cleanup activities.

Source: FEMA.GOV