Leap Day, 2012 began with tornadoes demolishing parts of Branson, MO, and killing nine people and injuring several across Kansas, Missouri, and Illinois. Less than a hour before the tornado hit Branson, my family was taking shelter in our basement, listening to the winds rattle the house and watching the radar on the computer as the same line of storms passed our home in northeastern Oklahoma. We were saddened by the destruction we read about the next morning, and more than a little relieved that the worst of the weather passed over our town.
Tornado season generally coincides with spring, but the month of January this year already saw nearly 100 tornadoes across the U.S. and two more deaths. Last year was one of the deadliest tornado years on record, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and April 2011 was the most active month on record, producing 753 tornadoes and an estimated 364 fatalities in those 30 days alone.
Tornadoes are among the most difficult to predict of all natural phenomena. Forecasters have no idea how severe this year’s tornado season may be. So the question is, how do you prepare for something that gives you so very little warning? Arranging your shelter ahead of time is one key to staying alive.
The best place to be in a tornado is below ground. If you do not have a basement or storm cellar, the next best thing is a safe room. An interior room away from doors and windows may protect you, but the worst tornadoes pack enough power to rip a house completely off its foundation and level it to the ground. If you do not have access to a proper shelter, here are three ways to arrange for your family’s safety so you won’t be left out in the storm.
Locate public shelters
There are public shelters located in most communities, in the basements of hospitals, colleges, churches and other buildings. Many apartment complexes also have basement shelters available for their residents somewhere on the property. Don’t wait until you are under a tornado warning to find your nearest shelters. Contact your city’s emergency management office or the local police or fire department and ask for help locating tornado shelters in your community.
Be a good neighbor
It is hard for many people to ask anyone for assistance, but your family’s safety is too important to risk because you are too proud or embarrassed to seek help. Some of your neighbors, especially the elderly, may have plenty of room to spare in their shelter and be perfectly happy to help. Be sure to do something nice for them, too, such as shoveling their snowy driveway, helping them back up their hard drive or baking them some pies in exchange for their kindness.
Form a co-op
If you are a homeowner, you may consider forming a co-op. Storm cellars can be more affordable if the cost is shared between multiple families. Invite a few of your neighbors over or attend a neighborhood association meeting to discuss sharing the cost of a storm cellar to which each of you would have access. Depending on the number of neighbors who wish to participate, more than one shelter may be needed.
Whatever you do, if you plan to seek shelter outside your home, get an early start. Print this checklist from the American Red Cross and make sure you know the basics of tornado safety. Pack a bag with copies of your important documents including your insurance policy, an external hard drive backed up regularly with the data from your computers, some cash, a flashlight and batteries, and a few snacks. If you have kids, pack some quiet games or toys to keep them occupied while you wait out the storm.
Keep an eye on the weather reports and move to your shelter early, before it becomes too dangerous to leave your home. When my twins were babies, we were caught in the path of a tornadic storm system while visiting a relative in a mobile home. I’d lived in Oklahoma City during the May 3, 1999 super tornado, and I had seen firsthand the aftermath of that storm, so I knew better than to take chances. I did not wait until the storm arrived to begin moving our things into the storm cellar, because with two babies, food, water, and blankets to carry I would have never made it in time. By the time the authorities said to take cover, we were already safely in the cellar and ready for whatever might come.
Remember that there are a lot of places you can seek shelter in tornado season, but the worst place to be is out in the middle of the storm, so don’t wait until it is too late. Arrange your shelter now, and stay alive.
Jim Salter, Nine Dead in Illinois, Missouri, and Kansas Storms, Tulsa World
2011 Tornado Information, NOAA