Tornado Survival Tips

Volunteers work in clearing debris at the scene of a tornado touch Vilonia, Arkansas, 28 April 2014. (Garett Fisbeck / The New York Times)

Darden describes a family living in a farm Higdon, Alabama, a small community in upstate suburbs five children. They were not protected from the weather, but they lived in a house and said it was well built.

Saturday, Darden and visited the family member. "The mother and her three daughters were there at the time," he recalls. From free wall - anything that remained of the house - "I introduced myself and told him I thank God you are not at home" His response "sequel" ..? . Oh, we were here "time homeless and nothing but a plate of" I really thought it was a joke, we asked: Where were you in "

She took the two men to a place in the storm swept the board in which no more than a small piece of wood and a piece of carpet left - parts each shot of the tornado. The rest of the plant disappeared into the vortex and was not detected. The patch is all that remained cowering from the city hall in the family. "They are not affected," he said in a voice tinged with awe. "You are not prepared. Did not have a scratch on them."

- Pete Spotts, "Lessons from the wreckage: How Alabama could help tornado civil", Christian Science Monitor, 4 May 2011

With thousands of crushed and destroyed many communities of tornadoes this week published houses, and about a third of the population of the United States under a tornado warning on April 29, 2014 storms over the Midwest continue and south, it is good to my article on Tornado safety and survival to see. While nothing absolute security in the way of a tornado to ensure against a shelter with steel walls and reinforced concrete, to understand something survive on the nature of tornadoes, safety tips for a tornado attack and folklore common trust is ignored or improve your chances of making the right decision, when that day comes, when faced with a tornado approach.

Tornado Facts and Myths

• It is generally believed that tornadoes occur mainly in spring, but the peak season for tornadoes varies by location and tornadoes can occur any month of the year. For example, the peak season for tornadoes in the northern Plains and Upper Midwest in June or July, but from May to early June in the southern plains, and even in the spring to coast golf.

• It is a myth that tornadoes can not reproduce and knock place at relatively shallow areas, but actually in the higher regions of the Rocky Mountains, the Sierra Nevada and the Appalachian Mountains. Although in the plains of the United States and Southeast regions were frequent tornado was as diverse as Vermont, New York and Nevada seen in places. A hiker seen and photographed a tornado at 12,000 feet in Sequoia National Park in California.

• A common myth is that trailer parks attract tornadoes. Certainly not to win tornadoes, but due to its light weight and lack of heavy anchor sound structural basis weight trailers are extremely susceptible to damage from tornadoes.

• Another common myth is that you can open the windows so that the pressure equalization should need a tornado your house. Do not waste your time to open the windows. If a tornado hits it hit the window, and the last place you should be near a window where it., The greatest danger of debris and broken glass

• There is a common, by the direction of rotation of tornadoes in the northern hemisphere of the southwest corner of the building, the safest place is myth. This myth is completely wrong. The corners are the portions of buildings that are susceptible to damage. The safest areas in the center of the building, in a windowless room or cabinet, and at the lowest level (basement if there is one).

• There is a common myth that overpasses offer protection from tornadoes. In fact, under a highway bridge often acts as a wind tunnel, channeling wind and dirt, and there are a number of people who reported parked under an overpass death while looking for protection of approaching tornadoes.

Tornado warnings and forecasts

A tornado warning is mandated by the National (NWS) Weather Service meteorologists have determined if the local conditions are met, issued to produce tornadoes. If a tornado warning is issued, it is advisable to the local radio and television for more updates stay tuned. If you live in tornado country, with the NOAA weather radio is highly recommended, especially models that have a battery and can make an audible sound when a weather warning is issued. Time to set the audible alarm switch in your NOAA radio to notify you when the clock has come upgraded to a warning. If a tornado warning is issued, and see with their eyes, ears and other senses signs of a tornado, and make sure that you have access to a safe harbor. Check for unusual behavior of pets and animals that could be a sign of a tornado approach.

After a tornado has been spotted visually or on weather radar, a tornado warning is issued. Once an alert has been issued, you must make arrangements immediately and seek shelter. If you live in a mobile home or other buildings with little protection, you should seek shelter elsewhere if possible. Bring your radio with you to hear the "all clear" signal is the latest update of state and if the warning is over.

Note: The sirens and warnings tornado warnings in advance, but tornadoes can occur at any time of the year without notice!

Tornado Survival Tips and Strategies

• If you are at home, taking refuge on the ground floor, and the deepest zone, as an inner hallway, bathroom or closet. Stay away from windows, outside walls and corners of the building. Stop wasting no time windows that open.

• When using a "safe" (a hall specially built of concrete and / or steel protected reinforced), a basement, cellar or basement storm vegetables that have to be the safest places. In the basement is the safest place under a table or a mattress, and in a position that is not directly under heavier on the top floor, like a refrigerator or a piano objects.

• Protect yourself from the best possible way. Use a bicycle or hockey helmet if you have one. Squatting in a tub or shower can provide better protection, how are thrown under a table or sofa.

• If you are traveling, try not to exceed a tornado because it can travel at speeds of more than 70mph. However, it is worthwhile taking a moment to look for the Tornado, compare their movement to a fixed object on the ground to measure the direction of travel. If you see to drive the movement to one side or the other, and in the opposite direction, then do it. If it seems to, the right to go left or right for you. In this case, you must make a decision. If you have the opportunity to travel to the right or to the left, then it knows, but if you're stuck in traffic, or the tornado is close to exit your vehicle and seek shelter because tornadoes can simply collect cars and even trailer, sometimes throwing hundreds of meters. If possible, take the car to the side of the road and not to park on the rails, as the heavy rains that often accompany tornadoes, a driver at high speed can not see the car parked in the middle of road.

• If you are in your car with an impending tornado strike, squat as low as possible, plug attached to the seat belt, stay away from windows and protect your head with your arms and hands.

• If you are outdoors, maybe give up your car, seek shelter in a building or in drains or lie in a ditch or depression and cover your head with your hands. Not a pleasant thought, but people have to do this to survive in Tornado. Stay away from trees and cars as objects is to be strong with the power to kill, and maul.

• Do not park under a bridge, as they tend to act as the channel of debris turbines and wind motion.

• Avoid easily collapse the shopping centers, theaters, sports halls and other buildings with large, open interiors, where the roof can. If you are in a building of this kind, there is no time to seek shelter elsewhere, seek shelter under a doorway or next to an interior wall that can provide structural support and protection in building collapse.

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