Before a tornado strikes...

Conduct tornado drills each tornado season. If you do not have a storm shelter, designate an area in your home as the official tornado shelter. This area should be located in the lowest, strongest, most interior room of the house. Practice having your family go there as if a tornado warning had been issued in your area.

Make sure family members know the difference between a "tornado watch" and a "tornado warning." A watch means that conditions are favorable for tornadic development. A tornado warning is issued when it is believed that a tornado has been sighted or has formed and is on the ground. These observations are made by official storm spotters or by examining RADAR images. Tornado warnings are usually issued by county or by town.

Maintain basic tornado safety supplies:

	Flashlight with extra batteries
	A portable, battery-operated radio and extra batteries
	First aid kit with manual
	Emergency food (cans and waterproof containers) & water
	Non-electric can opener and utensils
	Essential medicines (especially prescription types)
	Some cash and credit cards
	Cellular phone/pager
	Sturdy shoes/sneakers/clothes

Develop an emergency communication plan.

In the event that family members are separated from one another during a tornado, have a plan in place for getting back together or a system for relaying messages back and forth to another (i.e.: cellular phone, beepers, etc.) Ask an out-of-state relative or friend to serve as the "family contact." After a disaster, it's often easier to call long distance. Make sure everyone in the family knows the name, address, and phone number of the contact person.

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When a tornado warning is issued (or when a tornado strikes)...

Stay calm.

If at home:

	Go at once to the basement, storm cellar, or the lowest part of the building.
	If there is no basement, go to an inner hallway or a smaller inner room without windows, such as a bathroom or closet.
	Get away from the windows.
	Go to the center of the room. Stay away from corners because they tend to attract debris.
	Get under a piece of sturdy furniture such as a workbench or heavy table or desk and hold on to it.
	Use arms to protect head and neck.
	If in a mobile home, get out and find shelter elsewhere.

If at work or school:

	Go to the basement or to an inside hallway at the lowest level.
	Avoid places with wide-span roofs such as auditoriums, cafeterias, large hallways, or shopping malls.
	Get under a piece of sturdy furniture such as a workbench or heavy table or desk and hold on to it.
	Use arms to protect head and neck.

If outdoors:

	If possible, get inside a building.
	If shelter is not available or there is no time to get indoors, lie in a ditch or low-lying area or crouch near a strong building. Be aware of the potential for flooding.
	Use arms to protect head and neck.

If in a car:

	Never try to outdrive a tornado in a car or truck. Tornadoes can change direction quickly and can lift up a car or truck and toss it through the air.
	Get out of the car immediately and take shelter in a nearby building.
	If there is no time to get indoors, get out of the car and lie in a ditch or low-lying area away from the vehicle. Be aware of the potential for flooding.

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After a tornado strikes...

	Help injured or trapped people; give first aid where appropriate; don't try to move the seriously injured unless they are in immediate danger of further injury. Call for help.
	Turn on radio or television to get the latest emergency information.
	Stay out of damaged buildings. Return home only when authorities say it is safe.
	Use the telephone only for emergency calls.
	Clean up spilled medicines, bleaches, or gasoline or other flammable liquids immediately.
	Leave the buildings if you smell gas or chemical fumes. If there is a gas leak, notify the proper authorities immediately. Do not use telephones in an area where you suspect a gas leak; the electrical current in a telephone may cause a spark and may ignite flammable gas.
	Take pictures of the damage--both to the house and its contents--for insurance purposes.

The best way to prepare for tornadoes is to always keep aware of the weather forecast/conditions. Throughout severe weather season, always have a general idea of what the weather will be; use internet weather services such as weatherOnline!, newspapers, and radio/TV stations to keep abreast of developing severe weather. When severe weather is about to strike, don't rely on the internet for information; storm damage or internet lag may limit or hamper information that is more accessible or readily available through broadcast media such as NOAA weather radio, or other commercial radio and television stations.

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Know the warning signs!

Before a tornado strikes...

Maintain basic tornado safety supplies:

When a tornado warning is issued (or when a tornado strikes)...

Stay calm.

If at home:

If at work or school:

If outdoors:

If in a car:

After a tornado strikes...