Tornado Warning

Tornado season is here, and it promises to be a bad one.  A Slate article  points out that the one-day death toll from the spate of tornadoes that hit the South on April 28, 2011 was more than the total number of people who died in tornadoes during the prior three years. And yesterday, a massive tornado flattened much of Joplin, Missouri. The death toll in Joplin is currently at 89 and is expected to rise.

Colorado (especially eastern Colorado) is considered part of the “tornado alley” that cuts a swathe down the center of the country. But, as the April 28 tornadoes (which hit places like Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia) demonstrate, tornadoes can happen almost anywhere. Are you prepared? Are your citizens prepared?

Municipal buildings and operations can be severely affected by tornado activity. Limon (1990) and Windsor (2008) are two CIRSA member municipalities that have experienced widespread damage and destruction from tornado activity. It’s critical to have a disaster preparedness plan in place, to review it periodically for necessary updates, and to conduct regular training and drills.

Home preparedness is also important. The American Red Cross has a good Tornado Safety Checklist available on its website.  Suggestions from the checklist include:

• Have in place a Home Tornado Plan, and practice it. Pick a “safe room” for shelter. It should be in the basement if possible, or a small, windowless interior room, hallway, bathroom, or closet. Conduct home tornado drills, so everyone knows what to do. 

• Maintain an emergency preparedness kit with first aid items, essential medications, non-perishable foods, manual can opener, bottled water, flashlights, battery-powered radio, and plenty of extra batteries. 

• Find out whether there are tornado sirens in your community, but don’t rely on them to warn you of an imminent tornado; sirens are really intended to warn those who are outdoors, anyway, so you may not hear one in time if you’re indoors. Stay tuned to your TV, or better yet, get a NOAA weather radio. If you hear that a tornado watch is in effect, that means tornados are possible in and near the watch area; you should be ready to act quickly if a warning is issued, or if you suspect a tornado is approaching. If you hear a tornado warning, it’s time to hurry into your tornado safe room! 

• Assess your home and yard for flying-missile potential. Prune diseased and damaged tree limbs. Move or secure patio furniture, hanging plants, trash cans, and anything else that can be picked up by the wind and turned into a projectile.

There used to be a myth that mobile home parks attract tornadoes. Not so, of course; it’s just that when a tornado hits a mobile home park or community, the injury and damage potential are likely to be far greater, due to the lack of structural reinforcement and anchoring, and the absence of a basement or other safe area. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) says that it is best not  to stay in a mobile home during a tornado; instead, the CDC suggests, go to a nearby building or shelter, or lie flat in the nearest ditch ravine, or culvert and shield your head with your hands.

A vehicle also is not a good place to be during a tornado. The CDC says not to try to outrun a tornado in your car! Instead, stop the vehicle and get out. Look for an area without many trees or other vehicles; lie down flat in a gully, ditch, or low spot on the ground, and protect your head with an object or with your arms.

In an office setting, move away from windows and glass doorways. Get to the lowest possible floor, in the innermost part of the building. Don’t use elevators. Protect your head and make yourself as small a target as possible by crouching down.

If you’re in a “big box” store or warehouse, you’re also vulnerable. The CDC refers to these structures as “long span” buildings, and notes that they are especially vulnerable because they have roof structures that are supported solely by the outside walls. Malls, theaters, and gymnasiums may also be “long span” buildings. If you find yourself in such a building, the CDC recommends that you get to the lowest level of the building and away from the windows. Or, if necessary, try to get under a door frame or get up against something that will support of deflect falling debris, such as heavy shelving or counters.

A tornado’s power can be overwhelming and indiscriminate in the devastation it wreaks. Education, planning, and preparation are critical to surviving this force of nature.