Tornado Shelters | Lazy Bear Survival

In the United States, the 2011 tornado season which included a super outbreak(April 25^th through April 30^th)was the fourth deadliest on record that dropped an astonishing 1709 tornadoes which left 549 people dead and caused billions of dollars of tornado damage. While not as destructive as the previous year, the 2012 twister season was just as deadly.

While some experts believe the 2014 tornado season may not be as active as the past few years, some believe the tornado threat will shift north dropping twisters in states such as Minnesota who normally don’t experience wide spread tornado activity. Now is the time to get ready for what could be another rough and wild spring storm season.

These basic tips can hep protect your family in the event of a tornado. Plan now before the sirens go off.

1- What’s the Difference between a Tornado Watch & Warning

Tornado Watch-A tornado watch means conditions are favorable for the development of tornadoes in and around the watch area. In plain English, this means all the ingredients are in place for tornado development.

It doesn’t mean a tornado has been spotted however.

When a watch is issued for my area, I drag the tubs out of my under the stairs twister shelter or direct the kids to do so if I’m not at home just in case. Make sure your family knows to prepare for the possibility of a tornado even if you’re not at home.

Tornado Warning-A tornado warning is the big one, it means a tornado has been detected by Doppler radar or has been spotted by a citizen, law enforcement or a trained storm spotter.

Get to your shelter area!!

Thanks to your advanced prep, you won’t have to wonder what you’re going to do when a tornado warning has been issued for your area or what to do when a tornado is coming.

All that’s left to do is get into your pre-determined shelter area, if you’re at work, your equally prepared kids and wife have already called you from say, your under the stairs duck and cover hole letting you know they’re ready for the storm.

2-Stay Aware

It’s always a good idea to keep an eye on the weather, during tornado season this is a must. Your ears should go up when your weather person advises you be alert to the possibility of severe warnings.

What are the best ways to stay weather aware? My personal favorites are:

Home

The TV-A great source of up to the minute storm information
The Internet-Weather applications, radars and other sources of up to date tornado information
NOAA Weather Alert Radio-A great back up to the TV and something that will wake you in the middle of the night. My trusty Midland WR120Ez sits on the nightstand ready to wake me up.

You don’t want to sleep through a twister, now is the time to get a dependable weather radio.

Work

I love some of the people up on the second floor but I don’t trust them with my life. They’re too busy doing their jobs to look out the window or watch a TV and let me know a tornado is coming.

My favorite workplace tornado awareness tools are:

The Internet-Sign up for weather alerts from your local TV stations if available, The Weather Channel as well as other online weather services offer storm alerts.
Cell Phone-AccuWeather offers a great little app that alerts you to severe weather in your area.

Out & About

When I’m out and about and away from home, I’m pretty much cut off from my Lazy Bear tornado command center. My back up is my Cell Phone. As mentioned above, there are great apps to let me know of impending storm related danger.

In addition to the apps, I have like minded family that will send texts if they know I’m out to let me know about storm happenings. I do the same for them as we’re in this together.

3- Where to Go During a Tornado

Home-In a home the safest places is the basement, if you don’t have a basement, put as many walls between you and the outside such as an interior bathroom or closet. As an example, my home doesn’t have a basement; my go to tornado shelter is the little closet underneath the stairs.
Mobile Homes-Hopefully your community offers a strong permanent structure you can head to when the warning is given for your area or areas near you (if you hear a tornado warning has been issued for the county west of you and you hear the storm is moving east, don’t want for the warning head out now!). If a strong structure isn’t available get out and find the lowest place and hunker down.
School-Once again, learn what plans are in place, make sure your kids understand what to do in the event of a tornado. If your school happens to be a college, have an idea of where to duck when you hear the train coming.
Work-Check with your HR team and ask about their work place safety plans that include tornado prep. If a plan isn’t in place, gently ask that they get one together. If there isn’t an official plan, don’t wait for someone else to do it for you. Look around for an interior room away from spanning ceilings and glass. In my building, the restrooms are my go to spot for a shelter at work.

4-Build a Disaster Kit

Gear Up-Part of your tornado prep plan should include some supplies and much needed items in the form of a Tornado Prep Kit. This kit is something that should already be on hand in preparation for other events. Simple items your kit must have in it are:

A Good battery powered radio and of course…..batteries
At least one Good flashlight and of course, batteries
At least one, two is better Good first aid kits. My personal preference is a stocked M-3 Medic bag.
Cash is king but don’t forget to take your wallet and a few checks with you into the shelter. Why? Say you emerge from your shelter to find your roof gone, guys selling and tacking up tarps will swarm your area, you want to be the first in line to have your roof covered, cash will put you to the front of the line. Credit/Debit cards will be needed to check into the hotel if your home is damaged (this is from experience folks).
Good boots- for the whole family. Walking around after a tornado has hit is very dangerous, nails and other debris could cause injuries (also learned from personal experience).
Keys keys keys-While it makes no sense to lock a house that no longer has a front wall, you will need keys to the car to get your people out of the area. Have a set in your shelter.

You should also consider preparing a Get Home Bag. A get home bag is your mobile disaster kit that can be kept in your car or office. This kit contains the basics you will need to get home in the event circumstances force you walk home.

5-After the Storm

The damage a tornado can do is beyond imagination and can be random at best. One house out of an entire block could be destroyed while the others are left standing. What we do after the storm is just as important as what we do before and during.

Part of your tornado (or any other disaster for that matter) is to have a rally point or a place to meet to take a head count. Having everyone in your home meet up front is a good idea assuming your home isn’t heavily damaged.
Plan on a secondary meet up point, something hard and fixed. Don’t count on the old oak tree down the block being there after a storm has passed. A cross nearby cross street could work out. Believe me, a secondary meet up point can save you a lot of grief.

Personal experience, to see a tornado in action is awe inspiring, to see one on the ground in the general direction of your home, a home your family is in is terrifying. To see “leaves” blown flying through the air only to realize those are shingles as you get closer is gut wrenching.

Those are your shingles.

Those are your people in harm’s way. Imagine the fear and as you finally are able to get to your sub-division only to find it already cordoned off by first responders, you go in on foot to see your place was one of those hit.

Imagine your relief when you look 300 yards to the east of your now wrecked house to see your people standing there waiting for you, kit in hand and ready to leave the area telling stories of the train sound they heard while hunkered under the stairs.

A good tornado plan can save lives, your life and your family’s lives. Now is the time to start your planning, get your family involved just in case.

Get The Facts On Tornado Safety