How to Prepare for a Tornado Arkansas

Preparing for a tornado entails learning some basic skills that will get you through in case a tornado is heading your way.

• First and foremost: Before any stormy weather, make sure you have supplies you will need on hand such as a first aid kit, plenty of drinking water, canned and non-perishable foodstuffs, batteries, flashlights, battery operated radio/T.V., prescription medications and a waterproof/fireproof safe to keep your valuable papers intact. Also, one or two fire extinguishers should be on hand, and everyone in the household should know how to use them. The first aid kit should be easily accessible and should include basic first aid items plus any prescription medications.

  
  

• Your waterproof/fireproof safe should contain your social security cards, birth certificates, your will, an inventory of household items (including photos, if possible), a list of important family and other phone numbers, your doctor s phone number and bank account information. Also, a list of all your prescriptions.

  
  

• When thunderstorms approach, a tornado might be close behind. Be diligent about watching the weather station on T.V. or listening to the weather on the radio. If a tornado watch is in effect, it means that conditions are favorable for a tornado to hit. If a warning has been issued, it means a tornado has been spotted in your area and you should take shelter immediately.

  
  

• Preparing for a tornado means you need to have a safe place in your home or around your neighborhood to shelter you and your family as soon as a warning is given. In your home, get to the lowest point (a basement, if you have one) or to a well protected area such as your bathroom or a walk-in closet. Make sure there are blankets, pillows and preferably a mattress that will shield your family from flying debris.

  
  

• If you happen to be in a car or a mobile home when the tornado strikes, you need get to shelter immediately. Find a sturdy building if possible, and if you are caught outside, lie flat in the lowest lying area you can find, such as a ditch.

  
  

• Some tornado prone areas have a tornado warning system using a loud siren to warn of tornado activity in your area. Make sure your family knows the difference between a tornado watch and a tornado warning.

Anytime a severe thunderstorm strikes, you must be alert to the dangers of a possible tornado. Heavy thunder, lightning and blowing debris all could signal an approaching tornado. Many people have said that a tornado sounds like a freight train.

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