When the Wind Comes Sweeping Down the Plains...

And now - for something new...  In all seriousness, my friends at Springfield Bloggers have been encouraging me to write a new blog about all things safety - especially since it's what I do for a living.  Lots of people think occupational safety has nothing to do with private/personal safety.  This is absolutely not the case!  I tell my crews a lot of the time, safety starts at home!  If you implement safe actions in your personal life it will be easier to translate them to your professional life. 


As I'm sure some of you are aware, the National Weather Service is already predicting some nasty weather for the Ozarks (and most of Missouri/Arkansas/Kansas/Oklahoma) this weekend.  And if the NWS is already saying something - early - you can bet they're serious.  On that note, I thought I'd share some tornado safety tips to keep you and your family safe (and alive?) in the event of a tornado.  Some of these you will know, some will seem to be common sense - but a reminder is always good.  It's the called the Law of Recency - whatever you learned most recently will be at the forefront of your mind.  With no further ado...

Tornado Safety Tips

• Watch vs. Warning: A watch means you should 'watch out'.  Conditions are right for a tornado, but one hasn't been spotted.  Go about your business, but keep an eye to the sky.  A warning means a tornado has been sighted and you need to take cover.  NOW!  Don't wait, don't assume it is a false warning.  Think of the robot on Lost in Space "Warning, Warning!".
• Be the Man with the Plan:  Where do you go when there's a Tornado Warning?  A basement is all well and good, but do you have head protection to grab?  If there's a Watch in place, I always leave shoes by my bed and make sure my phone is charged and easy to grab.  Sounds silly, but if the worst does happen you'll be glad for close-toed shoes and communication.  Especially if you need to crawl out of the rubble of your home.  You should also have blankets/pillows/textbooks to cover the back of your head/neck.  A somewhat-local meteorologist always says to put kids in their bike helmets (KH, here's looking at you!) and we laugh... BUT it's not a bad idea because children don't understand WHY we cover our head/neck like adults do. We understand the seriousness of a neck injury, they don't. In fact, one child in the Joplin tornado's life was saved because he put on his bike helmet.  Always remember, a number of tornado fatalities are not a result of the tornado directly, but from the debris!  
• No Basement, No Problem?:  If you don't have a basement, where do you go?  Interior room/closet or bathtub.  Remember, especially in this situation you need to cover yourself.  I would recommend a bathtub myself.  Several people SURVIVED the Joplin tornado because they were in their bathtub.  Including the Catholic priest - the rectory and the church were completely demolished!  Why bathtub?  Because in a house on a concrete pad, the bathtub is usually actually attached to the pad.  Only thing in the house most likely - makes sense now huh?  Or, if this makes you uncomfortable - make arrangements with a neighbor with a basement.  Most local schools, churches, and libraries have either basements or certified storm shelters.  And will gladly welcome you!  
• The Wrong Place at the Wrong Time:  Where do you not want to be when a tornado hits?  A vehicle.  Get out - you're much safer in the ditch than in that truck.  A mobile home.  Again, get out - safer outside it than in it.  A large, barn-type structure (ie. Lowe's, Wal-Mart).  Think of them as very large mobile homes.  I'll be honest and say if there's a Watch, I stay away.  My errand can wait, storms won't. Don't shelter anywhere near glass, even in your basement - glass can be very deadly at high speeds.
• What I Can't See Won't Hurt Me:  The sirens go off - you look outside and can't see a tornado, so you're fine right?  Wrong - tornadoes travel at speeds we can't even fathom and if the sirens go off you should assume this is serious.  You might have 20 minutes warning, you maybe have 2 minutes.  Always prepare for the worst, hope for the best. 
• There's No Place Like Home:  What if you're not home?  Travel for work?  Already somewhere when the Watch comes into effect?  Hotels, public facilities, stores should always have a plan for a storm.  Ask a Manager about the plan.  Most hotels have a 'safe room' or even a basement that you don't even know is there.  If they don't, ask about the nearest church/library/school.  And if the place you are doesn't have a plan, make your own.  Don't expect someone else to guide you in an emergency situation!  Also - always go to the ground floor, no matter what.  It's almost always safer there than up on the fourth.

These are just a few of the many things you can do to keep yourself and your loved ones safe during a tornado.  You can feel free to disagree with me about all of these if you'd like, but as an ASP (Associate Safety Professional), a tornado participant (three!), and a life-long resident of tornado alley I'd like to think I know a small something about this.  The most important thing I can reiterate is have a plan.  You need to know what you would do if the situation should come about so well you don't even have to think about it, just do!


I hope you'll take these words to heart.  Tornadoes can be devastating property wise, but so much more so when loved ones are lost.  What about you?  Do you have any other tornado safety tips you think I've missed?  Let me know in the comments - knowledge really is power!


Jen

 PS - Yes, my Company Logo is whited-out on my hardhat.  Because this advice doesn't come from them, it comes from me!  Because I care about my community and the people in it.