RustyBourneHorse
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With spring time approaching, this is a good time to check your safety plans for what you plan to do should a tornado warning be issues in your area. Given how cold it has been across the country, there's a chance that this severe weather season could be a problem. So, here are a few things I've done and will be doing as part of my tornado safety plans (and yes, we sometimes get tornadoes in Cleveland).
- Get a weather radio - I got one last year, and it helped. We had either a tornado or a microburst hit near my apartment in the fall, and, if not for the weather radio (especially since we don't have sirens were I live), I wouldn't have known I was possibly in danger. Yes, your phone might have warning on it, but nothing beats a good weather radio that's both wire and battery powered.
- Weather radio test - I did a test of my weather radio alert. It automatically does one every Wednesday around 11 if there's no severe weather at that time. But, I did a manual test of it yesterday just to test it again.
- Check your shelters - make sure you have a good spot or spots where you and your family can go should a tornado warning be issued. Additionally, should a tornado emergency be issued for a tornado that's already violent, make sure you know where to go if there might be a violent tornado that exceeds the capabilities of your own shelter. Know where to go, and have a plan for at what point you will go to it or at what point you'll just have to work with what you've got. Make sure your tornado shelter is clean and has minimal objects that can harm you should a tornado strike.
- Do a tornado drill - I'm planning on doing a tornado drill with my roommate in the next week or two, which I have done yearly since Texas and especially having lived one year in Kansas City. Basically, I'm going to firstly inform him that within the next 24 hours, the drill will be taking place. Then, at a time where we are together, I'm going to hit the alarm test button to signal the start of the drill. From the time that I hit the button, we have 60 seconds to take shelter and get into our brace positions. This is to make sure that, should a tornado spawn close by or should it be clear that we have a tornado approaching, you may not have more than 60 seconds to take cover and brace. Having such a drill ensures your ability to know what to do should that situation strike.
