Thursday Tidbit: What To Do When You Hear Tornado Sirens

This year has already when really strange!  Weather up and down an over abundance of rain this time of year and more!  I grew up loving storms and watching them from the front porch with my dad!  My views and life changed after I had kids and my husband was traveling and we were at home in Mississippi when I tornado struck....now I'm petrified at the spot of a bad weather!

Here's a little info to help you get prepared!

Tornado warnings mean that a tornado has been spotted, or that radar has indicated that one exists. When a warning is issued in your area:

– If you are home, the best place to go is your basement or cellar. For homes without a basement or cellar, go to the lowest floor and take shelter in an interior room or under a stairwell in the center of your home, away from windows. Protect your head – if you have a bicycle helmet, use it! If you don’t, use pillows or blankets to protect your head and body. And I learned that you should try to seek a room that does not surround your garage.

– If you are caught outdoors, try to find a building with a basement, a cellar, a shelter or sturdy building. If you can’t do this, stay in your vehicle, buckle your seat belt and try to drive to a shelter. If flying debris hits your vehicle, it is best to pull over and park, but do not get out of your vehicle. Do not seek shelter under bridges or overpasses, because these offer little protection. Put your head down below the windows and cover yourself with a blanket or pillows.

– In schools, office buildings, nursing homes or skyscrapers, go to an interior room or hallway away from windows. Crouch down and cover your head. Do not use elevators, because you could be trapped if power is lost. Stairwells without windows also are good places to take shelter.

– In a shopping mall, church or theater, move to an interior room such as a bathroom or a storage room. Stay away from windows.

– If you are in a mobile home, leave immediately and seek shelter in a sturdy building or shelter. Mobile homes offer no protection from a tornado.