which of the following is not a safe course of action when a tornado is close to your location?

by Shad Schowalter 8 min read

Where is the safest place to be during a tornado?

Apr 04, 2022 · Falling and flying debris causes most injuries and deaths during a tornado. Although there is no completely safe place during a tornado, some locations are much safer than others. Go to the basement or an inside room without windows on the lowest floor (bathroom, closet, center hallway). If possible, avoid sheltering in any room with windows.

Why is it important to have a tornado safety plan?

Introduction. Tornadoes can occur with little or no warning. Taking precautions in advance of the storms, such as developing an emergency plan, learning the warning signs, and monitoring tornado watches and warnings, can help you stay safe if a tornado occurs in your area. OSHA and NOAA are working together on a public education effort aimed at ...

How do you stay safe during a tornado?

If you find yourself outside or in a car with a tornado approaching and you are unable to get to a safe shelter, you remain at risk whether you stay in your car or seek shelter in a depression or ditch, both of which are last resort options that provide little protection. The safest place to be is in an underground shelter, basement or safe room.

Should you stay in your car during a tornado?

Preparedness involves a continuous process of planning, equipping, training and exercising. Planning for tornadoes requires identifying a place to take shelter, being familiar with and monitoring your community’s warning system, and establishing procedures to account for individuals in the building. Employers may need to obtain additional ...

Which is not a safe place to take cover during a tornado?

TIP ❸: Know where to shelter. Although there is no completely safe place during a tornado, some locations are much safer than others. Go to the basement or an inside room without windows on the lowest floor (bathroom, closet, center hallway). If possible, avoid sheltering in any room with windows.

What are three things not to do during a tornado?

Things to Avoid Doing During a TornadoNot taking tornado warnings seriously. There are tornado warning false alarms all of the time. ... Look out the window. ... Open the windows of your house. ... Try to outrun a tornado. ... Take cover underneath an overpass.

What should you not do during a tornado?

DON'T: Stand near windows or other glass objects. DO: Get out as quickly as possible and find a shelter or lie flat on low ground away from trees and cars, protecting your head. DON'T: Stay in the mobile home, even if it is tied down, as most tornadoes can destroy mobile homes that are tied down.Jun 7, 2017

What is the safest course of action if you're on the road during a tornado?

The best course of action is to drive to the closest shelter. If you are unable to make it to a safe shelter, either get down in your car and cover your head, or abandon your car and seek shelter in a low lying area such as a ditch or ravine.

What are the 5 steps to prepare for a tornado?

8 Must-Know Tips to Help You Prepare for a TornadoKnow the Key Tornado Warning Signs. ... Designate a Tornado Shelter or Safe Room. ... Create an At-Home Safety Kit with Tornado Essentials. ... Keep a Tornado Kit in Your Car. ... Build a Cat and Dog Emergency Kit. ... Don't Forget Important Documents. ... Invest in a Portable Phone Charger.More items...•Jun 2, 2021

What do you need during a tornado?

Build Your Tornado Kit: A ChecklistWater. One gallon of water per person per day for at least three days.Food. At least a three-day supply that doesn't have to be refrigerated.Can opener.Prescription Medications.Cash and Credit Card.Items for Dependents. ... Matches. ... Personal Hygiene Items.More items...

What is the safest place during a tornado?

Being in a reinforced safe room (or above-ground tornado shelter) is as good as an underground shelter in most situations and is usually the best place to be during a tornado. The National Weather Service says safe rooms are specially-designed reinforced tornado shelters built into homes, schools and other buildings.Mar 9, 2022

What should you do after a tornado?

Immediately after a tornado The safety of you and your family is the most urgent need after a tornado. Check everyone for injuries and give first aid for minor injuries. Call for medical help immediately if needed. In the event someone stops breathing and you are trained, administer CPR until emergency help arrives.

What happens if you are in a tornado?

Go to the basement or take shelter in a small interior ground floor room such as a bathroom, closet or hallway. If you have no basement, protect yourself by taking shelter under a heavy table or desk. In all cases, stay away from windows, outside walls and doors.

What is the safest course of action if you're on the road during a tornado quizlet?

What is the safest course of action if you're on the road during a tornado? find a ditch to lie flat in.

Is an underpass safe in a tornado?

Even though the study didn't find a wind tunnel effect, sheltering under an overpass during a tornado may still be dangerous, the researchers added in a journal news release. Wind may not decelerate, depending on the location, and flying debris may reach areas of the overpass that appear to be protected from the wind.Oct 27, 2021

What part of basement is safest during tornado?

If you know from which direction the storm is coming, the opposite corner of the basement is the safest spot, reports The Tornado Project. In any case, a workbench, heavy table or stairwell will afford you the most protection when things begin to fly or fall.

Why do people prepare for tornadoes?

The most common reasons people in tornado-prone areas took steps to prepare were: Wanting to protect themselves in a disaster (22%), Feeling like it was their responsibility to take care of their families in a disaster (17%), and.

Can tornadoes destroy buildings?

Tornadoes can destroy buildings, flip cars, and create deadly flying debris. Learn more about finding shelter from tornadoes on FEMA’s Protective Actions Research site. Figure 4. Protective Actions for Tornado. The following question was asked of NHS survey respondents living in tornado-prone areas; their responses informed this key message.

How to stay safe during a tornado?

Taking precautions in advance of the storms, such as developing an emergency plan, learning the warning signs, and monitoring tornado watches and warnings, can help you stay safe if a tornado occurs in your area.

How to prepare for a tornado?

To prepare for a tornado, businesses should develop an emergency plan. The plan should include details on suitable places to take shelter, policies to ensure all personnel are accounted for, and procedures for addressing any hazardous materials that are on-site.

What is the number to call for tornadoes?

To report an emergency, file a complaint with OSHA or ask a safety and health question, call 1-800-321-6742 (OSHA).

Can a tornado occur without warning?

Tornadoes can occur with little or no warning. Taking precautions in advance of the storms, such as developing an emergency plan, learning the warning signs, and monitoring tornado watches and warnings, can help you stay safe if a tornado occurs in your area.

Why is it important to have a tornado plan?

Tornado Safety. It is important to have a plan of action in the event a tornado threatens your family, and to rehearse that plan frequently. Such a plan should include what you and your family should do when at home, work, school, or outdoors. The time spent planning now could determine whether or not you survive a tornado.

What is severe weather warning?

Severe weather warnings are issued for counties, or for portions of counties. By keeping a highway roadmap nearby, you can follow storm movements, and better determine if you are threatened. Have a NOAA Weather Radio handy at all times.

How to protect yourself from flying debris?

Don't worry about opening your windows first - that would be a mistake, just get to the basement, and get under a sturdy piece of furniture or workbench. Grab blankets to cover yourself with, which will protect you from flying debris.#N#If an underground shelter (basement) is not available, move to an interior room or hallway on the lowest floor, and crouch down close to the floor. Again, grab extra blankets to protect yourself from flying debris. Stay away from windows - as they can shatter due to flying debris and the force of the wind.

What to do if your car is hit by flying debris?

If your vehicle is hit by flying debris while you are driving, pull over and park. Stay in the car with the seat belt on.

What to do when a tornado hits?

Tornado Watch - Tornadoes are likely to occur in the watch area. Be ready to act quickly and take shelter, and check supply kits. Monitor radio and television stations for more information.

What is the process of planning for tornadoes?

Preparedness. Preparedness involves a continuous process of planning, equipping, training and exercising. Planning for tornadoes requires identifying a place to take shelter, being familiar with and monitoring your community’s warning system, and establishing procedures to account for individuals in the building.

What to do if a tornado is threatening?

Personnel should also be aware of what to do if caught outdoors when a tornado is threatening. Seek shelter in a basement or a sturdy building. If one is not within walking distance, try to drive in a vehicle, using a seat belt, to the nearest shelter.

What is the best shelter for tornadoes?

An underground area, such as a basement or storm cellar, provides the best protection from a tornado. If an underground shelter is unavailable, consider the following: Seek a small interior room or hallway on the lowest floor possible. Stay away from doors, windows, and outside walls.

What do employers need to do in a tornado?

Employers may need to obtain additional equipment and/or resources (e.g. Emergency Supply Kits) identified in the plan. In addition, workers need to be trained and plans need to be practiced to ensure that personnel are familiar with what to do in the event of a tornado.

What to avoid in a room with no windows?

Stay in the center of the room, and avoid corners because they attract debris. Rooms constructed with reinforced concrete, brick or block with no windows and a heavy concrete floor or roof system overhead. Avoid auditoriums, cafeterias and gymnasiums that have flat, wide-span roofs.

Where to go for tornado safety?

Tornado Safety Rules: If you are in a home or small business: Go to the basement or a small interior room such as a closet, bathroom or interior hallway without windows on the lowest level. Put as many walls between yourself and the outside as possible.

What to do if you are caught in a tornado?

If you are caught in a vehicle: Get out and into a sturdy shelter. If one is not available nearby, get to a low spot and cover your head from flying debris. Do not take cover under an overpass as this does not provide adequate shelter during a tornado and can cause increased wind speeds due to a tunneling effect.

What does a tornado watch mean?

means that conditions are favorable for the development of severe thunderstorms and tornadoes in and close to the watch area . A watch is normally issued for a large area covering numerous counties. The watch is intended to give you time to review your safety rules.

How long does a tornado warning last?

A Tornado Warning is typically issued for a portion of counties at a time and usually lasts no more than 45 minutes. If a Tornado Warning is issued for your county, you should seek shelter immediately. If you see a tornado or feel threatened, move to a safe place immediately, as precious seconds can save your life.

How fast can a tornado wind go?

Wind speeds in tornadoes can range from 65 mph to 318 mph (the highest tornado wind speed ever recorded). Your safety depends on being constantly aware of the possibility of severe weather. Tornado WATCH.

How to protect yourself from high winds?

If possible, get under something sturdy, such as a heavy table, or use a mattress to protect yourself from flying debris. Most injuries associated with high winds are from flying debris, so remember to protect your head. If available, put on a bicycle or motorcycle helmet to protect yourself from head injuries.

What is the wind speed of a tornado?

Tornadoes usually descend from thunderstorms. Wind speeds in tornadoes can range from 65 mph to 318 mph (the highest tornado wind speed ever recorded).

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Key Messages: Tornado Safety

Data Tables

  • Preparedness Actions
    Table 1: 2019 and 2020 NHS Estimates of People in Tornado-Prone Areas Taking Basic Preparedness Actions for a Hazard in General Table 2: 2019 and 2020 NHS Estimates of People in Tornado-Prone Areas Taking Multiple Basic Preparedness Actions The following questions wer…
See more on community.fema.gov

Preparedness Influencers

  • Table 6: Percentage of Adults Reporting Preparedness Influencers in the Tornado-Prone Population The following questions were asked of NHS respondents: 1. Awareness of Information Question:In the past six months, have you read, seen, or heard any information about how to get better prepared for a disaster? 2. Experience with Disasters Question:Have you or your family ev…
See more on community.fema.gov

Helpful Links

  1. 2020 National Household Survey: https://community.fema.gov/story/2020-NHS-Data-Digest-Summary-Results
  2. National Household Survey Datasets on OpenFEMA (raw data): https://go.usa.gov/xpmBU
  3. FEMA Preparedness Research: https://www.ready.gov/preparedness-research
  4. Order Free Preparedness Materials and Hazard Information Sheets: https://orders.gpo.gov/ic…
  1. 2020 National Household Survey: https://community.fema.gov/story/2020-NHS-Data-Digest-Summary-Results
  2. National Household Survey Datasets on OpenFEMA (raw data): https://go.usa.gov/xpmBU
  3. FEMA Preparedness Research: https://www.ready.gov/preparedness-research
  4. Order Free Preparedness Materials and Hazard Information Sheets: https://orders.gpo.gov/icpd/ICPD