Tornado Survival Kit
Your tornado survival kit should be kept in the basement if you have one or in an interior room on the lowest level of your home.
I’ve lived on the flat land of the Midwest most of my life. I’ve lived through many tornado watches and warnings and I’ve seen funnel clouds. I’ve even headed for the basement a time or two. Tornadoes unlike hurricanes cannot be predicted days ahead of time. Just in my lifetime the there have been great strides in advancements of predicting tornadoes. Radar, Doppler and Viper scans can help give us some idea of where and when the possibility exists within the next few hours. We have emergency sirens in the cities and our National Oceanic and Atmosphere Administration (NOAA) Weather Radio (battery powered) set to alarm should a situation develop when our TVs or regular radios not be on (or we’re sleeping). Tornadoes are not the only danger of thunderstorms. Strong winds, downdrafts and hail also can cause a great deal of damage and can cause personal injury to anyone caught outside. When tornadoes touch down their paths are unpredictable. They can go back up to the clouds and touch back down. It’s not so much the actual wind that causes the massive devastation, but the debris caught in it. It can level a house in less than a minute. Some buildings are moved completely off their foundation without being totaled. Because of the unpredictability and speed of tornadoes it’s best to have your tornado survival kit ready. If you have a basement or cellar, your plan should be to head for it as soon as the sirens sound. If you insist on watching it coming you need to head for the lowest level interior at the first sign of any flying debris- let’s hope it’s not too late! A tornado watch means that conditions are favorable for tornado formation. You would still have time to gather the necessary items for your kit. A tornado warning means that a tornado has been spotted, too late for gear gathering and time to head for the basement. I always keep extra drinking water in my basement, either gallons or a flat of bottles water if I get it on sale. I also have old furniture and blankets down there. Furniture cushions can be placed on top of us to protect from falling debris. If you have bicycle or motorcycle helmets, bring them if you have time to get them. In a waterproof plastic sealable tub pack: - Self powered flashlight
- Self powered radio
- Extra batteries
- Multi-tool
- First Aid Kit
- Granola or energy bars
- Extra Medications
- Plastic bags
- Pet supplies
It is a good idea to keep your waterproof/fireproof safe with all your family’s important documents in the basement, also, besides your tornado survival kit. Knowing how to turn off the gas and water sources- along with the appropriate tools to do so would be helpful.
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