Wisconsin’s Tornado and Severe Weather Awareness Week is April 16-20. For the first time, Radio, TV and cable channels will participate in the statewide Tornado Drill on Thursday April 19th with a mock Tornado Watch at 1pm and a mock Tornado Warning at 1:45pm ending at 2:00pm. This is a great time to make sure your family is ready for tornado season. It is also a great time to remember the important lessons learned from last year’s tornado outbreaks across the country.
On May 22, 2011, one of the deadliest tornados in U.S. history strikes Joplin, Missouri directly killing 159 people and injuring over 1,000. The massive EF-5 with winds over 200 mph hit the city of more than 50,000. That’s about the same size as Wausau. Why were there so many deaths even with a warning? A National Weather Service study on the Joplin tornado reveals important lessons learned:
- A majority of residents did not immediately seek shelter when tornado warnings were issued.
- People needed between two and nine warnings to take action and seek shelter. For example, if they heard the sirens going off they would look in the sky, then go to a TV to get information and then call a friend, etc.
- The time it took between those warnings and seeking shelter cost lives.
Listen, Act, and Live
What you can do during tornado season.
Listen: When severe weather is possible (Thunderstorm or Tornado Watch issued) pick a credible source of information and keep in touch with that source until the danger has past. One of the best tools is a NOAA Weather Radio (also know as an Emergency Weather Radio).
If your community has a siren, be advised that sirens are intended to warn people outdoors not indoors. Use a weather radio or local media for your warning source if you are indoors.
Act: When you hear a Tornado Warning (tornado seen by spotters or detected on radar) seek the best shelter you can find immediately. Don’t waste time checking multiple sources of information. You may have only seconds to find a safe place.
Live: Your chances of survival multiply with a plan. Hopefully the storm will pass with no damage. But don’t risk your life on a hope.
Storm Classifications Explained
· Tornado Watch- Severe thunderstorms with tornadoes are possible in your area. Remain alert for approaching storms. Be prepared to move to safety if a Warning is issued. Know what counties are in the watch area by listening to NOAA weather radio All Hazards or local radio or television stations.
· Severe Thunderstorm Watch-Thunderstorms with large hail or damaging winds are possible. Be prepared to move to safety if a Warning is issued.
· Tornado Warning- A tornado has been sighted or indicated by weather radar. Move to a place of safety now!
· Severe Thunderstorm Warning- A thunderstorm with large hail and damaging winds has been reported or indicated by weather radar.
Warnings indicate imminent danger to life and property to those in the path of the storm!
Actions You Should Take During a Storm
- In a home or building, avoid windows. Move to a basement, and get under a sturdy table or the stairs. A specially-constructed "safe room" within a building offers the best protection. Use an internet search engine and search for "safe room" for more information.
- If a basement is not available, move to a small interior room or hallway on the lowest floor and cover yourself with anything close at hand: towels, blankets, pillows. If possible, get under a sturdy table, desk or counter. Put as many walls as possible between you and the storm.
- If caught outdoors, seek shelter in a sturdy building. If you cannot quickly walk to shelter, get into a vehicle, buckle your seatbelt and drive to the closest sturdy shelter. If flying debris occurs while you are driving, pull over and park. Now you have two options as a last resort:
- Stay in the vehicle with the seatbelt on and place your head below the windows.
- If you can safely get noticeably lower than the roadway, exit the vehicle and lie in that area, covering your head with your hands. Do not seek shelter under an overpass. - Mobile homes, even if tied down, offer little protection from tornadoes. You should leave a mobile home and go to the designated storm shelter or the lowest floor of a sturdy nearby building.
At school, follow the drill. Go to the interior hall or room. Crouch low, head down, and protect the back of your head with your arms. Stay away from windows and large open rooms like gyms and auditoriums.
Actions You Can Take Before the Storm
- Develop a plan for you and your family for home, work, school and outdoors. Know the safest shelter areas in multiple locations.
- Have frequent drills.
- Keep a disaster supply kit in your home including water, food that won’t spoil and needs no heat to serve, first-aid kit, NOAA Weather Radio (also known as an Emergency Weather Radio), a flashlight and special items for children and elderly family members.
For more information visit the ReadyWisconsin website: http://readywisconsin.wi.gov or contact your local emergency management office. You’ll find great information on how to protect you and your family from tornadoes and other severe weather threats.
