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Weather Safety Hints
Heat-Related Illness, Outdoor
Safety Page
Lightning Hail
Tornadoes After the
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Thunderstorm Thoughts
 | Beware of dangerous wind gusts during thunderstorms. Fasten down or take
indoors
moveable objects such as garden tools or chairs. |
| If boating or swimming, head for land immediately and seek appropriate
shelter. |
| Close all windows and doors if time permits. |
Thunderstorms Hail
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Lightning Leads
| Stay indoors and away from electrical appliances. Avoid using
phones or showers.
If caught outdoors, don’t stand near tall objects like trees or utility
poles. |
| In open country drop to your knees, bend forward so that your head is
lower than your back,
put your hands on your thighs but don’t let your head touch the ground.
Don’t lie flat on the
ground. |
| Stay away from open water. Avoid metal objects such as clotheslines,
wire fences, rails,
golf carts, bicycles and farm machinery. |
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Hailstorm Help
| Move vulnerable items such as cars, equipment and machinery to shelter
when a storm
threatens, provided such action does not pose a personal risk. |
| If caught outdoors, reduce chances of injury to yourself by crouching
down and protecting
your head and neck as much as possible. |
| Pets and livestock are injured each year by hail. Ensure they have
shelter available. |
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Tornado Tips
Tornadoes are one of the worst weather-related disasters. They are at
their peak, often striking with full fury, between March and June in the central
region of the United States. However, records indicate appearances in each
of the 48 contiguous states at all times of the year. It's imperative that
everyone has a plan of action no matter where they are in case of a tornado
emergency.
Moving swiftly, sometimes at speeds of 60 m.p.h., a tornado is only about one
mile away by the time people in its path hear the deafening noise. At this
rate, you have about one minute to implement your emergency plan.
To assure the earliest warning possible, every home and business should have a
NOAA Weather Alert radio.
Tornado Watch vs. Tornado Warning
Knowing the difference can be a lifesaver.
A tornado watch means conditions are right for a tornado to
form. Keep appraised of weather conditions and be ready to take shelter.
A tornado warning means that a funnel could or tornado has been
spotted in the area. Take shelter immediately in case a tornado approaches
your location.
Here are several reminders:
| If away from home during a tornado watch, be prepared to find shelter.
During tornado warnings, immediately seek shelter in the basements of
modern, steel-reinforced office buildings, tunnels, underground parking
facilities, subways or interior corridors of other buildings. Stay
away from windows, doors and outside walls. The safest place is in the
basement. If there is no basement, take cover under a stairway or sturdy
table, or in a closet or bathroom. Go to the centre of the house or the side
away from the storm. |
| Avoid auditoriums, gymnasiums, arenas, supermarkets, barns and other structures with large,
poorly-supported roofs (as the may collapse). Also avoid upper stories of office
buildings, house trailers and parked vehicles. If caught in such a
building, go to the lowest roof, an inside hallway or small room or get
under something sturdy. If in a store or shopping mall, stay away from large glass display
windows. |
| Students or factory workers should proceed directly to their assigned
locations under prearranged emergency plans. |
| In open areas, lie flat in the nearest ditch, ravine or other depression
and stay alert to the dangers of any flash flooding in your area. Also
stay clear of poles and overhead line structures. |
| While on the road in a vehicle, drive at a right angle to the tornado's
path. Most tornadoes travel between 25-40 m.p.h., so you should be
able to out-distance them. However, if an escape route is unavailable
or the funnel is upon you, abandon the vehicle to avoid being overturned and
crushed by the high winds. Urban drivers should leave their vehicles
and seek shelter indoors. |
| While at home, the basement affords you and your family (including all
pets) the greatest safety. Whenever possible, take cover under a heavy
table or workbench. If no basement is available, go into a windowless
room in the center of the house. If that's not possible, take cover
against an inside wall, stay away from windows and cover yourself with a rug
to protect yourself from flying glass and debris. |
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Once severe weather has passed
| If power is curtailed, turn off large appliances such as TV's,
air-conditioners, laundry equipment and electric stoves. |
| Stay away from downed electrical wires. |
| Avoid flooded basements. |
| Gas leaks will cause a strong odor: Leave the area immediately.
Don't strike matches, run electrical equipment, touch light switches or use
the telephone. A spark can ignite the gas and cause an explosion. |
| Know where your utility shut-offs are and keep the tools you need to
turn them off handy. |
| Play it safe and call your utilities company from an undamaged
neighbor's home. |
This information was collected from, among other sources, the National Safety Council: a membership,
public-service organization that is dedicated to making our living and working
environments safer, healthier and more productive. For more information
about this topic or the National Safety Council, call 800-621-7619, fax
630-285-0797 or visit their web site at
http://www.nsc.org.
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