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Tornado safety key to surviving severe weather season

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Richard DeLong
  • 27th Special Operations Civil Engineer Squadron
CANNON AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. --  While there are many types of natural disasters, one many people fear the most is tornados. 

Capable of producing winds as high as 300 mph and softball-sized hail, tornados can throw cars hundreds of feet, uproot trees and lift houses off their foundations. 

On the evening of March 23, 2007, the giant voice system here sounded an alarm to warn families to begin weather safety precautionary measures. Later that evening it was confirmed by weather officials that a tornado had touched down in Clovis, 15 miles east of the base. The following day they confirmed an EF-2 tornado had left many homes and vehicles with devastating damage. 

An excerpt of a report about the event from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association said, "The Clovis tornado created an intermittent three-mile damage track, with the most significant damage noted in the southern and northern sections of the city. Preliminary, estimated maximum winds for this particular tornado ranged from 120 to 125 mph." 

It continued by stating that mobile homes were destroyed, trees knocked down, power poles snapped, and roofs of substantial buildings and homes heavily damaged or blown off. 

Knowing about the devastating effects of tornados, coupled with the fact that Cannon Air Force Base and the surrounding communities have seen tornados touch down before, means we are not immune to tornados and should prepare now. Below are tips provided by NOAA to help families survive a tornado. For more information, visit the NOAA Web site at www.spc.noaa.gov.

Preparing the family and household for a tornado 

1. Determine the safest place in the house to take immediate shelter. Usually, the best place is somewhere ground level or underground, away from the outer walls in the house. Storm shelters work the best if available, if not go to the basement, closet, bathroom or hallway. 

2. Shelter kits should include bottled water, canned foods, a first-aid kit, protective gear, vital medications, flash lights, extra batteries, candles, blankets and a battery operated radio. Cell phones are useful during emergencies too. 

3. Home or renters insurance is important while living in Tornado Alley. If living in base housing, think about renters insurance, which insures all assets inside the home. Military housing doesn't provide replacement of personal property. 

4. Just like a fire drill, make a plan for the family and practice it routinely, especially at the start of the severe weather season. For tornados that would be February to June.
5. Before a storm, bring all outside furniture and equipment inside. Place vehicles inside the garage or under a carport. The more items brought inside, the less the tornado has to toss around. 

Key tornado terms 

Knowing what terms to look for and knowing what they mean, could save a life. 

Tornado Watch: Weather conditions are right for a tornado to develop or occur. If in an area where a tornado watch has been issued, it is best to stay inside a home or work area. To keep informed, watch the local weather station on TV or listen to a local weather radio station. 

Tornado Warning: A tornado has been spotted or has been detected by weather radar and it's time to seek immediate shelter. 

Signs a tornado could be eminent 

1. Strong, persistent rotation in the cloud base. 

2. Whirling dust or debris on the ground under a cloud base -- tornados sometimes have no funnel. 

3. Hail or heavy rain followed by either calm or a fast, intense wind shift. Many tornados are wrapped in heavy precipitation and can't be seen. 

4. Day or night - Loud, continuous roar or rumble, which doesn't fade in a few seconds like thunder. 

5. Night - Small, bright, blue-green to white flashes at ground level near a thunderstorm, as opposed to silvery lightning up in the clouds. These are power lines being snapped by very strong wind, maybe a tornado. 

6. Night - Persistent lowering from the cloud base, illuminated or silhouetted by lightning -- especially if it is on the ground or there is a blue-green-white power flash underneath. 

What to do if a tornado hits ... 

at home:
- Seek shelter at the safest place inside the home. Any room that is small and away from outer walls will work. Do not open windows or doors. 

at work or school:
- Seek shelter in the lowest level, interior of the building away from doors and windows. Never take shelter next to outside walls, doors or windows. Never use an elevator. 

outdoors:
- Seek immediate shelter. If there isn't any, lay down in a depression or ditch and cover head. 

in a vehicle:
- If possible, seek immediate shelter or drive out of the tornado's path. jIt may be necessary to abandon the vehicle to find shelter. 

in a mobile home:
- Mobile homes provide about as much protection as a vehicle. As soon as a tornado watch is announced, relocate to a substantial structure like a friend or family's house.

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