Tornado/Windstorm Safety
If you're in a tornado's path, you don't have much time to find shelter from it. When you prepare for tornado season ahead of time, you can increase your chances of protecting yourself and your property in the face of a tornado or heavy windstorm.
Prepare for Tornado Season
Follow these vehicle-related precautions when you're facing tornado season:
Prepare a disaster kit.
Pack a first aid kit, a battery-powered radio, flashlight, extra batteries, canned and other non-perishable food, a hand-operated can opener, bottled water, sturdy shoes and work gloves, extra car keys and written instructions on how to turn off your home's utilities.
Get out of a car or mobile home immediately.
Do not try to outrun a tornado in your car — leave it immediately. Hurry to the basement of a nearby sturdy building, or lie flat in a ditch or low-lying area.
Watch out for fallen power lines after the storm.
Do not, under any circumstance, drive over a downed electrical line.
Leave your car behind, if necessary.
Heavy rains often accompany tornadoes. Do not travel down a road submerged in water — underlying currents could carry your car away. Another likely threat: a collapsed roadway. If your vehicle stalls in water, immediately abandon it — floodwaters can rise several feet in a matter of minutes.
