WASHINGTON (DC News Now) — Get in, get down, cover up, and you stand the best chance of surviving a tornado.
Those are the safety basics when it comes to dealing with twisters.
According to the National Weather Service (NWS), if a there’s a threat of a tornado, you should get inside. That’s going to be the ideal thing to do. If you have an underground option (think basement), head there. NWS stresses that being completely underground is the best place to be in a tornado.
If an option below ground isn’t accessible (or a reinforced shelter, such as a safe room), you’ll want to make sure you’re on the lowest floor that’s available. Closets, hallways, and under stairs are locations that could work in the absence of a basement.
When you do, you’ll want to get:
- As close to the ground as possible
- As far inside the building as possible
- Away from doors, windows and outside walls
- In as small a room as possible
In any case, the key is to try to put as many barriers as possible between you and the outside as you can. Cover yourself using any material available that can help shelter you from falling debris that could come.
NWS recommends having a tornado safety plan in place that you practice at least twice a year.
If you are caught in public when a tornado hits, the best thing to do is to search for hotels or other public buildings such as malls, stores, restaurants, and hospitals.
According to NWS, vehicles are terrible places to be during a severe storm. Among other things, the National Weather Service recommends delaying a trip if severe thunderstorms are in the area or along the path you’ll be driving.
For more information about the dangers of tornadoes and severe weather and how to say safe, you can visit the National Weather Service’s website.
