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Household Mitigation Activities and Preparedness Supplies
In order to develop a high level of public tornado preparedness, FEMA recommends a combination of steps to follow before, during, and after a tornado. Household mitigation activities that the organization aims to promote include the following:
- building a storm shelter;
- monitoring local alerts, warnings, and news to stay informed;
- ensuring household’s awareness about Tornado Watches and Warnings;
- acquiring an adequate insurance for the property and belongings;
- learning about local tornado risks, warning signs, and clues;
- developing an emergency communication plan;
- storing all important documents needed for a recovery process;
- practicing emergency skills, such as first aid and moving quickly to the safe location (FEMA, n.d.).
The agency also recommends ensuring that the household, as well as its safety shelter, have the following tornado preparedness supplies:
- water and non-perishable food;
- first aid kit;
- NOAA Weather Radio or a battery-powered radio;
- flashlight and extra batteries;
- cell phone and chargers;
- other items required for the unique needs of the family, such as dietary and medical (“Build A Kit,” 2021).
Different Stages of a Tornado: Actions to Take
Different stages of a tornado involve different warning signs and clues issued by the emergency management agencies. Thus, a tornado watch is issued when the conditions are favorable for a tornado to occur within the next few hours. A tornado watch warns the public to get ready, but not go to the safety location yet. When the meteorologists at the National Weather Service indicate that a tornado is forming, a tornado warning is issued, which means that a tornado is either “imminent or occurring” (National Weather Service, n.d.). Actions to take after a watch is issued include reviewing emergency plans, checking supplies, ensuring an easy access to the safe location, and preparing to act quickly in case of a warning.
After that, it is necessary to reach a safe location, avoiding windows and covering one’s head with protection, such as a helmet or a thick book. In case of imminent danger, the basement of the house can act as a safe location. It is necessary to go to the basement and get under “sturdy protection, such as a heavy table, or under a cover, such as a mattress or sleeping bag” (FEMA, n.d.). If the house does not have a basement, it is recommended to get to a “small interior room” on the lowest floor, such as a bathroom or a closet, crouch, and cover oneself with protection (FEMA, n.d.).
Actions to Take After a Tornado
The ‘after’ phase of the tornado involves managing the damage caused and preventing further damage. Thus, some of the steps taken at this stage are contacting the household’s insurance agent and recording some photo and video evidence of the damage. Since insurance might not cover additional damage that occurred after the storm, it is important to reduce further losses. For example, “putting a tarp on a damaged roof” can prevent it from further destruction (FEMA, n.d.). Post-disaster cleaning should be carried out with extreme caution, using protective clothing to prevent injury from glass, nails, etc. Similarly, it is important to be extremely careful when leaving the safety shelter, avoiding dangerous debris. If trapped, one should “send a text message, blow a whistle, or bang on a pipe or wall to alert authorities to their whereabouts” (FEMA, n.d.). At the same time, they should try to move as little as possible in order not to stir the dust. Damaged buildings, unstable trees, and power lines lying on the ground should not be approached. Instead, they should be reported to 911 or a local emergency agency.
References
Build A Kit. (2021). Plan Ahead for Disasters | Ready.gov.
FEMA. (n.d.). Tornado: Protective actions. FEMA Preparedness Community.
National Weather Service. (n.d.). Definitions, thresholds, criteria for warnings, watches and Advisories.
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