Tornadoes differ from hurricanes in that they happen very rapidly. While you might get a few days to prepare for a hurricane, tornadoes for in mere minutes. When a tornado siren sounds there is no time to prepare. You need to be prepared before the storm even exists. The first thing to take into account when preparing for tornadoes is knowing where the safest place in your home is to hide out. Once you determine this, you should put together a survival kit and store it in this safe location so that you don’t have to gather these supplies in the case of an emergency.
A backpack or duffel bag is an excellent place to store all of your supplies. Here are some of the things that you should pack in your tornado survival kit.
The first thing you will want to have is light. A tornado will almost certainly knock out the power, so a flashlight is a must. Not only will it make the experience much less frightening, it will allow you to find your way around and see what you are doing in the aftermath of the storm. There should be a flashlight for every one in your family. You will also need to pack batteries and store them in plastic bags to protect them from water. Bendable light sticks are a good idea as well. Do not use any light sources powered by flame. This is because tornadoes can break gas lines.
You will also want to have an emergency whether radio. Since you are unlikely to have power, this is the only way to stay informed about the state of the storm. This might be the only way to know if the storm has come and gone so that you can stop holding your breath. Make sure you have plenty of batteries, or use a radio that can be cranked for power so that it does not require batteries.
You should pack enough blankets to cover everybody in the home. This is not only to keep warm, but to protect yourself from flying glass and debris.
Water is another necessity. There should be one or two bottles for every one in the family. Gallon sized containers are a bad idea because they are difficult to carry. Smaller bottles are easier to pack and carry around.
It is also important to pack emergency food. You should pack enough to keep everybody fed for at least twenty four hours. The foods should be non perishable such as granola bars, hard candy, crackers, peanut butter, and if you have a baby there should be a bottle and formula as well. Canned foods are too heavy. Focus on high calorie, lightweight foods.
A first aid kit is a must. It should include band aids, gauze, pain relievers, and antibacterial ointment.
It is a good idea to pack tools, especially something that serves multiple purposes. An all in one tool with a screwdriver, blade, wire cutters, and pliers is a great choice.
The survival pack should also store an old pair of shoes for every one in the family. In an emergency, there may not be enough time to find a pair of shoes before getting to safety. Shoes will help protect you from any debris that you might have to walk through in the aftermath of a tornado.
Water resistant windbreakers should be packed because tornadoes are almost always accompanied by heavy thunderstorms with intense rain and possible flooding. You will need to stay warm and dry as much as possible.
Buy a cheep throwaway cell phone and put it in your tornado kit in case you don’t have time to grab your cell phone when the alarm sounds.
Finally, you should back a loud whistle. If you find yourself trapped, this may be the only way to alert people to your situation.
The tornado kit should be stored in a safe location with a fire extinguisher nearby. Ruptured gas lines are a common cause of fires during a tornado, so having a fire extinguisher handy is very important.
When you hear a tornado alarm sound, get your kids and get to the safe location as soon as possible. Do not move from this location until you know it is safe to step outside. Stay away from windows and don’t risk your life in order to find out if the tornado is for real.