BE PREPARED: LEARN ABOUT TORNADOES
A guide for children and their parents on nature's most violent
storms
Here's why you need to prepare
Every year tornadoes kill many people. Hundreds are hurt. Thousands of
homes are destroyed. You can't stop a tornado. You can't keep it from hitting a house or
town. Nobody can. But people can get out of its way. All they need is time. They need a
warning.
What is a tornado?
Tornadoes are twisting funnel-shaped clouds reaching toward the earth.
You can see most tornadoes before they reach you. Dark clouds boil in the sky. A dark
funnel may reach all the way to the earth. The wind blows hard, trees bend, dirt and
leaves are picked up. Cars are pushed sideways or turned over. A great roar like hundreds
of jet planes or a freight train gets louder and louder. As the tornado gets closer, the
roar is so loud it hurts your ears. The wind whistles and screams. The winds in a tornado
go around in a wide funnel, big at the top and small at the bottom. They can blow at more
than 200 miles an hour. At the same time the whole tornado moves across the land. Most of
them come from the southwest and go toward the northeast.
When do tornadoes come?
Most tornadoes occur in springtime in the late afternoon on a hot day.
But they can happen anytime. During a tornado, there are many safe places to go. Plan
ahead with your family so you'll know what to do.
How do you know if a tornado is coming?
People at the National Weather Service warn everyone. They use radio, TV
and sirens to tell you to take cover. The sirens are tested in Sioux Falls on the first
Friday of every month at 11 a.m. and in rural areas on the first Saturday each month at 11
a.m. The sirens either sound like a loud wail or a steady blast. When the wind is blowing,
skies get dark and sirens are blowing, turn on your radio or TV. You'll find out what is
happening.
Where do you go to be safe when you hear the siren?
• Suppose you're in school, when there's a
tornado. Your teacher knows what to do. Go to an inside hall on the lowest floor. Crouch
on the floor facing the wall. Bend over with your hands on the back of your head. Keep
away from glass doors, windows and big rooms like the gym, cafeteria and auditorium. Your
school will hold tornado drills so everyone knows what to do. Pay attention to your
teacher's instructions when you practice.
• If you are at home when it's time to
find shelter, the safest place to go is the basement. Get under a heavy workbench or under
the stairs. Use your arms and hands to protect your head from falling or flying objects.
If you don't have a basement, go to a closet or bathroom near the middle of the house. Get
under a heavy board or a mattress, a heavy blanket or heavy towels. That will protect you
from flying pieces of glass or wood. Stay way from the windows and doors. Don't use the
telephone unless there's an emergency. If there is lightning, stay away from anything that
uses electricity like TVs, toasters, fans, etc. You could get a shock.
• If you're outside, in a car or in a mobile home,
go to the basement of a nearby building. If you can't get into a building - if you are
caught outside - lie flat in a ditch or crouch next to a building and cover your head. If
you see water, move quickly to another spot.
What's the difference between a tornado watch and a warning?
TV stations in the area display a tornado symbol on the screen when there
is a watch or a warning. Learn the different symbols that each station uses.
• Tornado watch: Weather conditions are
right for tornadoes to develop. A watch does not necessarily mean a tornado will develop.
• Tornado warning: A tornado has been
sighted and is dangerous. This is the time to go to a safe place and listen to a
battery-operated radio for instructions.
Advice to parents: Prepare
Now!
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Ø Develop a family disaster plan, so that
everyone will know where to go and what to do if a tornado hits. Include children.
Ø Outfit your home with emergency supplies,
including flashlights, candles, water, canned foods, battery-powered radio and extra
batteries.
Ø Teach your children to recognize danger
signals, including smoke and fire alarms and tornado sirens.
Ø Teach your child how to call 911 for help.
Post other emergency numbers near the phone.
Ø Help your children memorize their family
name, address and phone number. they should also know where to meet in an emergency.
Ø How you react to an emergency gives children
clues on how to react. They see fear as proof that the danger is real. Your words and
actions can provide reassurance.
Ø Be aware that after a disaster, children are
most afraid that the event will happen again, someone will be injured or killed or that
they will be separated from the family and be alone. Your response may have a lasting
impact on a child.
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