What you do before and after a tornado can mean the difference between life and death

New innovations and technologies have led scientists to learn how to improve safety guidance from major tornado outbreaks over the years. During tornado season, predictors try to reveal words about staying safe during the storm, but they plan ahead too.

Tornado seasons usually start at different times in different parts of the United States.

What was historically known as the tornado ale (usually designated to include Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas) is in May, when the tornado season peaks in early June. However, the season begins where it is often called the Dixie Alley, consisting of southern states such as Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia.

The idea for tornado alleys can be misleading as tornadoes have been reported in all 50 states. According to the National Storm Institute, around 1,200 tornadoes strike the United States each year, with violent twisters occurring outside of these traditional “alley” tornado outbreaks. The recent twisters were attacked in a place they weren’t used to, like they tore a rooftop near Los Angeles in 2023, causing one person to get injured.

When a tornado is targeting your home, sirens are ringing, dogs are barking, and kids are screaming, there are last-minute precautions that can save the lives of you and your loved ones.

Experts also recommend some simple steps to prepare your twister before it’s in your front door. Let’s take a look at tornado safety tips.

How do I get emergency updates?

Rick Smith, a warning coordination meteorologist at the National Weather Service’s forecast office in Norman, Oklahoma, said that a specialized receiver that allows weather radio to get alerts and can sound an alarm in an emergency is something every home and business should have.

“It feels like old-fashioned technology, but they’re lifesaving devices,” Smith said.

Radios are especially valuable in the South where many tornadoes attack at night when people sleep. “This can wake you up in the middle of the night with an alarm,” Smith said.

The National Weather Service encourages you to have multiple ways of warning. This may include Weather Radio, a mobile app, or other methods. Redundancy is important, Smith said.

Where should I evacuate?

An ideal place to take shelters is an enclosed underground shelter or basement, or a safe room above ground designed to withstand the winds of a tornado.

But many people don’t have that option. In Oklahoma, for example, clay soil makes building basements expensive, so many homes don’t have them.

If you have to be on the ground with a tornado, “Your goal is to have as many walls as possible and the outside,” Smith said.

Smith recommends using mattresses, sofa cushions, or other heavy-duty items to protect yourself from lethal flight and fall debris. A bicycle or sports helmet can provide important head protection. If it only takes a few minutes or seconds before a storm hits, it is important to keep them in a convenient location so you can get them right away.

Smith said car seats help protect small children and can be brought inside in advance.

How can I keep my home safe?

According to Smith, a recent study shows that closing the garage doors and all interior doors in the house can reduce strong winds inside by compartmentalizing them. Doing this is recommended during thunderstorms and tornadoes by the Insurance Institute for Business and Housing Safety.

That is the opposite of common misconceptions. “There are still people out there who think they’re supposed to open doors and windows to even out the pressure,” Smith said.

It’s also important to prepare for the aftermath of a tornado. You can emerge from homes and shelters to find fallen trees, power lines and shredded buildings. Disaster attire, such as wearing long pants and sturdy shoes, will help you safely navigate dangerous terrain.

Emergency kits for essential items like drinking water and fresh food are also a good idea.

This week, with strong tornado threats in Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky and other states, predictors are urging people to have emergency supplies, know where there are safe places and have family communication plans.

What should I do if I’m driving?

Don’t look to Hollywood for the safety practices of the Sound Tornado. The recent Hollywood film “Twisters” shows a character sprinting towards the underpass on the highway as a tornado approaches.

If you’re in a car or truck, “You really don’t have many good options at that point,” Smith said. “Please don’t get caught up in that situation.”

The best thing to do is to go down the road and try to find the building. If you can’t go anywhere, there is no guarantee of a safe option.

When it comes to staying in a ditch, an elevated or a car, people survived doing all of them, people died doing all of them,” Smith said. “I saw the car get caught in an unrecognizable metal ball.”

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