This article comes to you from rent.com
As tornado season begins its annual ramp-up, particularly in certain parts of the nation, safety comes to the front of mind for homeowners and apartment dwellers.
Tornadoes don’t always come with a warning, and the worst of them can pack wind speeds of more than 300 miles per hour, tearing home from its foundation. If you don’t have a basement, the natural question is, where to go in an apartment during a tornado?
Head down
It’s always the safest place. If tornadoes were a concern at the time you signed your lease, you may have opted for a first-floor apartment. That’s smart. And if there’s a lower option – a basement or underground parking structure – that’s even smarter.
Apartment dwellers on higher floors should seek similar shelter. If there aren’t any options below ground, a neighbor’s ground-floor unit is the safest bet.
No options?
If the tornado is bearing down on your apartment – or you can’t go underground – the next safest place is the furthest from the windows. Choose an interior room, closet or hallway.
Bathrooms are often considered safer for the plumbing structures that surround them. Get in the tub or closet and cover up with thick blankets, sleeping bags, pillows, even a whole mattress. These can help keep you safer in the event that debris begins to fly.
Bicycle helmets are also a great idea to protect your head from possible injury if the roof or ceiling are compromised.
Know the signs
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) there’s no substitute for staying alert to the sky when it comes to tornadoes. Here are some signs to look and listen for:
Strong, persistent rotation in the cloud base.
Whirling dust or debris on the ground under a cloud base – tornadoes don’t always have a funnel cloud.
Hail or heavy rain followed either by the dead calm of a fast, intense wind shift. Many tornadoes are wrapped in precipitation and cannot always be seen.
A loud, continuous roar or rumble, which doesn’t fade in a few seconds like thunder.
At night: Small, bright, blue-green to white flashes at ground level near a thunderstorm (as opposed to silvery lightning up in the clouds). These mean power lines are being snapped by a very strong wind, maybe a tornado.
At night: Persistent lowering from the cloud base, illuminated or silhouetted by lightning – especially if it’s on the ground or there’s a blue-green-white power flash underneath.
Be prepared
It’s important to have a plan in place, even if you don’t live in an area where tornadoes are common. Practice tornado drills with your family or roommates and coordinate with neighbors, too. Find out ahead of time if there’s a public tornado shelter in your neighborhood, learn its location and the fastest route to get there.
Put together an emergency kit that’s easy to grab and bring to your sheltering place when there is a warning. You should include a battery-powered radio and flashlight, extra batteries, any prescription medications, and a first-aid kit.
Make sure you have water – one gallon per person, per day, to last three days, is recommended – non-perishable food, a manual can opener, baby formula and diapers, if applicable.
After the storm
If there is damage, be sure to keep your family or group together and wait for emergency crews to arrive. If there are injuries, tend the victims carefully.
Debris is dangerous – there will likely be broken glass and sharp objects everywhere – so steer clear. Downed power lines could still be live with electricity. Don’t touch them or anything metal nearby!
If it’s dark, don’t use matches or lighters – there could be gas lines leaking. Flashlights are the only safe option in the immediate aftermath. Remain calm and call for help.
Photo by Nikolas Noonan on Unsplash
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