What You Must and What You Must not Do During a Tornado

 You hear a sound like a freight train and while the radio is spouting cautions, this is not the time to determine what you'll do. Below are some suggestions for what you should do and may not do if you're in the course of a tornado.

What you need to do:

First, be prepared in advance. Have a first aid kit, at least three gallons of water for each person, food for each person, and a radio and torch with extra batteries. Keep these in your cellar or an interior space of your home.

Second, get to your safe area without hesitation. Become familiar with the indications of a tornado. Get to your safe place, if you are at home, at the first warning or signal and cover up with anything that will offer protection from flying debris.

Third, you need to understand what's happening.

Get low, if you are outside and stay there. Quickly find the best region and lie in it, face down, and protect your head with your arms. Get away from trees and even further away from your vehicle. You don't need to be near anything that would really be a projectile.

Move away from windows. Should you be in a public space, get as far away from windows as you are able to lie down and cover up as best you can.

What you shouldn't do:

Do not open your windows. It has never been proven and is a myth that opening your windows will keep your house from bursting. On the flip side, you are more likely to be hit by flying glass if you're attempting to open your winders along with the tornado strikes.

Don't go to the southwest corner of your safe place. It is also a fantasy that the southwest corner is the safest place. It truly depends on the direction the tornado is coming from and is usually better to be away from the approaching twister.

Don't rely on an overpass for protection. Detritus driven under the overpass is a danger and you could be sucked into the open. It's better to be in the open in the bottom place you will find.

Do not use candles for light. Until you've assessed the damage and determined whether there is a gas leak, torches are better choices for light.

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