I love Missouri, I don't think that I would live anywhere else (unless it involved a castle or a HobbitHole). The only thing I truly dislike about Missouri (Blah is not the description, more like intense fear) is storms. I don't like lightning storms and I certainly don't like tornadoes.
Sunday night (April 27 for all those who are reading later), our cell phones went off, letting us know that severe weather had arrived and to take shelter. We were already inside and asleep, so that part was taken care of. I flipped on the television to track the storms. What irritated me was that the weathercaster said, and I quote, "It is JUST a tornado warning." HELLO! That is the bad one! What grade did you get in meteorology studies? We 'watch' for a tornado so that we may 'warn' people that it is here.
Major mistake. I have heard so many people not know which is the more dangerous of the two. That could be a matter of life or death if you make the wrong choice. In a watch, it means that severe conditions are possible, and you should be prepared to take action and shelter. It is not a time to picnic or boat.
One of the best sites to use in preparing for a tornado (in advance, PLEASE do not look it up while the sirens are blaring) is http://www.ready.gov/tornadoes . Keep a few bottles of water in your safe room. A few energy bars. Blankets and flash lights with either fresh batteries, better yet, the flashlights that have the crank for energy. If you have a crank radio or a battery powered radio to help you keep track of the storm, make sure it is down there. The television and the internet are great for the pictures, but when the storms really gets going, they are more likely not to be able to be accessed. Battery and crank powered resources are more reliable.
I am a complete basket case in regards to tornadoes. I have an actual safe room that is under our porch. It is completely encased in concrete with a steel door that swings inward. It has emergency lighting, a land line and a few stores of water and food. There is also a few chairs and a small bed with blankets and pillows. The room is not very big and I would hate to be down there for several hours, but it is secure. I also have a radio and flashlights and candles with matches as well. One thought on the phone. Cells are good if there is no electricity and the land lines are down, but if the towers aren't working, the cells won't either. I have an old fashion telephone down in the safe room. It doesn't need electricity like my newer phones do. If we lose power, we will still have a phone (if the lines are still up).
If you do not have a safe room (like lucky me), get into the lowest level of the house and put as many walls between you and the outside. Get under a table and curl into a ball. Protect your head and the back of your neck. Throw a blanket or towel to help protect you from any flying debris. People are more often hurt by something flying into them than something landing on them. Stay away from windows and electrical items like televisions and computer monitors. If you have time, make sure you have sturdy shoes on. If you have to walk through debris, you want to protect your feet from broken glass, nails etc.
Well, the sky is turning green again, so I am heading to the basement.
Later!
