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Tornado Safety Tips

What To Do If You are in Your Home During a Tornado

  • Go to the lowest level of the home, an inner hallway, or smaller inner room without windows, such as a closet or bathroom.
  • Get away from windows and go to the center of the room. Avoid corners, because they tend to attract debris.
  • Get under a sturdy piece of furniture, such as a workbench or heavy table.

If You are in a Mobile Home

  • Evacuate the mobile home, even if it is equipped with tie-downs. Take shelter in a building with a strong foundation, or if one is not available, lie in a ditch or low-lying area a safe distance away from the mobile home. Tornadoes cannot change elevation quickly enough to pick someone up out of a ditch, especially a deep ditch or culvert.

If You are at Work or School

  • Go to the basement or to an inside hallway at the lowest level of the building.
  • Avoid places with wide-span roofs, such as auditoriums, cafeterias, large hallways or shopping malls.
  • Use your arms to protect your head and neck.

If You are Outside

  • If possible, get inside a sturdy building with a concrete foundation.
  • If shelter is not available, or there is no time to get indoors, lie in a ditch or low-lying area or crouch near a strong building.
  • Be aware of the potential for flooding.

If You are in a Vehicle

  • Never try to out drive a tornado in your vehicle. Tornadoes can change direction very quickly and can lift a vehicle and toss it in the air
  • Get out of the vehicle and take shelter in a nearby building.
  • If there is no time to get indoors, get out of the vehicle and lie in a ditch or low-lying area away from the vehicle.

Read the Tornado Safety Fact Sheet here.

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created Aug 03, 2023 updated May 01, 2024