With wind speeds of over 300 miles per hour, a tornado can be devastating. Luckily, meteorologists can predict them accurately enough to give you time to get to safety. Before a tornado comes, however, it's important to be prepared. Here are some tips for being tornado-ready:
Know Where to Go
Under ground is the safest place to go during a tornado, whether in a basement or other shelter. However, it's still important to know other safe spots at home, work or school in case you can't get to a basement. Identify a backup tornado safety spot away from windows on the ground floor of the building. Interior rooms with multiple walls between you and the wind are best to shelter in.
Have Emergency Supplies
Disaster preparedness should always include an emergency kit to keep you safe if you're stuck or stranded by a storm. Create a tornado kit with enough water for each member of the household (including pets) to last at least three days. Other things to include in your tornado emergency kit are flashlights, spare batteries, blankets and copies of certain important documents.
Another key thing to include in your emergency kit is a battery-powered radio. You can use the radio to monitor the situation through official announcements from your community and know when the storm is safely passed.
Understand the Warnings
There is a key difference between a tornado "watch" and a tornado "warning." A tornado watch means that weather conditions are prime for tornado development. This doesn't mean you need to take shelter right away, but that you should stay alert and double-check your emergency supplies.
A tornado warning means a tornado has been confirmed in the area. This means it's time to take shelter. Familiarize yourself with how your area communicates these warnings, too. Some communities use sirens, but you may also receive emergency notifications on your smartphone or over broadcast television.
If you live in a region prone to tornadoes, the best thing you can do to stay safe is to prepare. Keep these tips in mind when considering your emergency plans.
About the Author
Hannah Sosinski
I started my career in the real estate industry at the age of sixteen and instantly fell in love.
I worked alongside one of the top producing agents in the country as their administrative assistant for nearly nine years before I took the leap to begin my own journey in the real estate industry.
Working alongside an agent who sells over three hundred houses a year educated me strongly on the Pittsburgh and greater Pittsburgh housing market. While working alongside this agent, I was lucky enough to be involved in several different types of real estate transactions and learned to properly determine home values, many aspects of negotiations and have learned how to close challenging deals while also handling a large amount of deals at the same time.
I have also spent the past seven years working as a property manager throughout Allegheny, Washington and Fayette County. I have managed everything from Section 8 to Luxury units.
Exploring the options of the real estate industry can be overwhelming. While working with me you’re able to sit back and relax as I have worked with many investors, home sellers and buyers and can help guide through the sale or purchase of your home and make it as easy on you as possible.
Whether you’re a first time home owner, downsizing, sizing up, looking to make your first/second or third investment, selling your home, etc. I can use my years of education to help guide you through the purchase or sale of the largest investment of your life.
I look forward to chatting about real estate with you!