Questions about tornado safety....

[CoffeeCat]

Living in Iowa my entire life, you'd think I'd know how to be
as safe as possible, during a tornado, but I'm wondering about some
things.

We've seen so many deadly tornadoes this spring so far and it's made
me wonder about where the safest place is, during a tornado.

Everyone says the basement, and I understand that. However, aren't
people killed from the house falling in on them? Everyone says to
get underneath stairs. However, if a tornado rips walls and most
of the structure above, wouldn't the stairs fall on top of you?

I put a twin mattress underneath our basement stairs. I'm hoping that
would provide extra protection.

I'm concerned about my children and I want to protect our family
as best I can.

Does anyone have any insight about what to do, and how to best
survive a tornado?

[Critters2]

1. It's possible that a building will fall inward, into a basement,

but it's not likely. Remember, the winds are carrying things around and aloft. Debris is more likely to be lifted than dropped.

No place is 100% safe. But the lowest possible space is your best bet.

[rurallib]

2. exactly.

If you are under a stairs or a heavy table or something it should blunt the initial force of something falling. Add a mattress or havy blanket for additional force protection and to protect from glass.
Did you ever question the teachers when they told you that getting under your desk and covering your head with your hands would protect you from a nuclear blast?

[crickets]

3. Stay safe

Because of the way they're constructed, stairs are more likely to shelter you from falling debris than land on you. If stairs go anywhere, it's likely to be up. If you're already in the basement and under the stairs, I think that's about the best you can do. You might want to also store a radio already tuned to a weather channel down there so you can track nearby storms in a safe place, as well as some quilts or heavy blankets with the mattress as shields from small flying debris. One really cool tip I saw in looking for info: get your kids to put on their bike helmets if you have time. "Open the windows to equalize the pressure" is a myth; if anything, opening windows is the worst thing you could do. That said, if the tornado strikes suddenly with windows already open, don't take time to close them. Take shelter instead. If your house doesn't already have roof or rafter clips, look into having them installed. Past a certain wind speed, your roof will come off, but the clips might save your house in a smaller storm that could otherwise have trashed it by ripping off a less sturdily attached roof. HTH.

http://www.fema.gov/hazard/tornado/index.shtm
http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/edu/safety/tornado.html
http://www.tornadoproject.com/safety/safety.htm

http://www.michaelholigan.com/departments/tvshow/seg_ts...

Stay safe, TwoSparkles. I'm so sorry the Midwest is going through this right now. I hope none of the storms head your way.

[uppityperson]

4. recommendation now is corner away from where tornado is coming from

as sometimes the house is shoved and yes will fall into the basement. Others have answered more, just wanted to throw this in as I've been reading a bunch the last couple yrs on official recommendations. We used to lurk in corner closest to tornado with the thought debris would get thrown into opposite corner, but studies have shown it best to be in further edge, behind something, covered, etc.

[Blue Gardener]

5. If your basement is full of water

You're in trouble.

[CoffeeCat]

6. Thanks for all of the suggestions, everyone!

I appreciate the input.

I've got a twin mattress under the stairs, some bottled water a flashlight and the weather radio.

It's good to be prepared, and having kids, I feel like I need that extra piece of mind.

Your insight and Web links are much appreciated!

[uppityperson]

7. stout shoes or boots. Glass is a big issue after tornadoes.

Lots of broken glass, not to mention nails, wood shards, etc. Make sure you have boots/shoes with good soles, not soft soled ones. Buy a pair of hard soled shoes from goodwill or some such to keep there also.

[Debi]

8. Still have glass all over our yard from garage and cars (windows and lights and stuff inside)

don't know how we're going to get it all cleaned up (and it's been 3 weeks).

[truedelphi]

9. Sorry to hear that you were so terribly affected.

Is your house intact? And did everyone you know make it through safely?

[Debi]

10. Yes, our house came through very well

roof damage and some broken glass (and railing on our deck) but that's it.

Had to get trees off of the house and Debi, Jr.'s wheelchair ramp but other than that we were safe in our basement.

[truedelphi]

11. Sounds like a scary day for you. Glad most of the damage was minor.

I grew up in the MidWest, but the tornadoes seem to be getting stronger every year. Bigger, and more of them.

A crazy world isn't it?

Of course, I have traded whatever peace of mind I may have by living in tornado-free California for the knowledge that an earthquake could shatter the world here.

So it is, like Gilda Radner used to say, always something.