What are the ways to ensure safety during severe weather from tornadoes?

There is no way to guarantee safety from a tornado, but there are many precautions you can take to preserve your own safety. The best thing to do when a severe weather warning or tornado warning is announced is to take shelter.

If you have access to a basement or cellar with no Windows, such a place is the optimum place to be. If a basement is not available, a bathroom will work as well. The important thing is to remain away from Windows that may blow out during the storm.

If you are in a mobile home, get out immediately and go to the nearest place with a sturdy shelter. Mobile homes offer little protection from tornadoes.

If you are driving, attempt to drive to the nearest place that can offer shelter. If your car is hit by flying debris, pull over and park the car on the side of the road. Place your head below the Windows and cover your head with a coat or blanket. Do not park under an overpass or bridge, as you are safer in a flat, open area. If you can safely exit the car and get noticeably lower that the level of the roadway, do so and lie in that area, covering your head with your hands.

Always watch for flying debris, as this debris is the leading cause of fatalities caused by tornadoes.

Be sure to build an emergency kit with batteries, flashlights, a whistle, water, and a radio, and take that kit with you as you seek shelter.

You can also be a tornado spotter yourself. Look for signs in the sky: a dark, greenish tint to the sky, large hail, or a dark low-lying cloud that may or may not be rotating. You also may hear a loud roar, similar to that of a freight train.