Severe weather answers to no one—including a worldwide pandemic.
It’s spring, which means now is the time to prepare for severe weather outbreaks before they happen. This year, it’s even more critical to prepare as more people are at home and emergency response organizations and community shelters remain limited in their capacity to help due to COVID-19.
Here are six ways to prepare for severe weather—including tornadoes—this spring:
- Have a conversation with your household. It seems obvious, but too many people fail to discuss what they would do in an emergency. At the very least, talk with the people you live with about where you would shelter in place and who is responsible for gathering pets, locking doors, etc. Remember, if you live in a mobile home, there is no safe place to shelter.
- If your home is unsafe during severe weather, call emergency shelters near you now to verify they are open and available despite COVID-19 protocols.
- Should severe weather include the risk of tornadoes, a basement is always the best place to go. If you don’t have a basement, shelter on your home’s lowest level with as many windowless walls around you as possible.
- Sign up for severe weather alerts on your phone. Local news channels and their corresponding apps often provide this life-saving service. Still, it’s a good idea to have at least one form of alert not reliant upon cellular communications, such as an NOAA weather radio with backup batteries.
- Create or refresh your emergency kit. An emergency kit should include one gallon of water per person per day for at least three days, facemasks, battery-powered cell phone chargers, flashlights, first aid kit, extra batteries, a whistle to signal for help, garbage bags, wrench or pliers to turn off utilities, a few cans of non-perishable food, and a manual can opener. Take the time now to create or refresh your emergency kit.
- Know the difference between a tornado watch and a warning. A tornado watch is issued when weather conditions are favorable for the formation of tornadoes. A tornado warning is issued when a tornado funnel is sighted or indicated by weather radar. You should take shelter immediately.
The pandemic has affected every aspect of our lives—including how we should prepare for severe weather. I don’t want you and your family to get caught in a life-threatening situation, so please, have the conversations, make the phone calls, and gather the supplies you need to stay safe.