Take action, be prepared for tornado season

  • Published
  • By 2nd Lt. Christopher Valencia
  • 14th Civil Engineering Squadron Readiness & Emergency Management Flight Commander
COLUMBUS AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. --  At the direction of President Obama, the Federal Emergency Management Agency created the America's PrepareAthon! campaign. The goal of this campaign is to provide opportunities for public and government employees to learn more about the immediate hazards that affect their bases and communities.

The goal of this endeavor is to increase the number of people who comprehend what emergencies could happen at Columbus, know what steps to take to ensure safety, and be able to take action to increase preparedness. Columbus Air Force Base and the surrounding community are in a very high risk area for tornadoes. In 2014 alone, our area experienced four tornadoes. In support of national preparedness month, we are going to give some information on being prepared and safe during tornado season.

Before

· Buy a NOAA Weather Radio: This will provide warnings and give information on if a tornado is heading your way.

· Tornado Watch vs Tornado Warning: A watch is issued when conditions are conducive to the formation of a tornado. A warning is issued when a tornado has touched down, or when weather radar has indicated tornadic activity.

· Determine a Safe Spot: In your home it is the most interior room, with no windows, on the lowest floor. In a two story home, under the stairs is the best place. Your safest bet is always underground; however this is not always possible.

During

· Tornado Watch: monitor local radio and T.V. for further developments. Be prepared to take cover.

· Tornado Warning: take cover in your designated "safe spot."

· Warning Sirens: long and continuous. Take immediate cover. Try and cover up with pillows, blankets, cushions or a mattress. Protect your head by covering it with your arms.

· In an Open Building: Find a restroom or inner hallway and protect your head with your arms.

· In an Automobile/Outside: Leave your vehicle and find shelter in a sturdy building. If no building is available, find an area lower (ditch or depression) than the road and cover your head. As a last resort, stay in your car, with your seatbelt on, and lower your head below the windows. Do not seek shelter under an overpass or bridge. You are safer in a ditch or depression.

· Mobile Home: Leave immediately. Find a sturdy structure or a low lying area.
After

· Do not enter damaged buildings, they have most likely been structurally compromised and are prone to collapse.

· Watch out for downed power lines and other hazardous debris.

For more information on how to prepare, visit ready.gov/prepare.