PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DETROIT/PONTIAC MI
900 AM EDT WED APR 1 2009
...SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK FROM MARCH 29TH THROUGH APRIL 4TH...
EACH YEAR IN THE UNITED STATES AN AVERAGE OF 62 PEOPLE ARE KILLED BY
TORNADOES. KNOWING WHAT TO DO WHEN A TORNADO WARNING IS ISSUED
FOR YOUR AREA MAY SAVE YOUR LIFE AND THE LIVES OF YOUR LOVED ONES.
WHEN A TORNADO WARNING IS ISSUED FOR YOUR AREA...A TORNADO IS
EITHER IN PROGRESS OR ABOUT TO OCCUR.
SEVERE WEATHER PREPAREDNESS IS NOT JUST FOR HOMES AND SCHOOLS. A SEVERE WEATHER SAFETY PLAN SHOULD BE PART OF ANY BUSINESSES EMERGENCY SAFETY PLAN.
TORNADOES CAN MOVE QUICKLY. THE TIME BETWEEN A WARNING AND THE
TORNADO STRIKE AVERAGES ABOUT 15 MINUTES. HOWEVER...TORNADOES CAN
AND DO DEVELOP QUICKLY IN SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS. THAT TIME BETWEEN THE
WARNING AND TORNADO STRIKE COULD BE MEASURED IN A FEW MINUTES...OR
EVEN SECONDS! YOU MUST ACT QUICKLY...YOUR LIFE MAY DEPEND ON IT.
TODAY WE WILL TAKE A LOOK AT TORNADO SAFETY RULES.
PREPARING FOR A TORNADO...
- KNOW THE COUNTY IN WHICH YOU LIVE...WORK OR ARE VACATIONING IN...
AND THE NAMES OF THE NEARBY COUNTIES AND MAJOR CITIES. TORNADO
WARNINGS ARE ISSUED USING COUNTIES AND CITIES AS REFERENCE POINTS.
- KEEP A BATTERY POWERED NOAA WEATHER RADIO ALL HAZARDS WITH A
WARNING ALARM TONE TO RECEIVE WARNINGS AND STATEMENTS. LISTEN TO
RADIO...TELEVISION...AND CABLE TELEVISION STATIONS FOR ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION.
- DEVELOP A PLAN FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY FOR HOME...WORK...SCHOOL...
AND WHEN OUTDOORS. BE SURE EVERYONE IN YOUR HOME KNOWS IN
ADVANCE WHERE TO GO AND WHAT TO DO IN CASE OF A TORNADO WARNING
AND HAVE FREQUENT DRILLS.
- KEEP EMERGENCY SUPPLIES ON HAND DURING THE TORNADO SEASON...
INCLUDING A SUPPLY OF WATER...FOODS THAT WILL NOT SPOIL...AND
A FIRST AID KIT.
WHAT TO DO WHEN A TORNADO THREATENS OR A WARNING IS ISSUED
FOR YOUR AREA...
- KEEP AWAY FROM DOORS...WINDOWS...AND OUTSIDE WALLS. PROTECT
YOUR HEAD.
- IN HOMES AND SMALL BUILDINGS GO THE BASEMENT OR TO AN INTERIOR
AREA ON THE LOWEST LEVEL. GET UNDER SOMETHING STURDY.
- IN SCHOOLS...HOSPITALS...AND PUBLIC PLACES...MOVE TO DESIGNATED
SHELTER AREAS. INTERIOR ROOMS OR INTERIOR HALLWAYS ON THE
LOWEST FLOORS ARE BEST.
- IN MOBILE HOMES OR VEHICLES...LEAVE THEM AND GO TO THE
NEAREST SHELTER. IF THERE IS NOT A SHELTER CLOSE BY...
LIE IN THE NEAREST DITCH AND SHIELD YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR ARMS.
AVOID UNDERPASSES.
AFTER A TORNADO...
- WATCH OUT FOR FALLEN POWER LINES AND DO NOT VENTURE INTO
DAMAGE AREAS.
- INSPECT YOUR PROPERTY AND MOTOR VEHICLES FOR DAMAGE. CHECK
FOR ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS AND GAS LEAKS...AND REPORT THEM TO
THE POWER COMPANY AT ONCE.
- STAY OUT OF DAMAGED BUILDINGS UNTIL YOU ARE SURE THEY ARE
SAFE AND WILL NOT COLLAPSE.
- USE ONLY APPROVED OR CHLORINATED SUPPLIES OF DRINKING WATER.
- CHECK FOOD SUPPLIES. SOME FOOD MAY CONTAIN PARTICLES OF GLASS
OR DEBRIS.
FOR MORE INFORMATION...CONTACT YOUR NEAREST NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE OFFICE OR YOUR LOCAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY.
ON THURSDAY...WE WILL LOOK AT FLASH FLOOD AND FLOOD SAFETY RULES.
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