Waves of severe weather have been sweeping across the mid-south throughout the early summer, but a few simple steps can minimize damage should a tornado or other severe storm strike.
The most important part of severe weather preparedness is an alert system. For city residents, tornado sirens are not always loud enough to reach every home or to wake a family up should they go off in the middle of the night, and residents of rural areas are on their own completely when it comes to early warning.
Blytheville Fire Chief Mike Carney says that text and call alerts are available, both on a free and paid basis, through area TV news websites, as well as The Weather Channel. NOAA Weather radios are also a good option, as they make a sound loud enough to wake anyone in the house sleeping if a tornado warning is issued.
According to ready.gov, there are a few steps that will prepare most families and homes for a broad range of severe weather -- from tornadoes to thunderstorms and floods:
-- Build an emergency supply kit, including items like non-perishable food, water, a battery powered or hand-crank radio, extra flashlights and batteries. You may want to prepare a portable kit and keep it in your car in case you are told to evacuate. This kit should also include a pair of goggles and disposable breathing masks for each member of the family.
-- Make a family emergency plan. Your family may not be together when disaster strikes, so it is important to know how you will contact one another, how you will get back together and what you will do in case of an emergency.
-- Continually monitor the media to be aware of storms that could impact your area.
-- Know if you live or work in a flood prone area. Check with the county's emergency management office for details.
-- Ensure your home is ready -- elevate items which could be flooded. Bring in outdoors items such as children's toys, patio furniture, and garbage cans, which could be blown around and damaged. Remove dead or rotting trees and branches that could cause injury or damage.
-- Know how to shut off utilities, including power, water and gas to your your home. Have proper tools ready and nearby.
-- Find out what types of events and kinds of damages are covered by your insurance policy. Keep insurance policies, important documents, and other valuables in a safe and secure location.
-- Keep fire extinguishers on hand and make sure everyone knows how to use them.
In the case of a tornado warning, look for the following danger signs:
-- Dark, often greenish sky
-- Large hail
-- A large, dark, low-lying cloud (particularly if rotating)
-- Loud roar, similar to a freight train
-- If you see approaching storms or any of the danger signs, be prepared to take shelter immediately