Tornadoes may develop so quickly that you have little to no time to prepare. Follow these precautions to help you stay safer, protect your property, and prevent major damage to your home.
Tornadoes and High Winds: Protecting Your Home
MAKE A DISASTER PLAN:
Create a plan and communicate the plan to your family.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s site includes resources so you can learn about warning signs and find out what you can do to before and during a tornado to protect yourself. Tornadoes can happen any time of year and have affected every state in the U.S. They happen most often in late afternoon and early evening and most commonly occur in these regions and times of year.
Gulf coast – early spring.
Northern plains and upper Midwest – June or July.
Southern Plains – May into early June.
PREVENT INJURY AND PROPERTY DAMAGE:
Hail, high winds and funnel clouds can damage property that takes a direct hit. But damage can also be caused by objects around your yard that become windborne. Use anchors, chains or cables to protect items that are exposed to the elements. Or, store them in a garage, storage shed or other protective structure if you can. Here are some ideas of items to think about securing:
