How to survive a tornado

Expository essay

How to survive a tornado

Step 1: Prepare yourself.

Even before a tornado is announced, you should prepare yourself in the future, that is if the event of a tornado occurs often in your region. So before anything, you can do more preparations. Such as acquiring supplies, such as food and water, and place it in a shelter nearby. This is so that you can have supplies while waiting for the tornado to go away or to die out. It is also advised to wear a bike or football helmet, since most deaths by tornados are caused by severe head injuries.

Step 2: Oh there you are!

Know if the tornado is near your area or coming towards your location. Tornadoes occur most often in the early evening, but can happen any time. If you are wondering how you would know if one is in your area, you can either listen to the radio or television. Meteorologists can make predictions to when a tornado is coming by, and give off a warning on the radio or television. In any case, do not panic! Just run and scream to the nearest shelter. As for the types of shelter for protection, it all depends on your location.

Step 3: Location, Location, Location.

To survive a tornado, you must first find shelter over everything else; for example, an underground bunker, safe house or perhaps a ditch if you are outside.. If you are near a building area, and not close to your home, some business corporations or schools may offer protection.

Let’s say you are in a household, head to the lowest floor, usually the basement. After that, cover yourself with a mattress, or something light and cushiony. Don’t go near windows or sharp objects that could hurt someone. Then, you should hide under a table to protect yourself from propelled objects.

If you are in an apartment or bungalow, there are different places one could seek safety. In that case, hide somewhere with a small room; such as a closet or bathroom. Bathrooms are the best options in this case, because they have pipes all around them behind the walls, which make them sturdy and quite safe in case anything attempts to harm you.  In general, you should go as close to the ground as possible; this is because tornadoes aim for very tall objects.

Step 4: What to do… What to do…

If you are not at home, and do not have any supplies or a prepared shelter of yours nearby, don’t go all dramatic. Nor make a scene while yelling "This is the end!"... There are other options! For instance, if you are in a car, don’t try to outrun a tornado because tornadoes usually travel at very high speeds of a minimum 30 MPH. Instead, park the automobile and seek shelter anywhere nearby immediately. Worst case scenario, find a ditch. Most people think that hiding in an underpass or under a bridge is a good option, but on the contrary it is even more dangerous. Also, most tornado injuries and deaths are caused by flying debris. If you are The God of Luck, then there might be a cabin or a small building nearby to hide in.  

If you are in a park or in a nature area, it is suggested that you stay far away from trees and cars. These objects can be torn out of the ground by the tornado, and can be propelled to the people nearby.

In any of these situations, it is suggested to crouch, and cover your head with your arms for protection. Also, bring a radio with you for announcements of the whereabouts of the tornado so you know when to come out.

Step 5: Don't play "Peek-a-boo".

This step is quite simple. Remain in the shelter; do not come out until it is announced on the radio that it is over or until the police find you, you never know when the tornado might find your hiding spot and surprise you.

Step 6: Congratulations!

Congratulations! If you have reached this step, then you are alive and ready to come out. On that note, come out with caution. After a tornado has passed, there may be hazards in the area. This can be such as floods, broken wires, collapsed buildings, and blocked roads… Avoid using matches or passing near fallen power lines. Do not enter damaged buildings; they have a chance to collapse at any moment and cause serious damage. All and all, if a tornado comes nearby… Good luck!