If a tornado hits in the middle of the night, do you have two different devices to wake you up so that you can take shelter?
Severe Weather Preparedness is thinking about how to be ready if a severe weather emergency hits.
The first step is having two devices that provide wake-up alerts for severe weather, but relying on only one type of alert may prove to be dangerous.
Don’t completely rely on a cell phone alone. A cell phone may be in another room or cell service may be down.
It’s not safe to rely on only an outdoor siren alert, as well. Outdoor sirens are not designed to rouse people who are sleeping.
Use a weather radio with a battery backup that is programmed to send out a loud warning. A weather radio can be programmed for your zip code to give you vital emergency information. Weather radios let people know when the storm or tornado has passed and it is safe to come out.
Have a designated safe place in a house to go in case of severe weather. A ground floor bathroom with no windows or a basement–if available–are good places to wait out storms.
To be prepared for severe weather, everyone needs a plan and an emergency supply kit. Batteries, non-plug-in cell phone chargers, water, first aid kits, sleeping bags, non-electric can openers and foods which require no cooking are some important items to have on hand in case of emergencies.
People may be separated during a severe weather emergency so it’s important to designate someone outside the home county that everyone can call for check-ins, she said.
The National Weather Service and the Illinois Emergency Management Agency offer a free Severe Weather Preparedness Guide with tips. The latest version of the guide has new information on tornadoes and flash floods. Another resource is Ready Illinois for more lists of emergency supplies and other key information.
