Getting Storm Ready

1. Getting Storm Ready Thunderstorms, Lightning, Tornadoes and Floods

2. Get a Kit If the power goes out for several days – you’ll need: • Don’t forget your pets! • Food & water • Sturdy leashes & carriers • Photos of you with your pets • Medication & vet info

3. Listen • It’s like a smoke detector for severe weather & hazardous conditions • It will tell you all about severe weather when it is on the way • It will sound a loud tone to get your attention or wake you up so you can get to safety • Make sure you keep plenty of extra batteries

4. Make a Plan • Escape! • Find 2 ways to get out of every room • Have an escape ladder for upstairs rooms • Have a place to meet outside • Practice!

5. Make a Plan Communicate • If there were an emergency and you were not together in the same place. . . • How would you get touch with each other? • Where would you meet? • How would you remain in contact? • What would you do if you were at school? • What would you do about your pets?

6. Thunderstorms When thunder ROARSgo indoors!

7. Don’t Wait!

8. Find shelter in a building or car (NOT a convertible) Go to a low-lying place away from trees, poles or metal objects Boating or swimming – get to land & shelter right away In the woods – find a low spot under the shorter trees Thunderstorms If you’re outdoors

9. Lightning! • If your hair stands on end – make yourself small • Don’t lie flat on the ground • Squat low to the ground • Bend your head between your knees

10. Lightning! If you’re indoors • Don’t touch appliances or use the phone • Don’t turn on any water faucets • Turn off the air conditioner • Close the curtains, blinds or shades

11. Tornadoes • May occur in trailing edge of thunderstorm • Quite visible • Sunlit skies behind • Could be embedded in rain • Not visible

12. Tornado Clues • Dark, often greenish sky • Wall cloud • Large hail • Cloud of debris • Funnel cloud • Roaring noise

13. Tornado Terms • Tornado WATCH – tornado is possible • LISTEN to radio • Keep an eye on the sky • Tornado WARNING – a tornado has been spotted • Take shelter IMMEDIATELY

14. Tornado Shelter If you are in a vehicle, trailer or mobile home GET OUTand go to a solid structure

15. Basement Center of an interior room on the lowest floor Closet or interior hallway Away from corners, windows, doors & outside walls Put as many walls as possible between you & the outside Get under a sturdy table & use your arms to protect your head Do not open windows Tornado Shelter

16. Tornado Shelter • If you’re outside with no shelter • Lie flat in a nearby ditch or depression and cover your head with your hands • Do not get under an overpass or bridge • Never try to outrun a tornado • Watch out for flying debris

17. Floods • Flood • An overflow of water into a normally dry area from an established watercoursesuch as a river, stream, drainageditch or pond • How do you know if a flood is coming? • NOTICE – if it’s been raining for several hours or days • LISTEN – to weather radio, regular radio or TV

18. Floods • Floods are the #1 natural disaster in the US – and most people killed in floods drown in moving water • Just six inches of moving water can make you fall down • Six inches of water will reach the bottom of most cars and make them lose control or stall

19. Turn Around! • One foot of water will float most cars • Two feet of rushing water can carry away most vehicles including SUVs & pick-up trucks • Obey all official signs & barricades • Don’t play or swim in flood water

20. Stay Safe

21. The End! ReadyWisconsin.wi.gov • For more information about “Getting Storm Ready” – visit our Ready Wisconsin web site • Thank you for being such a GREAT bunch of listeners!