With tornado season quickly approaching, now is a great time to review with your family what they should do when they see a tornado or hear a warning. Educating yourself and your family and being prepared ahead of time can help ease any worries and react correctly if the weather turns.

During a tornado, people face hazards from the extremely high winds and the risk of being struck by flying or falling objects. After a tornado, the wreckage left behind poses additional injury risks. Although nothing can be done to prevent tornadoes, there are actions you can take to protect your family’s health and safety.

Here are a few necessary measures to take:

• Take a few minutes with your family to develop a tornado emergency plan. Walk through each room and discuss where and how to seek shelter for various scenarios
• Make an emergency supply tote. Don’t forget to include a blanket, water, and a working flashlight with extra batteries. You can also include additional instructions, including your emergency plan
• Discover alternate ways to exit from each room or area. Note where special equipment is located, like a rope or ladder
• Ensure the location of your first-aid kit and fire extinguishers is established on your emergency plan
• Mark where the utility switches or gas valves are located so they can be turned off if time permits during an emergency
• Teach your family how to administer basic first aid, use a fire extinguisher, and how/when to turn off the water, gas, and electricity in your home
• Learn the emergency dismissal policy for your child’s school

If appropriate for your child, talk about tornado safety so they know what to expect if it ever happens! They can be an active participate by making sure they know the following:

• What a tornado is
• What tornado watches and warnings are, and the differences between the two. A quick reminder, a watch means sever weather is possible but not yet happening. A warning means severe weather is currently happening. During a warning, you should seek shelter and get to a safe place                     
• What county they live in (warnings are issued by county)
• How to take shelter, whether at home or at school, and why taking shelter is important to protect yourself
• Emergency phone numbers for family members

Once you have a plan, you can conduct drills and ask questions to ensure your family remembers information on tornado safety, particularly how to recognize hazardous weather conditions and how/where to take shelter. These steps are crucial to preparing for a weather emergency and keeping you and your family safe.

Although tornados can virtually happen at any time, the peak tornado season in Wisconsin is May through August, with June having the greatest number of tornadoes. Be prepared, and stay safe!