Are you ready for severe weather?

Fort Wayne, IN (WANE) - May is Severe Weather Preparedness Month. As tornado and flood season begins, the American Red Cross of Northeast Indiana urges residents in the region to take steps now to stay safer when tornadoes and floods threaten. “By preparing for tornadoes and floods, our families and communities will be safer and stronger,” said Katherine MacAulay, director of disaster services and preparedness for the American Red Cross. “The Red Cross can help your family create a tornado and flood preparedness plan now, before our community is threatened by severe weather.”

As with any disaster, preparation can be the difference between life and death. The American Red Cross recommends that individuals and families prepare for tornadoes by:

• Creating and practicing a Home Tornado Plan: Pick a “safe room” or uncluttered area without windows where family members and pets could seek shelter on the lowest floor possible: a basement, a center hallway, a bathroom or a closet. Putting as many walls between you and the outside provides additional protection.
• Assembling an Emergency Preparedness Kit: Kits should contain a first aid kit and essential medications, foods that don’t require cooking or refrigeration and a manual can opener, bottled water, flashlights and a battery-powered radio with extra batteries and other emergency items for the whole family.
• Heeding Storm Warnings: Listen to your local radio and TV stations for updated storm information. A tornado WATCH means a tornado is possible in your area. When a tornado WARNING is issued, go to the safe room you picked to protect yourself from glass and other flying objects. If you are outside, seek shelter in a basement, tornado shelter or sturdy building. If you cannot get to a shelter, a recent study suggests that you get into a vehicle, buckle your seat belt, and try to drive at right angles to the storm movement and out of the path of the tornado. If strong winds and flying debris occur while you are driving, pull over and park, keeping your seat belt on and the engine running. Crouch down below the windows, covering your head with your hands and a blanket if possible. If you are unable to get to a building or vehicle, as a last resort, lie in a ditch or depression and cover your head with your hands.
• Preparing for High Winds: Make trees more wind resistant by removing diseased and damaged limbs, then strategically remove branches so that wind can blow through. Install permanent shutters on your windows and add protection to the outside areas of sliding glass doors. Strengthen garage doors and reinforce masonry. Move or secure lawn furniture, outdoor decorations or ornaments, trash cans, hanging plants and anything else that can be picked up by wind and become a projectile.

In addition to creating and practicing a home tornado plan and assembling an emergency preparedness kit, the American Red Cross also encourages individuals and families prepare for flooding by:

• Heeding Flood Warnings: Listen to your local radio and TV stations for updated flood information. A flood WATCH means flooding or flash flooding is possible in your area. A flood WARNING means flooding or flash flooding is already occurring or will occur soon in your area. When a flood or flash flood warning is issued for your area, head for higher ground and stay there.
• Relocating During Flood Warnings: Stay away from flood waters. If you come upon a flowing stream where water is above your ankle, stop, turn around and go another way. If you come upon a flooded road while driving, turn around and go another way. If you are caught on a flooded road and waters are rising rapidly around you, get out of the car quickly and move to higher ground.

The American Red Cross urges all individuals and families to prepare for tornadoes and floods because the best protection is ultimately to be prepared ahead of time. For more information on tornado and flood preparedness, contact the American Red Cross of Northeast Indiana at (260) 484-9336 or visit www.redcrossofnei.org.

This information provide by the Northeast Indiana Chapter of The American Red Cross.