Twisters Can Strike Anywhere

Over the past week, more than twenty deadly tornadoes struck in Arkansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Texas. Although typically associated with the midwestern part of the country, tornadoes have been reported in all fifty states. They can occur at any time of year but in the southern states, peak tornado activity usually occurs during the months of March through May.  Tornado activity increases in the northern states during the summer months.  Tornadoes can strike at any hour, but they most often happen between the hours of 3:00 – 9:00 p.m. Tornadoes are known as “twisters” because wind speeds can gust in excess of 200 miles per hour. A tornado watch means that a tornado is possible in your area; a tornado warning means that a tornado has already been spotted in your community. An approaching tornado sounds like a speeding freight train.

Remember the basic precautions for tornado safety: try to go to the basement for shelter. Avoid the elevators and take the stairs. If you do not have time to make it safely to the basement, move towards the center of the building, away from the windows. If you are in a car or a mobile home, get out of there immediately. Remember to bring any equipment that is outside indoors, such that it cannot get swept away by high-speed winds and used as an instrument to cause harm. Power outages are common in the aftermath of tornadoes, so don’t light matches as there may be gas leaks of which you are unaware. Make sure that all of your employees are familiar with basic safety practices to exercise when a tornado warning has been called and encourage them to share this information with their families.