• When in an office building, basements and first floor interior rooms or interior hallways provide
the best protection.
• When in buildings with large free-span roofs (which are very vulnerable, especially on upper
floors), basements provide the best protection. The next safest refuge would be small interior
rooms.
• When in your home, a basement will provide the best protection. In lieu of a basement, take
cover in small interior rooms with stout walls.
• When you are in open country seek shelter in a building, if time permits. If not, lie flat in a
ravine, ditch, or depression and cover your head. Remember, a vehicle is an unsafe tornado
shelter.

When severe weather is forecast for your area, listen to a local radio or TV station, or monitor NOAA weather radio. New weather alert radios are available which allow you to program the receiver activation feature for selected counties and/or cities.

Develop plans in advance of seasons known for their storm activity. Have a primary plan of action and at least one alternative plan. If a tornado event is imminent, you only have limited time to react. When you develop your plan, REMEMBER--seeking shelter under overpass girders “always works on TV”, but doesn’t always work in real life!

Copyright 2002 * National Safety Council * All Rights Reserved. Reviewed 4/05

For more information on reducing risk or any of our other services, please contact Jeff Harrison at jeff.harrison@cbservices.org or 800.807.0300 ext 2543

Copyright National Safety Council, All Rights Reserved. Information and recommendations are compiled from sources believed to be reliable. The National Safety Council makes no guarantee as to and assumes no responsibility for the correctness, sufficiency or completeness of such information or recommendations. Other or additional safety measures may be required under particular circumstances