Posted: 4/7/2014
Although most people welcome sunny warm days over winter’s frigid temperatures, few look forward to the unsettled weather and the possibility of tornadoes. But during April’s disaster preparedness month, staff at Parkland Health & Hospital System say now is the time to be ready in the event that spring storms turn severe.
Each year about a thousand tornadoes touch down in the United States, far more than any other country. Texas, Oklahoma, Nebraska, South Dakota and Kansas make up “tornado alley” where destructive storms strike regularly in the spring and early summer.
Jorie Klein, Parkland’s Director of Trauma and Disaster Preparedness knows all too well the impact that tornadoes can have on families and communities. Klein’s family lived in Wichita Falls on April 10, 1979, known locally as “Terrible Tuesday,” the day an F4 tornado struck the heavily populated southern sections of town. Despite having nearly an hour’s advance warning that severe weather was imminent, 42 people were killed and 1,800 were injured because the storm arrived just in time for many people to be driving home from work.
“It was several days before I was able to locate all of my family members,” Klein recalled. “That’s when I made the decision to be proactive about being prepared for natural and man-made disasters.”
Preparing, Klein said, includes learning the risks your particular community faces – are you near tracks where there could be a derailment? Is there a creek in the area that floods neighborhood streets? Regardless of the environment, she recommends having items available that you would need to survive in your home until help arrives. Those items include enough water to last three to six days (recommended quantity is three liters of water per person per day), high energy food items that won’t spoil and don’t require cooking, a hand-operated can opener, flashlights, portable radio, spare batteries, a first aid kit, cash or traveler’s checks and light sticks.
“Along with flashlights and spare batteries, light sticks are a safe, inexpensive alternative to candles,” Klein said. “I can’t emphasize enough the importance of having a personal plan and making sure it’s in place long before a disaster happens,” she said. “Talk about what you’re going to do if a tornado hits. What are you going to do if the power goes out or you’re not able to reach your loved ones? If you’re away from home, does your family have a designated meeting place?”
“Make a plan and practice it several times,” Klein says. “Planning today will lead to a safer tomorrow.”