Video courtesy of National Weather Service

Fort Worth/Dallas, Texas

During severe weather, the City, working with neighboring communities and NOAA uses paid and volunteer staff as spotters while others man the Emergency Operations Center. The EOC staff maintains communication with outside agencies and spotters while monitoring Doppler radar and all other tools available to them. Spotters are strategically placed and continue to move with the storm to positions where they can have the best view of the clouds during the storm.

In the event a tornado has been confirmed, you should hear a warning siren. In Abernathy, we have two tones used during a tornado event.

A waving tone (tone that changes pitch) sounds as a Warning when a tornado has been confirmed.

Once the danger has passed, a solid tone (tone that does not change pitch) will sound as an All Clear signal.

When a tornado is coming, you have only a short amount of time to make life-or-death decisions. The key to surviving a tornado is knowing what to do before during and after it happens.

BEFORE

Conduct tornado drills each tornado season.

Designate an area in the home as a shelter. Have everyone in the family practice going there in response to a tornado threat.

Have disaster supplies on hand.

• Flashlight and extra batteries
• Portable, battery-operated radio and extra batteries
• First aid kit
• Emergency food and water
• Non-electric can opener
• Essential medicines
• Cash and credit cards
• Sturdy shoes
  

Develop an emergency communication plan.

In case family members are separated from one another during a tornado (a real possibility during the day when adults are at work and children are at school), have a plan for getting back together.

DURING

If at home:

• Go at once to the basement, storm cellar, or the lowest level of the building.
• If there is no basement, go to an inner hallway or a smaller inner room without windows, such as a bathroom or closet.
• Get away from the windows.
• Go to the center of the room. Stay away from corners because they tend to attract debris.
• Get under a piece of sturdy furniture such as a workbench or heavy table or desk and hold on to it.
• Use arms to protect head and neck.
• If in a mobile home, get out and find shelter elsewhere.
  

If at work or school:

• Go to the basement or to an inside hallway at the lowest level.
• Avoid places with wide-span roofs such as auditoriums, cafeterias, large hallways, or shopping malls.
• Get under a piece of sturdy furniture such as a workbench or heavy table or desk and hold on to it.
• Use arms to protect head and neck.
  

If outdoors:

• If possible, get inside a building.
• If shelter is not available or there is no time to get indoors, lie in a ditch or low-lying area or crouch near a strong building. Be aware of the potential for flooding.
• Use arms to protect head and neck.
  

If in a car:

• 
  Never try to out-run a tornado in a car or truck. Tornadoes can change direction quickly and can lift up a car or truck and toss it through the air.
• Get out of the car immediately and take shelter in a nearby building.
• If there is no time to get indoors, get out of the car and lie in a ditch or low-lying area away from the vehicle. Be aware of the potential for flooding.

Help injured or trapped persons.

Give first aid when appropriate. Don't try to move the seriously injured unless they are in immediate danger of further injury. Call for help.

• Turn on radio or television to get the latest emergency information.
• Stay out of damaged buildings. Return home only when authorities say it is safe.
• Use the telephone only for emergency calls.
• Clean up spilled medicines, bleaches, or gasoline or other flammable liquids immediately. Leave the buildings if you smell gas or chemical fumes.
• Take pictures of the damage--both to the house and its contents--for insurance purposes.

Remember to help your neighbors who may require special assistance--infants, the elderly, and people with disabilities.

INSPECTING A DAMAGED HOME

Check for gas leaks--If you smell gas or hear a blowing or hissing noise, open a window and quickly leave the building. Turn off the gas at the outside main valve if you can and call the gas company from a neighbor's home.

Look for electrical system damage--If you see sparks or broken or frayed wires, or if you smell hot insulation, turn off the electricity at the main fuse box or circuit breaker. If you have to step in water to get to the fuse box or circuit breaker, call an electrician first for advice.

Check for sewage and water lines damage--If you suspect sewage lines are damaged, avoid using toilets and call a plumber. If water pipes are damaged, contact the City and avoid using water from the tap. You can obtain safe water by melting ice cubes.