Where do I go in my house if a tornado hits?

I was always told to go to a south eastern location. So where do I go in my house? I have a single story home and the gas furnace is quite close. Sorry, if this is the wrong forum. Not used to threat of Tornado"s.
Thank's,
Witch

reply to post by witchof43


I've always been told to head underground.

Originally posted by witchof43
I was always told to go to a south eastern location. So where do I go in my house? I have a single story home and the gas furnace is quite close. Sorry, if this is the wrong forum. Not used to threat of Tornado"s.
Thank's,
Witch

Bathroom. Jump in the tub and throw a mattress over yourself and anyone else.

ETA; bathrooms have pipes in the walls that'll provide more support.

Good luck!

In a house with no basement, a dorm, or an apartment: Avoid windows. Go to the lowest floor, small center room (like a bathroom or closet), under a stairwell, or in an interior hallway with no windows. Crouch as low as possible to the floor, facing down; and cover your head with your hands. A bath tub may offer a shell of partial protection. Even in an interior room, you should cover yourself with some sort of thick padding (mattress, blankets, etc.), to protect against falling debris in case the roof and ceiling fail.

This was found, along with much more useful information on the NOAA site: www.spc.noaa.gov...

Originally posted by SpongeBeard
reply to post by witchof43

 

I've always been told to head underground.

Not everyone has a basement. I live on a lake and my house is on a cement slab. Most storms here come from the southwest and head northeast. I'd personally find a place in the house furthest from where you think the tornado is coming from. And I'd try to find a place with very few windows and get by where the walls meets so it has more strength.

reply to post by witchof43


Good advice already. Bathtubs with mattress or blanket over you. Under a staircase. Internal closet of some kind. Get away from windows. Cover your body with a blanket or something. You can turn a couch over on top of yourself for protection and support. You can wrap up in a fetal position in a corner of the home. I don't think compass direction matters. I've seen them leave any of the corners of the home, or the middle.

During the Joplin tornado (my family lives in Joplin), there was a man that sat in a dining room chair, threw a blanket over himself, and the entire home was ripped off of him, and when it was all over, he uncovered, and he was still in his dining room, in the chair, and it hadn't moved. This is not an urban legend either, this was the grandfather of one of my Dad's employees.

I think, perhaps more important than location is prayer! Toss a blanket over your head and pray!

reply to post by MJZoo


That would be my basement. Concerned about natural gas,half of my basement is concrete block on the south east side. I plan on going there. Took water down and charged cell phone and camera. Hope thid is "Hype".
Better safe then sorry.

reply to post by getreadyalready


Thanks for the info. I quess I already have my spot picked. My 3 Rat Terriers are going to have to listen to me...( :

In Oklahoma, we also wear bicycle helmets and make sure you have on real shoes!

Been through a few myself here in Texas. I was always taught to go to the middle of the house in a room that has no windows. The bathroom is a great place ( Assuming yours has no window). Get in the tub and put a mattress over you.

I've only had to take shelter once in the bathroom. The tornado went right down my street. All was well enough though. It just tore up shingles, street signs and trees.

No one was hurt.

i think about this a lot. i've always lived in fairly small homes and the bathrooms are always on an outer wall so i never know if i should get in the tub or get in the hall. i usually go to the hall and then have panic attack LOL

What I do sometimes...

EF0... Run outside and scream
EF1... Do donuts with your car..
EF2... Open and close your door for your home quick
EF3... Sleep
EF4... Worry, turn computer on fast!
EF5... Cry... grab my kitten, go on a... ya know... site... watch some STUFF... then die from the tornado..


JK.

But take cover, don't go underground you will bwe sucked.

Follow your dog/cat! You will live!

Originally posted by beezzer

Originally posted by witchof43
I was always told to go to a south eastern location. So where do I go in my house? I have a single story home and the gas furnace is quite close. Sorry, if this is the wrong forum. Not used to threat of Tornado"s.
Thank's,
Witch

Bathroom. Jump in the tub and throw a mattress over yourself and anyone else.

ETA; bathrooms have pipes in the walls that'll provide more support.

Good luck!

edit on 29-2-2012 by beezzer because: (no reason given)

Growing up in TX and seeing a number of them live and our schools had tornado drills....this is best advice if you dont have a celler, crawl space or basement.
If you have a ditch near you, that would work too...

If you dont have a basement arnt you suppose to go in a closet?

Originally posted by hqokc
In Oklahoma, we also wear bicycle helmets and make sure you have on real shoes!

oh that is a fabulous tip!! wow, in all my years living in texas, never heard that suggestion...maybe because back then nobody wore bike helmets! and yes, shoes too.

great suggestion!

Originally posted by dayve
If you dont have a basement arnt you suppose to go in a closet?

No... things will fall on you

Go under your bed... or, buy 4 matresse's at walmart and hide in em!

Originally posted by matty1053

Originally posted by dayve
If you dont have a basement arnt you suppose to go in a closet?

No... things will fall on you

Go under your bed... or, buy 4 matresse's at walmart and hide in em!

Seems safer than a bathtub, but idk i never been in one just a guess.... maybe that was during a earthquake you hide in a closet

reply to post by witchof43


run to the neighbor's house.

If not an option ... move your single story house closer to a neighbor before the tornado does.

This might help:

It is thought by some people that taking shelter under highway overpasses or in the southwest corner of the building provides extra protection from a tornado, but both of these likely increase the danger of injury or death.
en.wikipedia.org...

Hope the above article helps.

I read a brief story today regarding the tornado that just swept through Branson MO. A local motel operator was interviewed and commented that all of his guests survived by seeking shelter in the bathtub.

The manager of a motel in Branson, Mo. says had a twister struck next week when more guests were booked, "we would have lost some people." Just six guests were staying at J.R.'s Motor Inn, and all of them escaped injury by taking refuge in bathtubs during Wednesday's tornado.

www.kmtr.com...

In cases such as this, experience and knowledge are a big asset. I've had a couple tornadoes strike close enough for me to head to the basement and I've also been through a couple of hurricanes. I seem to learn something from every experience.

Tornado season is just starting so prepare while you can. Start with weather alert radio that has an audible alarm. Program it for weather and disasters common to your area. It could save your life when the alarm sounds at 3 am. Late night storms are frightening and disorienting.

I bought my first radio when I lived in the coastal area of South Carolina and programmed it for everything. I never thought about the alarm sounding for coastal flooding. Common during peak high tides (no storms associated) Yes, it woke me up from a dead sleep early in the morning. I deleted that alarm . It definitely worked.

And by "real shoes" I mean hiking boots or something sturdy. In a tornado mess you don't want to be in houseshoes.