*HELP w Info. Tornado at daughters in NJ. Where should they go?

[elleng]

Windows in bathrooms. Basement??? Thanks.

[nadinbrzezinski]

1. You have a basement, that is the best

Otherwise an interior bathroom, INSIDE the Tub.

WHAT TO DO...

In a house with a basement: Avoid windows. Get in the basement and under some kind of sturdy protection (heavy table or work bench), or cover yourself with a mattress or sleeping bag. Know where very heavy objects rest on the floor above (pianos, refrigerators, waterbeds, etc.) and do not go under them. They may fall down through a weakened floor and crush you. Head protection, such as a helmet, can offer some protection also.

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. A helmet can offer some protection against head injury.

In an office building, hospital, nursing home or skyscraper:Go directly to an enclosed, windowless area in the center of the building -- away from glass and on the lowest floor possible. Then, crouch down and cover your head. Interior stairwells are usually good places to take shelter, and if not crowded, allow you to get to a lower level quickly. Stay off the elevators; you could be trapped in them if the power is lost.

In a mobile home:Get out! Even if your home is tied down, it is not as safe as an underground shelter or permanent, sturdy building. Go to one of those shelters, or to a nearby permanent structure, using your tornado evacuation plan. Most tornadoes can destroy even tied-down mobile homes; and it is best not to play the low odds that yours will make it. This mobile-home safety video from the State of Missouri may be useful in developing your plan.

At school:Follow the drill! Go to the interior hall or windowless room in an orderly way as you are told. Crouch low, head down, and protect the back of your head with your arms. Stay away from windows and large open rooms like gyms and auditoriums.

In a car or truck: Vehicles are extremely risky in a tornado. There is no safe option when caught in a tornado in a car, just slightly less-dangerous ones. If the tornado is visible, far away, and the traffic is light, you may be able to drive out of its path by moving at right angles to the tornado. Seek shelter in a sturdy building, or underground if possible. If you are caught by extreme winds or flying debris, park the car as quickly and safely as possible -- out of the traffic lanes. Stay in the car with the seat belt on. Put your head down below the windows; cover your head with your hands and a blanket, coat, or other cushion if possible. If you can safely get noticeably lower than the level of the roadway,leave your car and lie in that area, covering your head with your hands. Avoid seeking shelter under bridges, which can create deadly traffic hazards while offering little protection against flying debris.

In the open outdoors: If possible, seek shelter in a sturdy building. If not, lie flat and face-down on low ground, protecting the back of your head with your arms. Get as far away from trees and cars as you can; they may be blown onto you in a tornado.

In a shopping mall or large store: Do not panic. Watch for others. Move as quickly as possible to an interior bathroom, storage room or other small enclosed area, away from windows.

In a church or theater: Do not panic. If possible, move quickly but orderly to an interior bathroom or hallway, away from windows. Crouch face-down and protect your head with your arms. If there is no time to do that, get under the seats or pews, protecting your head with your arms or hands.



http://www.spc.noaa.gov/faq/tornado/safety.html

[elleng]

3. Thanks.

[Throckmorton]

2. basement

[elleng]

4. Thanks

[JanMichael]

22. How are you?

Haven't seen you for a long time- Feel free to send a PM if you want to-

[spanone]

5. basement...immediately

[elleng]

9. Thanks

[spanone]

16. i grew up in indiana where tornados were common

get in the tub and put a mattress over you or if you can get to the basement

[elleng]

18. Have sent them to the basement;

they're easterners, never had tornadoes! Bathrooms have windows. Went to basement.
Thanks.

[spanone]

23. basement is best!

[onehandle]

6. We just had a massive thunderstorm head through Philly towards NJ.

Lots of lighting and 70+ MPH winds.

Basement is best, usually.

[elleng]

12. Sounds like their neighborhood.

Thanks

[haikugal]

7. Basement, under the stairs if possible...

That's where I'd go because we don't have a storm shelter.

[elleng]

13. Thanks

[demtenjeep]

8. basement

interior closet

Bathroom


if nothing else find someone with a safety shelter

if at a store, find a walk in closet


make sure to cover with a mattress or blanket or something.

[Kber]

10. Agree. Basement. Also crack at least two windows.

The pressure can bust windows even if the area doesn't take a direct hit.

Of course she should stay in the basement for now. The window tip is for next time.

Hope everything is ok. Let us know later?

[haikugal]

29. I've heard this isn't true...

But having lived through a tornado I crack the window to even pressure. I've seen a carpet that was tacked around the edges lift up in my farm house....this is in Pennsylvania...I quickly opened some windows!

Crack your windows peeps....

[winter is coming]

38. It's not. n/t

[haikugal]

48. True...

http://www.wunderground.com/resources/severe/tornado_myths.asp

"When a tornado warning is issued, you should open all the windows in the house."
MYTH
A common tornado myth is that opening the windows will equalize the pressure in your house, which is thought to protect your home from damage. This is totally unnecessary and wastes valuable time in getting to your storm shelter location. If a tornado is going to pass close enough to do damage to your house, there's nothing you can do to minimize it, and making the effort is only risking your life.

There it is...it just made me feel better....we didn't get hit but that carpet came up off the floor and the air turned green. We have had micro bursts take out large trees in the past.

[Snobblevitch]

41. If there is a tornado warning

and a tornado is bearing down on you, taking time to open windows is the kast thing that should be done. Besides that, if a tornado hits a house, a couple of cracked windows is no going to help at all. That advice is from 40+ years ago.

[herding cats]

11. I hope they stay safe!

Tell them to get there ASAP. Seconds count!

[malaise]

14. Hope they're OK

[elleng]

15. Thanks, mal; so do I.

Haven't heard.

[Raine1967]

17. Oh no!

A basement or an interior first-floor room or hallway if she has no basement. Find a room with no windows. If there are no other options, get in a tub and lie down.

Hoping she is safe!

The dog is barking like crazy right now, storms are rolling in. Hugs to you and your daughter, Ellen.

[elleng]

19. I wonder how THEIR dog is doing!

Have gone to basement. 18 month old grandson's having an ADVENTURE!

[Raine1967]

20. Aww.

LEt him have the adventure, as long as they all stay safe.

Oddly enough, I have been thru a few tornadoes in my life, I hate them.

[elleng]

21. They're without power,

and baby's sleeping, or trying to. Temps will reduce, high there tomorrow afternoon forecast 84.

[awoke_in_2003]

24. Now that this is over I have to ask

A tornado in Jersey?

[elleng]

26. YES, imagine that, and not named crispie creme!!!

'Outside' of Philly, and power's out now.

[awoke_in_2003]

28. Glad they are ok

They tend to move around the DFW weather bubble, but we had one about 7 years ago that touched down about 2 miles from the house. The hail was so large it sounded like sledgehammers hitting the roof. We can't have basements down here because of the soil.

[elleng]

32. Thanks.

[LiberalElite]

51. We've even had a couple in NYC

- they're very rare, and pretty weak. I think the last one a few years ago damaged a roof in Brooklyn.

[Jamastiene]

54. The only place on Earth that has not had a tornado is

Antarctica. They happen in every US state. Some have them lots more often than others, though. They can even happen on Christmas Day. We had one years ago on Christmas. It was no fun.

[boston bean]

25. basement!!!!!!!!!!

[elleng]

27. Yes, that's where they went.

Thanks

[JustAnotherGen]

30. Gahh

Turning on NJ -12 - we had thunder but nothing major in Central.

[elleng]

34. Good, Gen.

[nadinbrzezinski]

31. Good they are ok

no power, but ok.

[elleng]

36. Thanks. Yes,

hope the heat's ok tomorrow; forecast high @ 84, but hope they'll be OK w/o power; don't know for how long.

[nadinbrzezinski]

37. Myself have been stuck on scanner duty all day

we had what looked like a start, but was just a car accident. They still sent the kitchen sink and some.

I hate it when it gets this way. At least I do not have to worry (yet) about tornados, for the most part. They are rare in California. As in extremely rare.

[elleng]

39. Pretty rare around here too, AND NJ!

[nadinbrzezinski]

40. Well they hurricane tract is slowly moving north

so soon... San Diego will be hit. It has, indeed it did, in 1975, but scientists tell us they expect this to be more normal than just once a century.

[elleng]

42. Hurricanes we get,

I recall school being closed on Long Island, growing up, and we get some of that stuff around DC too, but NOT tornadoes!

[nadinbrzezinski]

43. It is climate change

the IPPC makes for some really scary reading.

[elleng]

44. Yes,

so my kids, + kids kids futures will be challenged.

[nadinbrzezinski]

45. earlier in life I was sorry we never could have kids

These days... I am not.

But I fear for both my nieces and my nephews.

[elleng]

47. I wouldn't be either,

and there were times, not long ago, when I hoped my kids wouldn't have kids. No hope of that now, 2 little ones and another on the way. I really am concerned about their futures, in many ways.

[nadinbrzezinski]

49. I know.

And there are days I think our pols (at least locally) are getting it. And others that they are just doing the bare minimum they need to do

[jwirr]

33. A basement is good.

[elleng]

35. Yes, glad they have one.

[a la izquierda]

46. Hope everything worked out okay!

I grew up in NJ, terrified of tornadoes.
I ended up in Oklahoma for grad school. Imagine that...

[elleng]

50. I CAN'T imagine that!!!

Grew up in NY, dealt with hurricanes, never a thought of tornadoes, college in Ohio and SAME! Law school in Chicago; SAME! Have HEARD that tornadoes happen around, and awaiting daughter's tornado saga from NJ!

Last I heard they were OK, with no power, and hoping the heat won't get them tomorrow.

Thanks

[Jamastiene]

52. Basement or interior room without windows.

The rule of thumb if you don't have a basement (which is the best place to go), is to get as many walls between you and the outside as possible. So, interior room with no windows, or if you have it, a basement is the best.

[elleng]

53. Thanks. They have a basement,

and that's where they went.