Tornado

1
Tornado

• Plan to Survive

2
Monitor the Weather

• Television
• Radio
• Weather Radio

3
S.A.M.E.

• When an NWS office broadcasts an urgent audio
  message (warning, watch, or non-weather
  emergency) it also creates and broadcasts a
  digital SAME code (that may be heard as a very
  brief static burst, depending on the
  characteristics of the receiver). This SAME code
  contains the type of message, county(s) affected,
  and expiration time of the message.
• An appropriately programmed NWR SAME receiver
  will then turn on for that message, with the
  listener hearing the 1050 Hz warning alarm tone
  as an attention signal, followed by the broadcast
  message.
• At the end of the broadcast message, listeners
  will hear a brief digital end-of-message static
  burst followed by a resumption of the NWR
  broadcast cycle.

4
WATCH

• MEANS CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR SEVERE WEATHER
  TO DEVELOP

5
When a Tornado Watch is in effect

• Move cars inside
• Move lawn furniture and yard equipment inside
• Stay tuned to your radio and TV for weather
  reports
  

6
A Warning

• Means a tornado has been actually sighted
• Seek Shelter Immediately

7
Warnings, watches come from one source

• TV weather people cannot issue tornado and severe
  storm watches and warnings. Watches, which
  announce that conditions are right for tornadoes
  or severe storms, originate from the Storm
  Prediction Center in Norman, Okla., which is part
  of the National Weather Service

8
At Home

• Go to the lowest level, basement if available
• If no basement, go to a small interior room

9
In a mobile or manufactured home

• Evacuate mobile or manufactured homes
• Seek Shelter in a near by sturdy building

10
In an automobile

• Seek shelter in a nearby building
• If no building is nearby, lie flat in a low spot

11
At Work

• Be aware of emergency shelter plans in office
  buildings and schools you and your family
  frequent
  
• If a specific shelter area does not exist, move
  into interior hallways or small rooms on the
  building's lowest level
  
• Avoid areas with glass and wide, freespan roofs.
  
  

12
At School

• Designated shelter areas are best
• Stay away from large open rooms like auditoriums
  and gymnasiums, and rooms with windows
  
• Lie low with hands covering the back of your head
  to reduce neck injury

13
When Shopping

• Go to a designated shelter area or to the center
  of the building on a low level
  
• Stay away from large, open rooms and windows
• Never seek shelter in cars in the parking lot

14
Outdoor Warning Sirens

• April 1999 30 sirens
• Today over eighty outdoor warning sirens in
  operation

15
OUTDOOR SIRENS

• These systems are designed to provide an audible
  alert for persons that are just that -Outdoors.
  The system is not designed to provide an audible
  alert for those persons indoors.

16
Siren Signals

• The function of the siren is to alert residents
  to TAKE SHELTER and/or go indoors and
  turn on the radio and/or TV to become informed.
  Major uses of the sirens within
  Butler County are under the following
  conditions

• The issuance of a tornado warning by the
  National Weather Service (NWS)
  
• An impending enemy attack
• A chemical emergency in progress

17
When You Here a Siren

• Seek safe shelter immediately
• Turn on the TV and radio for emergency
  information
  
• Have available a battery operated radio and/or a
  tone alerting weather radio

18
Siren Test

• The outdoor warning sirens are tested on the
  first Wednesday of each month, at 1200 noon.
  The tests are not conducted when there is the
  possibility of severe weather on that day.

19
How often do Tornadoes occur

• Ohio average 16 tornadoes and five fatalities per
  year
  
• In 2001, there were eight tornadoes
• Resulting in one injury and no deaths.

20
2000

• Ohio saw 22 tornadoes
• One fatality

21
Tornadoes in Butler County1950-2001

• Thirteen Tornadoes

• Sixteen Fatalities

22
When do Tornados occur

• Any month of the year
• Peak in Ohio is from March to July
• May occur any time but most likely to occur
  between 2 PM and 10 PM

23
Seeking Shelter at Home

• Seek shelter in a basement if available
• If no basement, seek shelter on lowest level of
  home
  
• Seek shelter in a small interior room

24
Butler CountyEmergency Management Agency

• 315 High Street
• Suite 670
• Hamilton, OH 45011
• 513-785-5810
• Fax [phone]
• turnerwr_at_butlercountyohio.org
• www.butlercountyohio.org/ema

25
A Program for Your Group

• If youd like a Tornado Safety Program for your
  group or organization contact the Butler County
  Emergency Management Agency at 513-785-5810