crouched inside a closet as the winds raged outside. Paulson hurried home from her offi ce to fi nd her garage gone and most of her windows blown out. The Wadena storm left several people injured and devastated homes, businesses, farmsteads and crops. Paulson was able to


board up her windows, remove her valuables and stay with one of her sons for the two months it took to secure the house; it was another four months before all the repairs were completed. As people in her community discovered, quick thinking can make the difference, especially with storms as deadly and fast-moving as tornadoes. Here are some guidelines to help you stay safe.


If heavy weather threatens …


1Tune in to local TV or radio broadcasts. 1Understand what National Weather Service advisories mean. A tornado watch means tornadoes are possible; a tornado warn- ing means one has been sighted in your area or detected by radar and you should seek shelter immediately.


1Listen for municipal emergency sirens to alert you to impending severe weather.


1Be alert: Look for funnel shapes dropping out of cloud forma- tions; large hail; very dark or even green skies or low, rotat- ing clouds; and a loud sound that’s often described as the roar of an approaching train.


1Understand what happens when tornadoes strike. Sometimes they hit when winds drop and the air is calm. And it’s not unusual to see clear skies behind a storm.


If a tornado is moving toward your home …


1Go to the basement and stay in an interior corner away from windows. If you don’t have a basement, go to a small interior room such as a closet or hallway. Get under a sturdy table or desk and put as many walls between you and the outdoors as you can.


If you’re at work or school …


1Go to the designated shelter or lowest level such as an underground parking garage.


1Know what your child’s school safety procedures are. Sign up for instant messaging (if available) that will let you know what’s going on, suggests State Farm Central Zone Catastrophe Coordinator Tony Schwinke.


If you’re in a vehicle or mobile home …


1Find a safe place in a nearby building. Never try to outrun a tornado, which can move along at 70 miles per hour.


If you’re outside with no shelter …


1Lie facedown in a ditch or low dip in the ground. Cover your head with your hands and arms.


1Watch for fl ash-fl ood waters, as well as fl ying debris from high winds.


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