This page contains a Flash digital edition of a book.
B. Denise Hawkins & Tory Tedder-Loffl and


Storm Safety


When Thunderstorms, Tornadoes Strike


Listen to local news or National Weather Service broadcasts to stay informed about tornado watches and warnings. A weather radio is a great investment.


B


eware. Spring can usher in more than April showers. Now through the summer months,


thunderstorms can quickly roll in and tornadoes can unexpectedly touch down. (Don't we know it!) According to researchers at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Severe Storms Laboratory these types of storms happen most frequently during afternoon and evening hours.


Follow these tips from NOAA


and the American Red Cross to keep you and your home safe when tornadoes and severe thunderstorms come your way.


Prepare for high winds by removing diseased and damaged tree limbs. Never prune or trim a tree near an electric line. Call OEC (405-321-2024) or submit an online request (http://bit.ly/ tree-trimming) and we will take care of it for you. You can also use the OEC SmartHub app on your smart device to turn in a work order request. Download the app from Google Play or iTunes.


If in a mobile home, immediately head to a sturdy shelter or vehicle. Mobile homes, especially hallways and bathrooms, are not safe places to take shelter during tornadoes or other severe winds.


Designate a family meeting place for shelter during and after a storm. If possible, go to your home’s basement, a small interior room, or under stairs on the lowest level. Also, have a battery- operated weather radio handy along with emergency supplies.


Unplug your electronics. Avoid using electrical equipment and corded telephones.


Remember there is no safe place outside during a severe storm. If you are caught in a storm while on the road, the American Red


Cross urges drivers to turn on their headlights, try to safely exit the roadway, and park. Stay in the vehicle with your seat belt on and turn on the emergency fl ashers until the heavy rain ends. If thunder and lightning is occurring, avoid touching metal or other surfaces that conduct electricity in and outside the vehicle.


Move or secure lawn furniture, trash cans, hanging plants, and anything else that can be picked up by the wind and become a projectile.


Stay safe after a storm. Remain indoors at least 30 minutes after the last clap of thunder. Also, stay away from downed power lines and avoid fl ooded areas. Power lines could be submerged and still live with electricity. Report them immediately to OEC.


B. Denise Hawkins writes for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association. Sources: T e National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Severe Storms Laboratory, and American Red Cross


A supercell thunderstorm can be awe inspiring. On this spring day in 2013, the storm rolled in over the plains, providing an amazing backdrop


for power lines. It also turned in to one of the worst storms we've


seen in recorded history. Tornadoes followed,


stretching from eastern Colorado to Oklahoma


leaving much destruction and lost lives in its wake. Source: NOAA


April 2014 News Magazine 5


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