Preparing for a Tornado

I'm currently sitting in my basement waiting for a storm to pass by.  It looks like the worst of it will not hit us but just an hour down the road was hit hard. 

As I was preparing to head to the basement, it dawned on me that many people do not know what to do in a tornado.  I happen to live in an area where tornadoes are a bit too common. 

Growing up my family did not have a good place to use as a storm shelter in our house.  The people behind us had a basement though and would leave the back door unlocked any time there was a threat of a tornado.  For this reason, my parents always had us sleep with our shoes by our bed when there was a possibility of bad weather.

My husband thinks I'm crazy because every time there is a tornado threat I make everyone get their shoes on.  I realize we have a basement now but having gone through a tornado that caused some damage to my house, I know how hard it can be to find what you need in the aftermath.  Wouldn't you rather have a safe pair of shoes on instead of walking through debris in bare feet?  So, my first tip is to find your shoes.

In this wonderful day and age of technology, I also suggest charging your electronics (cell phone, laptop, etc) if weather is supposed to get bad that day.  It really helps in keeping in contact with others and you never know when you will get a chance to charge electronics again.  I spent most of my evening tonight on Facebook and Twitter getting up to the date news from news outlets and friends.  As an added bonus, it was kind of fun to get to bond with others over such a stressful event.  

I also suggest having a few flashlights and candles nearby.  Make sure the batteries work and/or that you have spares near by. 

Finally, to keep my kids entertained I also bring snacks and a few toys or games to our storm shelter. Anything that helps them take their mind off what is going on is a huge help.

By the way, round one has passed us now and we are safe and sound.  There was a beautiful double rainbow after it all passed.  If you have any tips to share on how you prepare for a tornado, please share them with others in the comments section.