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Do you have any storm preparedness tips for tornadoes?
Do you have any storm preparedness tips for tornadoes?
In my 33 years, I had only ever experienced one tornado watch living in New England… until last summer when we had three tornadoes. Now, we’ve had a watch and a warning already this summer. Fortunately, the one tornado we got didn’t hit our house, but it did hit the southern tip of our town.
Tornadoes aren’t as strong here as in the Midwest. Nevertheless, they still cause damage, prompting us to seek shelter. We’re advised to head to the basement, but my parents are having difficulty carrying me up and down the stairs now that they’re getting older.
Have you ever experienced a tornado before? What do you do in that situation?
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10 Replies
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Having lived in the same area as you, I have never experienced a Tornado either. Going to our basement is not an option for me at all. My sons, who live in Texas, have no basement but are told to go to the center of the house, to a room without windows, even a closet if need be. Therefore, that is what I plan to do. Not the closet thing, my home is 140 years old and all closets are upstairs, but there is one area that is somewhat away from windows. Stay safe Alyssa, you are valued.
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Whereabouts in MA do you live? I’m in northern RI, and two tornadoes have gone through my town in the last year. Thankfully, they didn’t hit my house, but they’ve left me feeling uneasy. Give me a blizzard or a hurricane, and I’m prepared lol. Tornadoes, not so much.
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Hi Alyssa! I live in Minnesota where we have multiple tornado warnings/watches every summer. I live in a one level townhouse with no basement so I just go to the most inner room of my house which happens to be my bathroom. There are no windows (a good thing to avoid in a tornado!) and I keep a flashlight in there during the summer just in case of a power outage during a severe storm. I have lived in MN my whole life and even though tornado warnings sound scary, it is very rare that they will actually touch down. But good to be prepared!
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That’s a good thing to know! And the flashlight is smart. Even though the last tornado was a couple of miles away, it still cut our power. We also have a generator for long outages.
The only room in my house without windows is the laundry room. Looks like we need to start cleaning it out to make space for my wheelchair. 😅
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Ha! Yeah, I suppose a clean out might be necessary if the laundry room is going to be your storm shelter! Seriously, though, it sounds like a good option. The important thing is to stay away from windows as they can get knocked out by wind/trees. Another option I know people will use if they don’t have access to a basement is a hallway on the main level of a house. Again, with no windows, and the walls provide protection if there would be downed trees or flying glass. Hang in there!
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Ohhh, hallways make sense, too. Thank you. 🙂 You’ve been so helpful!
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Alyssa, I live in Newton Massachusetts.
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Beautiful town. I drive through it often to get to the hospital. Drove through it today, actually. So you guys have probably gotten some tornado warnings, too, I assume?
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I’m looking forward to the new Twisters movie that should be released soon. Yeah, I’m the kind of person that watches scary movies in the dark. So, storms never really bother me. What aspect gives you the most anxiety?
Here in MN like Amy said storms with a chance of tornadoes can be a common occurrence. This year one storm barreled through with hail that ripped through my plants. It’s tough seeing all my plants shredded but I’m glad there was no structural damage to the house. I don’t have a basement but feel safest in my hallway. I should close all my curtains when storms move in but I then I’d miss out.
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Damn, I need a little more DeAnn in me. 😂 It’s honestly embarrassing how much of a chicken I am. Up until about five years ago, I was also afraid of thunderstorms, haha. Took me a while, but I finally grew out of that fear. I don’t know what causes the anxiety. Helplessness, maybe? It’s not like I can run from a storm or seek shelter easily. I also just have irrational fears and storms are one of them. Maybe someday I’ll share the others. 😜
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