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Are you going to be ready the next time a severe storms hit your area?
I guess that depends on what you mean by 'ready,' right?
For many people, it simply means getting their car protected from hail and getting their family indoors.
What if your power goes out?
What if a tornado is heading towards your house?
A bad storm should be a good wake up call that severe weather can hit and parents need to be prepared to keep their kids safe.
Weather Radio
One good way to stay safe and well informed about what is going on during a bad storm is to have a NOAA weather radio (with fresh batteries) to keep you updated in case your power goes out and you can't watch the news.
Several types are available and you may want to have more than one, including a:
- desktop weather radio with Specific Area Message Encoding (SAME), which can be set to go off only when their is a weather alert, like severe thunderstorms that might trigger tornados, in your area. The benefit of this type of weather radio is that it can wake you up in the middle of the night when a surprise storm hits.
- portable multipurpose weather radio that can also get AM, FM, and TV signals with a hand crank power generator to keep it going even if the battery dies.
- a handheld portable weather radio that is especially useful when you aren't home, like at a baseball game or camping, and a storm is coming
Flashlights
Depending on where you live, your power might go out even when a storm isn't that bad.
A bad thunderstorm is sure to knock your power out though, even temporarily, which often is pretty scary for kids. Having several flashlights handy can make this easier and safer for your kids.
One of the best ways to make sure you aren't in the dark is to get a few plug-in rechargeable power failure lights, some of which also function as nightlights, as put them around your house, especially near your kids' rooms.
You should also have a working flashlight in your nightstand, kitchen, and a few other handy places.
Safe Room
Although most of us don't have one of those tornado proof safe rooms that we can run to when there is a bad storm in the area, just about everyone has at least one room or area of their home that is safer than others.
Parents should be prepared by figuring out where that is, usually:
- room on the ground floor (or basement if you have one)
- interior room that is away from exterior walls, windows, and doors
- a center hallway, bathroom, or closet are often good choices
Once there, monitor your weather radio and stay in your safe room until the storm passes.
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