| It started out as a simple trip to the grocery store, | | | | house or apartment: |
| but ended up in terror. Heading out in the dark on a | | | | * Go to a basement if available. Seek shelter under |
| rain swept night, the three young people in rural | | | | sturdy furniture, a workbench or a stairwell. Cover |
| Missouri never saw the rushing water that had risen | | | | your head, or keep a helmet handy. |
| treacherously from the creek bed to swamp the | | | | * In homes without basements, take cover in the |
| narrow road in their path. | | | | center of the house. Go to a small room without |
| The car was immediately caught in the current and | | | | windows, closet, or hallway on the lowest floor. Or |
| swept downstream. Two of the young passengers | | | | hide under heavy furniture against a strong, inside |
| managed to escape the sinking vehicle, but the driver | | | | wall. Put as many walls as possible between you and |
| could not get free and drowned. "We never saw the | | | | the storm. |
| water," one of the survivors marveled. "It just | | | | * The National Weather Service (NWS) recommends |
| blended in with the color of the road." | | | | keeping all windows closed. |
| While storms are necessary to our existence, they | | | | * Draw blinds and shades over windows to reduce |
| also present a threat to it. Still, there are steps we | | | | glass damage. |
| can take to outwit the forces of nature. | | | | While only five percent of Americans live in mobile |
| Thunderstorms And Lightning | | | | homes, about 45 percent of people killed in |
| Lightning kills about 40 Americans a year, and can | | | | tornadoes were in mobile homes when the twisters |
| strike 10 miles from the rain area. If you can hear | | | | hit. The best advice is: |
| thunder or see lightning, you are already at risk. | | | | * Evacuate your mobile home and seek shelter in a |
| During an electrical storm: | | | | building. |
| * Get inside a home, large building, or automobile | | | | * If necessary, find a low spot such as a ditch or |
| (with the windows rolled up). | | | | ravine. |
| * Stay away from open doors and windows, | | | | Flash Floods |
| plumbing, fireplaces, and all metal objects. | | | | Flash floods and river floods have become the |
| * Don't use plug-in electrical equipment like hair | | | | biggest weather related killer across the U.S., causing |
| dryers, tooth brushes, or electric razors. | | | | about 50 deaths annually. |
| * Don't take a bath or shower. | | | | * Do not camp near small streams. Rain upstream |
| * Do not use the telephone, except in the case of | | | | can cause a flash flood. Camp on higher ground. |
| an emergency. | | | | * Pay attention to signs warning of areas prone to |
| * If you are caught outside: | | | | flash floods. |
| -In a group of people, spread out to minimize | | | | * Do not try to cross a flowing stream on foot if the |
| potential injuries. | | | | water is above your knees. |
| -Avoid being in or near picnic shelters, baseball | | | | * It only takes two feet of water to make a car |
| dugouts, bleachers or metal fences. | | | | float. If your car does stall, abandon it immediately |
| -Avoid hilltops, and tall objects such as isolated trees | | | | and move to higher ground. |
| or poles. | | | | * Be very cautious at night when it's harder to see |
| -In the open, seek a low area, squat with your hands | | | | flood dangers. |
| on your knees and keep twice as far from nearby | | | | * Never try to cross rushing water. If you must |
| trees as the trees are high. | | | | cross standing water, be sure you know the water is |
| -Get off golf courses, athletic fields, tennis courts, | | | | below your floorboards. Drive slowly so you don't stir |
| bicycles, and mowers. Remove shoes with metal | | | | waves. |
| cleats. | | | | More Survival Tips |
| -Get out of the water and off small boats. | | | | * Buy and use a NOAA Weather Radio for |
| -In a forest, find a low area under a thick growth of | | | | continuous broadcasts of weather information from |
| small trees. | | | | the NWS. |
| Tornado Warning | | | | * For more information on dealing with weather |
| Over 1,000 tornadoes strike the U.S. each year, killing | | | | hazards, go to the FEMA website. |
| about 40 people and injuring hundreds more. In a | | | | |