Preparation is critical for tornado season

By Titus Ledbetter III, Belvoir EagleMarch 7, 2014

Fort Belvoir, Va. (March 6, 2014) - The tornado season runs from late March to May and members of the Fort Belvoir community should develop an emergency plan with Family members, just in case.

They should also have an emergency kit, according to Paul Alquisa, Directorate of Plans, Training, Mobilization and Security contingency planner.

Families should develop a place to meet within their house in case of emergency, and also a rendezvous place outside of the home in case it is destroyed, according to Alquisa. The plan should be rehearsed multiple times.

"A lot of people just don't think about tornados," Alquisa said. "That is the last thing on their mind."

Emergency kits should be filled with necessities, including 72 hours worth of non-perishable food, water and medicine for each person in the household, according to the website for Ready Army, the service's campaign for hazards. Each person should have three separate emergency kits -- for their home, car and workplace, according to Alquisa.

Fort Belvoir Families can receive emergency updates via phone, Internet and radio.

"Tornadoes are unexpected," Alquisa said. "They can happen at any time, but they're more likely to happen between 3 and 9 p.m."

It is important for people in the house to know how to shut off the power in case of an emergency, according to Alquisa. A member of the Family should be designated to cut off the circuit breaker within the home during a tornado.

People should also understand the difference between a tornado watch and a tornado warning, according to Alquisa. A tornado watch indicates that weather conditions are conducive for a tornado.

A tornado warning is issued when a tornado is spotted, and that is when people should begin to take action.

One of the most important items that people should own is a radio for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Weather Radio All Hazards system, according to Alquisa. The nationwide network of radio stations continuously broadcasts information from the nearest NWS office. The system broadcasts official warnings, watches, forecasts and other hazard information 24 hours-a-day, seven days-a-week.

The NWR system is a network operated in conjunction with the Federal Communication Commission's Emergency Alert System. It is considered a one-stop source for weather and emergency information.

For more information about preparedness, visit the Ready Army website at www.readyarmy.mil.

As part of its tornado preparations, Fort Belvoir will participate in the annual Virginia Statewide Tornado Drill, Tuesday at 9:45 a.m. The drill is a joint effort between the state's Department of Emergency Management and the National Weather Service.

When a tornado warning happens at work, people should go to the lowest level of multiple story buildings, according to Alquisa. It is important for them to stay away from windows. People should also stay away from the corners of the room because that is where debris accumulates. They should crouch down and cover their heads in the middle of the room while they wait for the tornado to pass.