WARNING: Tornado season is approaching

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Montse Ramirez
  • 509th Bomb Wing Public Affairs
WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo. --  Tornados are known to be some of Mother Nature's most destructive natural disasters. Missouri ranks number seven in frequencies, 12 in fatalities and nine in economic loss in the nation.

Tornados have been observed during every month of the year, with about 70 percent occurring during March through June. About 82 percent of Missouri tornados occur between noon and midnight, with the highest activity between 4 and 6 p.m., according to Senior Airman Scott Tucker, 509th Civil Engineer Squadron readiness and emergency management.

In order to ensure safety for this Air Force Global Strike Command base and its surrounding communities when a tornado warning is issued, the readiness and emergency management office has the following advice in case a tornado approaches and you are:

· In a house- Each operationally active building on Whiteman AFB will have a designated tornado shelter room. These rooms are designated by a tornado shelter sign on the outside of the door. Once in the room, get under a sturdy piece of furniture, such as a table or a desk.

· In a vehicle- If you're driving and you see a tornado in the distance move at avright angle from the tornado. If the tornado is in the immediate vicinity don't try to outrun it. An Enhanced Fujita Scale 1(the lowest strength) tornado can push a moving vehicle off the road and an EF2 tornado can pick up a vehicle completely off the ground. Instead seek shelter immediately.

· Outside- Get to the closest sturdy building possible and follow the building sheltering guidance. If you can't get to a building then lie flat in a nearby ditch or depression and cover your head and neck. Watch out for flying debris. Flying debris from tornados cause most fatalities and injuries.

"Inside the shelter in place, one should have a disaster supply kit with necessary items such as a communication device, water, first aid kit, emergency whistle, flashlight and batteries, blankets, canned food, can opener and sanitation wipes," Tucker said. "If possible, have multiple avenues for communicating in case one mode is unavailable or damaged in some way."

After a tornado, Tucker advises personnel to take accountability of their unit. The senior ranking person within the shelter should call their Unit Control Center and report names and numbers of personnel in the shelter.