Monday, February 09, 2009 — This week, portions of the southern United States are on watch for significant severe weather, including the possibility of tornadoes.  Tornadoes, nature’s most violent storms, are typically found east of the Rocky Mountains in the spring and summer. Peak tornado season in the southern states is March through May; in the northern states it is late spring through early summer.
The American Red Cross urges residents, in potentially affected areas, to protect themselves and their families with the following helpful tips:

• Select a place where family members should gather – your basement, or if there is no basement, a center hallway, bathroom, or closet on the lowest floor.  Keep this area free of clutter.
• If you are in a high-rise building, pick a place in the hallway in the center of the building.  You may not have time to get to the lowest floor.
• Know that a tornado watch means a tornado is possible in your area, and a tornado warning means a tornado has been sighted and may be headed for your area.  Go to safety immediately.
• If a tornado watch is issued, listen to local radio and television for updates and be alert to changing weather conditions.  Blowing debris or the sound of the approaching tornado may alert you.  Many say it sounds like a freight train.
• If a tornado warning is issued and you are inside, go to the safe place you picked to protect yourself from glass and other flying objects.  If you are outside, hurry to the basement of a nearby sturdy building or life flat in a ditch or low-lying area.  If you are in a car or mobile home, get out immediately and head for safety.
• If a tornado occurs, watch out for fallen power lines and stay out of damaged areas after the storm passes.  Listen to local radio for information and instructions.  Use a flashlight to inspect your home for damage.  Do not use candles.

To learn more about how to prepare for tornadoes and other emergencies, visit www.redcross.org.

Change a life, starting with your own by donating to the American Red Cross Campaign for Disaster Relief. Your gift to the Disaster Relief Fund will bring us closer to our national goal of $100 million to aid victims of disasters.

About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies nearly half of the nation's blood; teaches lifesaving skills; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a charitable organization — not a government agency — and depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit www.redcross.org or join our blog at http://blog.redcross.org.