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Tornado Preparedness Planning DP:MOMENT RIZOIE MS 171 591 SE 027 947 TI ILE Tornado Preparedness Planning.. INSTITUTION National Coeatic and Atmospheric Administrati (DOC) , Rockville, Md. National Neatherservice. PUB DATE Dec 78 NOTE 33p0; Figures on maps nay be marginallylegible AVAILABLE OM Superintendent of Documents, U.S. GovernmentPrinting Office, Washington, D.C. 20402 (Stock Number 003-017-00434-1; $1.40) EDES PRICE MF01/PCO2 Pius Postage, DESCRIPTORS Alarm Systems; Civil tef *Community Coordination; *Community 'Education; Community Leaders; Earth Science; *Emergency Programs; 'Meteorology; *Methods; SafetyEducation; School Safety IDENTIFIERS *National Weather Service ABSTRACT This pamphlet -tains a set of guidelines-for community leaders interested indeveloping preparedness plans for tornadoes and severe thunderstorms,included in the guide it a list of the types of officials andagencies which -should be involvedin planning meetings.A set of suggestions fordeveloping a community communications network and pre-seasonactions for local institutions and homeowners is presented. Theguidelines are intended to develop community awareness and coordinatedaction by all persons or agencies involved and to ensure that provenprocedures are adopted. A section of the text deals with educatingthe public concerning how to protect themselves from the hazards of thesedevastating natural phenomena. (S A) **** *V** ****** ******* * **V ******* Re prod tions supplied by ERRS are the best bat can be made from the origiral document. ***************************A******* ******** U.S. DEPARTIV1Ern OF C 1IVIMERCE / National Oceanic and At boric Administration TORNADO Ei PREPAREDNESS w L U5 DEPARTMENT OP HEALTH EDUCACION WELFARE NATIONEADLUCINASTTIIOTNUTE OF THIS DocumErn Has BEEN REPRO OUCED EXACTI,'Y AS RECEIVED FROM THE PERSON OR ORGANIZATION OR ION- ATINC. IT POINTS OF VIEW OR OPINIOt! STATED DO NOT NECESSARILY REPRE- SENT OFF ICIAL NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION POSITION OR POLICY TORNADO PREPAREDNESS PLANNING U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE v0 OF 0, 4.11' v4, Juanita M. Kreps, Secretary IrrS6 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Richard A. Prank, Administrator National Weather Service 4rEs George P. Cressman, Director December 1978 PREFACE In June 1973, the Defense Civil Preparedness Agency (DCPA) a Idthe National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) signed an agreement to coordinate the community natural disaster program. Itdesignates the DCPA OSitc Assistance program as the means for carrying out much of the disaster preparedness planning effort at the local government level. We believethis agree. meat will lead to improved coordination in community disasterplanning through- out the Nation. The DCPA, state Civil !Defense, and the National Weather Service(NWS) of INfOAA have been cooperating in planning and coordinating community pre- paredness meetings and drills. This agreement will providea better organized and more systematic effort by both agencies. The tornado preparedness planning information in this pamphlet isto aid the local leaders and the On-Site Assistance teams in developing community preparedness plans. These plans are needed (I)to ensure coordinated .action by everyone involved (e.g., warning agencies, local officials, law enforcement agen- cies, cooperating news media, rescue and medical agencies, disaster relief agencies, and volunteer communications groups); (2) to ensure the adoption and iniple- mentation of proven practices and procedures; and (3)to carry out a public education program concerning the threat of tornadoes and severe thunderstorms and the Pleasures that individuals should take to safeguard themselves when they are in the path of these devastating natural hazards. Community tornado preparedness plans should be commensurate with the frequency of such storms, thepopulation density, and the resources ofthe corurnunity. George P. Cressma Director, National Weather Service 4 CONTENTS Page Chapter Preface............. ........... ill he. it. 1 1 Introduction1.1. .. .. .. ...1.1 ,, I What Can Be Done . , , 1 How to Start Doing It , . ' 1 11 Tornado Preparedness Planning .. ..- ..... ... .... .... .. ... -. 3 National Weather Service Cooperation .,......., ..... ...... .. .. .. ... 3 The First Meeting .., , .. ... ..,... .. .. .. .. .. ....... ... 4 The Tornado Preparedness Committee .,. ........ ,, .. .... 5 Building Blocks for a Tornado Preparedness Plan .. 5 The Published Plan _ ...,.. _ .. ,. _ .,. , ..,,,. ... .. ... ..... 6 Example of Section 5 Contents . _ ............ .. 8 IVTornado and Severe Thunderstorm Reporting Networks......" .,.... 8 Establishment of Networks ... .... .... .. .. .. .. .... .. .. 9 Training of Spotters ..,...... .. _ _ ,. .. .. .. .. ,. ... , ... .. ... ... Operation of the Spotter Network ... , .......... .. .. 9 ... 10 Appreciation of the Spotters' Efforts _ .. _ ..., ... ... ... .. 10 Practice Drills . ... ,., .. , ... .. 10 Special Supplemental Spotters . V Communications and Distribution of Warnings 11 Necessary Internal Communications Arrangements . .. .. ........ .. .... 11 Reaching the Public. _ ... , ., , _ _ _ ... , ,. 11 12 Reaching the Broadcast Stations..... ,., ..... .. ... ... .. ..... 12 Other Means , Audible Warnings .. 13 VIPublic Education on Tornadoes and Severe Thunderstorms . .. ....... 14 Recommended Safety Rules and Pre-Season Actions ..... 15 Special Safety Rules and Pre-Season Actions forSchools 16 16 Lightning Safety Rules . , . .. 18 VIIMedical and Hospital Tornado and Severe Thunderstorm Plans ..... 19 VIIIPost-Disaster Relief and Rehabilitation.,. .. , .. .. .. .... .. ..,.... 20 IXSevere Local Storm Warning Service .. .,. .. .. .... - ...... XDescription and Climatology of Tornadoes rind Severe Thunderstorms . 24 Characteristics of Tornadoes .... ........ .. ............ ... ... 24 The Work of Winds and Pressure 25 .. ... .. .. 25 Wind Speeds . .. ,.. .. .. .... The Casualty and Damage Potential 25 Major Tornadoes 26 Characteristics of Severe Thunderstorms 26 List of Illustrations gure 26 1.Tornado Incidence by State and Area, 1953-1971 27 2.Deaths From Tornadoes, 1953-1971 27 3.Threat Rating From Tornadoes, 1953-1969 . ..... .. ... 28 4. Tornado Incidence by Month, 1953-1971 . .. .. ... List of Tables; Table 1. Guide for Contact with National Weather Service RegionalHeadquarters 2 4 2.Suggested Attendance for a Tornado Preparedness Planning Meeting CHAPTER I-INTRODUCTION Your wife is in the kitchen, preparing the evening tads and how to protect themselves. This education meal. Your children are playing outdoors. should be arranged by the local leadership as part of The broadcast program is suddenly interrupted. tornado preparedness planning. This leadership can The announcer says, urgently: "The U.S. Com- alsofit tornado preparedness planning to the re- merce Department'S National Weather Service has sources and capabilities of the comunity. just issued the following Tornado Warning Bulletin" What Can Be Done? A "TORNADO WARNING IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 P.M. FOR PERSONS IN [YOUR A Tornado Preparedness Plan can be developed to COUNTY]. A TORNADO WAS SIGHTED fit any size community, from a small town to a large SIX MILES SOUTHWEST OF [YOUR metropolitan area. Plans are needed even for com- TOWN] AT 5:15 P.M. THIS TORNADO IS munities where no tornado has ever struck. Every MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHEAST AT year, places that have never been struck before join TWENTY MILES PER HOUR. IF A TOR- the list of tornado disaster locations. NADO OR THREATENING CONDITIONS Can anything really be done to minimize a tor- ARE SIGHTED .. BE PREPARED TO nado disaster? Yesby public education in the ap- MOVE TO A PLACE OF SAFETY." plication of effective procedures, timely wide-spread warnings can be applied to save many people from What does this mean to your wife? What should death or injury when a tornado strikes. The same she do to protect herself and the children? Has she system can be used to spread the word when severe ever been told what shelter to seek, or how to recog- thunderstorms pass over an area, in order to reduce nize an approaching tornado? Has your community deaths and injuries from lightning, high winds, and developed plans for warning her neighborhoodfor destructive hail. recommending shelter areasfor quick rescue opera- Although a community may have a disaster plan tion if a tornado strikes? for other hazards (man-made or natural), tornadoes If your community is among those which have and severe thunderstorms are "short-fuse" hazards developed tornado preparedness plans, your wife and and can strike suddenly, then move quickly across an children will have a much better chance of survival area. Special cooperative arrangements need to be and rescue if your neighborhood, or even your house, made to watch for them, detect them as soon as is struck. possible, and quickly warn the areas in the path of If,however, your communityis among those their movement, so that people can go to proper which have not yet developed and established a Tor- shelter immediately. Preplanned rescue and relief op- nado Preparedness Plan, the development of an ade- erations should be ready to start as soon as disaster quate plan should be considered seriouslyNOW. strikes. This pamphlet gives you information on what can be done and how to do it. Row to start Doing It The potential for loss of life and property from tornadoes increases year by year. As open fields be- NOAA's National Weather Service (formerly the come residential areas, the target for disaster broad- Weather Bureau) started its severe
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