How to Prepare Your Home in Tornado Alley

Weather professionals will tell you that tornado season in this country runs from March through July. But folks who live in Tornado Alley – that area of the central U.S.  that includes Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Illinois, Missouri, Iowa and other states – know that things really crank up in April, May and June.

That's reflected in generally higher than average home insurance premiums in those states. The latest annual average premium in Oklahoma, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, is $1,501. Contrast that with Oregon, where the average is $567 – in part because tornadoes are rare.

So what are Tornado Alley homeowners to do? Be prepared at all times for the worst, because tornadoes strike virtually without warning.

Prepare during the quiet times

Unlike hurricanes, tornadoes don't provide days of warnings before they strike. You only get minutes. That makes it paramount to be prepared at all times during the season. And that means getting ready now.

Following are some steps you can take to protect yourself, your family and your home:

·         Develop a disaster plan. Designate a safe room – a basement or interior room without windows on            the lowest floor of the home. Even a closet or bathroom will do. Find the shutoff mechanisms for                your electricity, gas and water and make sure others in the family know where they are and how to          use them.

·         Practice the plan. Having a strategy does no good if it's not second nature during a crisis. The best              way to do that is to periodically practice, particularly during tornado season.

·         Put together a survival kit. Pack nonperishable food, bottled water, a first-aid kit including vital                  medicines, a battery-operated radio (consider a NOAA weather radio), a flashlight and other                        necessities. Remember, you could lose power – maybe for days.

·         Designate a meeting place outside the home. Just in case you must evacuate because of fire or                      another crisis, set a location to gather. That way, you won't wonder whether everyone made it out              and spend valuable time looking for one another.

·         Check your home insurance policy. Make sure it contains enough dwelling coverage to rebuild your          house in case of the worst. Use an online coverage calculator to make sure your needs match what's          in the policy. Prepare a home inventory – a listing, with photos and receipts, of your possessions –              and keep several copies, including at least one outside the home.

When a tornado strikes

Local television and radio stations will pass along warnings. But there are several signs of trouble that should alert you to implement your plan. Dark, greenish skies; large hail; rotating dark clouds low in the horizon; and the signature sound – a loud roar usually compared with the sound of an approaching train.

Here's what you should do:

·         Shut the windows and get away from them quickly.

·         Implement your disaster plan.

·         Stay where you are until you're sure conditions are safe again – this is where the weather radio can          help.

• If you're at a school, office or store when a tornado hits, avoid areas with glass windows. Get to the       lowest floor and crouch under sturdy furniture if possible. Stay where you are until the all-clear is       given.

Here's one big thing you shouldn't do:

·         Don't try to outrun the storm in your vehicle. Tornadoes can toss cars and trucks around. If you're on        the road when a tornado strikes and there's no building nearby, get out and lie flat in a ditch until              the storm passes.

The aftermath

The storm has passed, but there's danger from fires, fallen power lines, gas leaks, downed trees and other hazards. Check yourself and family members for injuries, and then survey the home for damage.

Take photos of any damage and contact your insurance company as soon as possible to begin the claims process. Only make temporary repairs – cover windows with a tarp, for example, to prevent further water damage from rain. Do not initiate permanent repairs until given the go-ahead by your insurance provider. Use your home inventory to document your insurance claim.

If you cannot stay in the home until it is repaired, keep all hotel and restaurant receipts. Standard homeowners policies typically include loss of use coverage, which can help with additional expenses if you're forced outside the house.

If you live in Tornado Alley, there's little you can do to avoid tornadoes. But you can – and should – prepare for them. It won't eliminate losses due to storms, but it can minimize them.

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