Emergency Procedures: Tornado
DEFINITION
- Tornado watch - Issued by the National Weather Service when conditions are favorable for severe thunderstorms and multiple tornadoes to form in or around the area
- Tornado warning - Issued by the National Weather Service when a tornado has been sighted or indicated in the warning area
GENERAL TIPS
- Immediately move to an interior hallway on a lower level in the middle of the building you are in
- Stay away from all windows and glass doors
- DO NOT use the elevators
- Close and lock all windows and exterior doors
- Close all window shades, blinds, or curtains
Call USC Police at 911 and tell the dispatcher:
- Your location
- Type of injury or illness of victim
- Victim's status (conscious, breathing, or bleeding)
- Victim's age
- Stay on the line until released by the dispatcher
- DO NOT leave your location until advised or storm warning ends
IN YOUR VEHICLE:
- Immediately get out of your car and find the nearest, low-level room of a building or storm shelter
- NEVER try to outrun a tornado, especially in a congested or urban area
OUTSIDE:
- Find shelter immediately
- If no shelter is available, find the nearest low-level ditch and lie flat with your hands covering your head
- DO NOT seek shelter under a bridge or overpass
- Beware of flying debris and possible flooding