Be Ready

Be Ready

Preparing before the storm

BY LISA SAVAGE

It was a balmy May afternoon, the kind of spring day ripe for storms. Rev. Wes Fowler, pastor at Mayfield First Baptist Church, knew a tornado watch had been issued for the area. At the church’s preschool, attended by about 25 students, a plan was in place for keeping everyone safe. “Our first step was to get all the kids down to the basement,” Fowler says.

Having a storm-preparedness plan is key to saving lives, says Chris Noles, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Paducah. “People need to know what they’re going to do before a tornado approaches,” Noles says. “Then, put the plan into action instead of waiting.”

Even with a plan to follow, it was a long and emotional day for the preschool staff and all of Mayfield on May 10, 2016. After the kids were safe, Fowler, the church children’s pastor Kody Hopwood and a few others went outside to keep an eye on the sky. That’s when they saw it: the dark funnel in the distance rotating to the ground and swirling debris. Winds from the EF3 tornado left destruction in its path. As Fowler watched the tornado, he knew it was going to miss the church. Hopwood recorded it on video.

Almost immediately, parents were calling to check on their children, and Fowler and the other church staff members made sure their own families were safe. “At first, I remember thinking how unique it was to actually see a tornado,” he says. His thoughts, however, turned to his wife, Tara, a teacher at Graves County High School, and their kids.

“I knew from the location and movement of the tornado that it was near the school,” he says. He soon found out the tornado barely missed the school, but it took a little longer to learn his son was safe.

“He was on the school bus, but I didn’t know exactly where,” Fowler says. He kept making phones calls but couldn’t find out anything. He later learned that the bus driver, aware of the tornado, had pulled into a church parking lot to wait out the storm. “It was a good feeling to finally learn that my family was all safe and sound,” Fowler says.

Ricky Shanklin, warning coordination meteorologist with the National Weather Service office in Paducah, monitors a strong weather system in the area.

The National Weather Service office in Paducah handles watch and warning notifications for Mayfield and surrounding areas.

Robin Smith is a hydrometeorological technician at the National Weather Service office in Paducah.

DANGERS OF TORNADOES

Tornadoes are capable of destroying well-made structures, uprooting trees and hurling objects through the air like deadly missiles, Noles says. They can occur at any time of the day or night and at any time of year. Most tornadoes in this area occur in the spring. Although they are most common in the central Plains and the southeastern United States, there have been sightings in all 50 states.

The National Weather Service is the agency that monitors weather conditions, issuing watches and warnings. But teaching others about safety when a tornado threatens is a big part of the job, Noles says. Weather radios are an important tool for receiving information about tornadoes, and they’re especially important for nighttime tornadoes.

“Some of the worst reports of injuries are at night because people aren’t as aware that a tornado is approaching,” Noles says. It’s best to have more than one source for alerts about tornado watches and warnings. “Redundancy is good,” he says.

Even if someone has a source for alerts, it’s also important to have a plan. “Know ahead of time where you’re going to go and what you’re going to do to keep yourself and your family safe,” Noles says.

AFTER THE STORM

The tornado in Mayfield was part of an outbreak of supercells. The strongest and longest-lived tornado occurred in Graves and Marshall counties. It packed winds of 140 mph and left a path of destruction for 19 miles. Ten people sustained injuries.

Mayfield First Baptist Church was designated as an American Red Cross shelter. “But absolutely nobody used us. That’s a testament to the resiliency of our residents,” Fowler says. “People who had lost their homes stayed with friends or family.”

The storm showed Fowler the community’s generosity. He served on the Tornado Relief Committee, which took in more than $200,000. The committee helped more than 30 families who lost their homes or experienced damage to their homes. “Some people lost everything,” he says.

But the community emerged stronger than ever. “Being prepared is important, and we learned a lot that day and in the months following,” Fowler says. “Even though there was a lot of damage, we’re thankful it wasn’t worse.”

Know what to do before a tornado

Be ready: Check the forecast regularly to see if your area is at risk for tornadoes. Listen to local news or a NOAA Weather Radio to stay informed about tornado watches and warnings.

Sign up for notifications: Know how your community sends warnings. Some communities have outdoor sirens. Others depend on media and smartphones to alert residents of severe storms capable of producing tornadoes.

Create a communications plan: Have a family plan that includes an emergency meeting place and related information. Pick a safe room in your home, such as a basement, storm cellar or an interior room with no windows on the lowest floor. Find more ideas for your family plan at www.ready.gov/make-a-plan.

Practice your plan: Conduct a family severe thunderstorm drill regularly so everyone knows what to do if a tornado is approaching. Make sure all members of your family know to go to the designated safe room during tornado warnings. Don't forget pets.

Prepare your home: Consider having your safe room reinforced. You can find plans for reinforcing an interior room to provide better protection on the Federal Emergency Management Agency website.

Help your neighbor: Encourage your loved ones to prepare for the possibility of tornadoes. Take CPR training so you can help if someone is hurt.

SOURCE: NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE The National Weather Service website has an abundance of information, with links to research, past events and other weather topics of interest as well as safety information about thunderstorms, lightning and tornadoes.