Severe Weather Safety: How To Prepare For A Tornado In An Apartment In Carmel
If you live in the Midwest, you can count on dangerous weather every year. Odds are, your region will even face a tornado warning at certain times. While everyone knows how to shelter in a house during a tornado, the guidance for individuals in apartments is less clear. In case you don’t have a cellar to go to, here’s how to prepare for a tornado in an apartment in Carmel.
Tornado Sirens? Where To Take Shelter In Your Apartment Building
When the tornado alerts go off outside your Carmel apartment, where do you go? Few apartments have lower levels. You may even live on a higher level.
While not many tornadoes are powerful enough to destroy a sturdy apartment building, smaller tornadoes can still drive debris through glass, remove roofs, or rip out trees. Always seek shelter during severe winds or tornado warnings in one of these locations:
- An underground level of your parking garage
- The ground floor of your apartment building, and away from windows
- A ground-floor neighbor’s apartment
- Interior hallways or stairwells without windows
- A closet or interior room of your apartment
- Below a sturdy table
- In the bathtub with a thick blanket for protection
When you hunker down, put on a bike helmet or cover your head with a thick pillow for added protection.
Be Prepared For Severe Weather
The best way to prepare for a tornado in your apartment in Carmel is to monitor weather conditions and plan in advance. Your plan ought to include essential supplies if you get stuck in your home or must depart quickly. Choose a designated spot to store your disaster kit and pack the following:
- Handheld radio
- Flashlight
- Extra batteries
- Extra set of car and apartment keys
- Mobile phone charger
- Cash
- Emergency medical kit
- Photocopy of your driver’s license
- Non-perishable snacks
- Bottles of water
- Crucial medications
- Pet supplies
Inspect your emergency kit at six-month intervals to ensure they still work, and replace the water and food items. When a tornado warning sounds, take shoes and appropriate clothing with you when taking cover.
Strong winds can easily take out electrical lines in your community. For blackouts, keep these essentials ready:
- Shelf-stable food that doesn’t have to be cooked
- Battery-powered lights
- A power bank for charging your cell phone
When you’re ready, you’ll endure any emergency better and feel more peace of mind.
What Not To Do During A Tornado
Most people think it won’t happen to them. You can avoid bodily harm or worse during a storm by playing it smart. Take cover as soon as possible and don’t
- Use an elevator during a tornado warning
- Track the storm by looking out the window
- Venture outside
- Shelter under tall furniture pieces like bookcases, shelves, or heavy wall art
Make Lakeside Your Home In All Sorts Of Weather!
We can’t stop storms from happening, but we can offer an exceptional apartment lifestyle at Lakeside Apartments! You’ll feel perfectly at home in one of our spacious apartments surrounded by life-enhancing amenities in a well-maintained community. Contact 317-344-8491 or schedule a tour to explore why we’re a sought-after place to live in Carmel.