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Its severe weather season. Be prepared! by Kristine Goodrich T here's a tornado watch and you What should you do? Monitor the skies and turn on your radio, television, or check the you stay home?Internet. Consider postponing any outdoor or travel plans. If you are in a mobile home The sirens have stopped sounding. Is it or recreational vehicle, consider moving to safe to come up from the basement? shelter. Do you know the answers? For more information, Tornado warnings are issued when visit the following websites: It's spring, time to start a tornado has formed or a thunder- www.ready.gov thinking about what to storm is exhibiting characteristics do when severe weather indicating a high probability of www.weather.gov strikes. Compiled from a tornado forming. Sirens are http://co.ramsey.mn.us/em Ramsey County and the National activated for all tornado warn- Weather Service, here are some tips to ings. help you stay safe. areas. It is especially important for these What should you do? Take shelter immediately and Everyone also should know that sirens only It is recommended that every home turn on your weather radio sound for a few minutes. When the sirens and business have a NOAA (National or other information source. stop it doesn't mean it is safe to come out Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) If you are indoors, go to the basement or from your shelter; you should wait for an All-Hazard Radio. NOAA radios can be a small inner room without any windows all-clear from your information source. programmed to alert you when there is a watch or an emergency in your area. You home community, go to the designated also can tune in to hear weather forecasts. shelter place. If you have time, make sure They can be purchased at most major you are wearing shoes and have your cell retailers and generally cost $20 to $100. Most local television and some local radio you. If you are outside or in a vehicle and stations also broadcast severe weather in- T here are recycling bins in all of formation. The Internet also can be a valu-indoor shelter. If the threat is immediate, the City parks, near the trash cans. able information source. For daily weather lie on the ground in a low area safe from Please put your bottles and cans into the updates and watch and warning notices in recycling bins and your trash in the trash the Twin Cities, go to www.crh.noaa.gov shelter under a highway overpass. containers. or like the US National Weather Service Twin Cities on Facebook. On Twitter, Severe thunderstorm warnings are issued If you know of another spot in the City follow @Ramsey_alerts.when winds reach 58 mph or more, hail is parks where there should be a recycling three-fourths an inch in diameter or larger, bin, contact Michelle Olson, Parks and It's also a good idea to have an emergency and/or rain falls at a rate of one inch an Recreation Manager, at 651-792-7848 or hour or more. Most counties, including Michelle.Olson@ci.arden-hills.mn.us. Ramsey County, activate sirens only when kit. Families also should have an emer-winds reach 70 mph or more. gency plan in case they are separated during an emergency. You should have What should you do? Go indoors, away two designated meeting places: one near from windows and power and water your home and one farther away in case sources. Monitor weather information. you can't get into your neighborhood. You should also identify and memorize contact information for a person who lives outside While sirens and NOAA radios usually the area whom everyone would check in are activated for weather emergencies, with. emergencies, such as a hazardous materi- als incident or a terrorist attack. Tune in to Severe thunderstorm or tornado watches the radio, television, or Internet device for are issued when weather conditions instructions. indicate a good chance a storm or tornado might develop. Sirens are designed to be heard outdoors; they might not be audible indoors in some 4