In addition to the storm shelters,
Parsons also had an emergency plan, which they practiced annually to
ensure employees knew what to do if a storm approached. When word
came that the tornado was headed their way that day, everyone moved
quickly to their designated shelters.
News of the tornado warning was
received through the company's weather radio, which alerted staff to
monitor the situation outside.
"Tornados are no fun, but having
lived through one has made believers out of 150 Parsons employees --
tornado warnings need to be taken seriously," said Craig Joraanstad,
human resource manager for the Parsons Company.
The Illinois Emergency Management
Agency and the National Weather Service are highlighting the
dramatic Parsons story during Severe Weather Preparedness Week to
demonstrate how important it is for families, businesses and schools
to develop and regularly practice severe weather emergency plans.
"Three things made a life-and-death
difference for the employees of the Parsons Company on that July day
-- the fact that owner Bob Parsons had the foresight to build storm
shelters, that the company had a plan for severe weather, and that
they regularly practiced the plan so everyone knew precisely what to
do," said IEMA Director William C. Burke. "Thanks to those shelters
and that plan, at least 150 people walked away unhurt from a plant
that was totally destroyed. That's exactly why we're working so hard
to make sure everyone is properly prepared before spring storms
strike."
Chris Miller, warning coordinator
with the National Weather Service in Lincoln, noted that F4
tornadoes account for just 2 percent of all tornadoes but produce 70
percent of the tornado-related fatalities. "Although the majority of
tornadoes in Illinois are F0s and F1s, they're still more than
capable of causing injuries and deaths," Miller said. "People need
to be alert and prepared, especially during the spring storm
season."
To test preparedness, schools,
businesses and families are encouraged to practice their tornado
preparedness on Tuesday (March 1) at 10 a.m. when outdoor warning
sirens in many towns are sounded.
Illinois experiences an average of
39 tornadoes a year, although 2004 was particularly deadly, with 80
tornadoes, which resulted in nine deaths and 23 injuries. And in
2003, a record-setting 120 tornadoes occurred in Illinois, resulting
in two deaths and 81 injuries.
One tool that is critical for severe
storm preparedness is a National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration Weather Radio with a battery backup and tone-alert
feature. The radio issues automatic alerts when a watch or warning
is issued. The National Weather Service uses county names when
watches and warning are issued, so it's important to always know the
county or counties in which you live and work. New Specific Area
Message Encoder Weather Radios can be programmed to alarm only for a
specific county or group of adjacent counties.
For increased safety, there are
several actions people can take before, during and after tornadoes,
thunderstorms and flooding, including these:
Tornadoes
- Before bad weather occurs,
determine the best location in your home and office to seek
shelter. A basement or cellar will usually provide the best
protection. If that is not available, identify an interior room or
hallway with no windows on the lowest level.
- Maintain a disaster supply kit.
- When a tornado warning has been
issued, go at once to your predetermined shelter. In a basement,
go under the stairs, under a heavy piece of furniture or a
workbench. Stay there until danger has passed.
- If in a mobile home, get out and
seek shelter elsewhere. If there isn't a substantial shelter
nearby, seek shelter in a low-lying area and shield your head with
your hands.
- In public places, avoid areas
with wide-span roofs, such as auditoriums, cafeterias, gymnasiums
and large hallways. Stay away from windows.
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Thunderstorms
- Check the weather forecast before
leaving for extended outdoor periods and postpone plans if severe
weather is imminent.
- Close all windows and doors, and
draw the shades or blinds to reduce the risk from flying glass if
window or door glass breaks due to high winds.
- Avoid using the telephone or
other electrical appliances until the storm passes.
- Delay taking baths or showers
until the storm passes.
- If outdoors, seek shelter
immediately. If you can hear thunder, you are probably close
enough to the storm to be struck by lightning.
- If outside without immediate
shelter, find a low spot away from trees and power poles where you
can squat low to the ground. Make yourself the smallest target
possible.
Flooding
- Remember that flooding is the No.
1 severe weather killer nationwide.
- Know how to shut off electricity,
gas and water at main switches and valves, and be prepared to do
so if instructed by local authorities. Know where gas pilots are
located and how the heating system works.
- If advised to evacuate, do so
quickly. Evacuation is much simpler and safer before floodwaters
become too deep for ordinary vehicles to drive through.
- Never attempt to drive over a
flooded roadway. The speed and depth of the water is not always
obvious and portions of the road under the water may have been
washed out. Two feet will carry away most automobiles.
- Never let children play in or
near floodwaters, flooded creeks or flood retention ponds. Lives
are lost each year when children and adults are swept away by
floodwaters.
- Stay away from downed power lines
and report them to the utility company immediately.
- After a flood, use extreme
caution when entering a building.
For more information about how to
prepare for severe weather, Illinois Emergency Management Agency and
the National Weather Service developed a guide called
"Severe Storm Preparedness 2005," which is available at
www.state.il.us/iema or by
calling (217) 785-9888. The guide includes information on weather
terms, how to keep you and your family safe when a storm approaches,
and what actions to take following a severe storm, tornado or flood. [To download the Adobe Acrobat
Reader for the PDF file, click here.]
Note: The Parsons Company
tornado story will be featured on The Weather Channel's "Storm
Stories" on March 9 at 7 p.m. Central time.
[Illinois
Emergency Management Agency news release]
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