Health and Safety - Tornado Safety Rules for Schools

Every year North Carolina experiences a number of destructive tornadoes and some of them are killers. Three of the worst killed more than 45 people: March 1998 in Stoneville; November 1988 in Raleigh ; and March 1984 in the Sandhills.

Since 1950, North Carolina has averaged 14 tornadoes and two tornado-related fatalities each year. 1998 was a record tornado year in North Carolina with 66 confirmed tornadoes through the end of November. The previous record year was 1996, when 51 tornadoes hit the state. In 1999, North Carolina experienced 36 tornadoes that caused two injuries.

Nationwide, several times in recent years, schools have been hit by tornadoes. Fortunately, in most cases, classes were not in session. In some of the other cases where students were present, school officials familiar with tornado safety took prompt action to safeguard the students before the twisters hit.

Guilford County Schools require that each facility develop a Tornado plan and conduct drills to cope with tornadoes. Tornado drills require different actions than fire drills.

Points to consider are:

Remember that the National Weather Service issues a tornado WATCH when the possibilty of a tornado exists, and a tornado WARNING when a tornado has been sighted or indicated on radar. Tornadoes can form suddenly, and there may not be time for a Tornado Warning before a twister strikes. Teachers and students should know the difference between a Watch and a Warning.

School officials should keep the Weather Alert Radio in the Alert Mode at all times, and test the unit monthly to ensure that it is functioning properly. The Weather Alert Radio is the school's primary means of receiving information concerning Watches and Warnings.

Each school should be inspected and tornado shelter areas designated. Schools with basements should use these as shelters. Schools without basements should use ground floor interior hallways that are not parallel to the tornado's path. (Which is usually from the southwest. Never use gymnasiums, auditoriums, media centers, or other rooms with wide, free-span roofs. Teachers and students should know their designated shelter areas.

School administrators should establish procedures governing use or non-use of school buses during tornado Watches and Warnings. Generally speaking, school busses should continue operating during tornado Watches, but not during tornado Warnings. School buses can be blown off course or tipped over by tornado winds.

If a school bus is caught out in the open when a tornado is approaching, the children should be escorted to a nearby ditch or ravine and made to lie face down, hands over head. They should be far enough away so the bus cannot topple on them. School bus drivers are regularly drilled in tornado procedures.

During a tornado Watch, specific teachers or other school staff members should be designated to monitor commercial radio or TV for tornado Warnings, in addition to the Weather Alert radio. Weather spotters should also keep an eye on the sky for dark, rolling clouds, hail, driving rain, or a sudden increase in wind, in addition to the telltale funnel. Precipitation or darkness often obscures tornadoes.

A special alarm system should be designated to indicate a tornado has been sighted and is approaching. A backup alarm system should be planned for use if electrical power fails - A battery-powered bullhorn or an Air Horn. Drills should be conducted using these means of alarms so that teachers and students will be able to identify the alert with that particular alarm.

Specific teachers should be assigned to round up children on playgrounds or other outdoor areas during a tornado Warning. Otherwise, they might be overlooked.

Children in mobile classrooms should be escorted to sturdier buildings or to predetermined ditches, culverts or ravines, and instructed to lie face down, hands over head. Most tornado deaths are caused by head injuries.

When children are assembled in basements or interior hallways during a tornado drill or Warning when the danger is imminent, they should be instructed to respond to a specific command to assume the protective posture, facing the interior walls. Such a command might be "everybody down! Crouch on elbows and knees! Hands over back of head!" It is essential that this command be instantly understood and obeyed. Illustrations showing the protective position should be posted on bulletin boards.