Put together a
Disaster Supplies Kit TODAY!
In an emergency, you will need some
basic supplies. You may need to get by
without power or water. Be prepared to
beself-sufficientforatleast72hours.
• Water – one gallon of water per
personperdayforatleast72hours
(for drinking and sanitation)
• First aid kit and essential medication
• Crank/battery-powered radio and
extra batteries
• Canned food & manual can opener
• Special items for infant, elderly, or
disabled family members
• Cash or traveler’s checks
• Important family documents in
waterproof container (i.e. copies of
insurancepolicies,identification,bank
account records)
• Bleach – when diluted (9 parts water
to 1 part bleach) can be used as a
disinfectant
• Emergencysupplies(i.e.flashlight,
whistle, wrench or pliers, etc)
• Food and extra water for your pet
Store these supplies in a sturdy, easy
to carry container(s) and make sure
everyone in the household knows where
it is located.
OAKLAND COUNTY HOMELAND SECURITY
Emergency Preparedness
Starts
Oakland County
HOMELAND SECURITY
with
FAMILY SAFETY DURING
TORNADOES
What To Do In Case Of A
and/or
Severe
Thunderstorms
Large Scale
Chemical/Hazardous
With70MPHWindsorGreater
Material Emergency
OAKLAND COUNTY
HOMELAND SECURITY DIVISION
L. Brooks Patterson
Oakland County Executive
Homeland Security Division
1200NTelegraph47WPontiacMI48341
Phone248.858.5300|Fax248.858.5550
oakgov.com/homelandsecurity|[email protected]
Providing emergency management planning, response, recovery and mitigation services for natural, technological, national security and nuclear emergencies or disasters affecting Oakland County, Michigan.
The County of Oakland does not discriminate on the basis of disability in admission of access to its programs,
activities or services as required by Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.
The average Michigan tornado is on the
groundforlessthan10minutesandtravelsadistanceofaboutfivemiles.However, they do not always follow the norm,
and have been known to stay on the
ground for more than an hour and travel
morethan100miles.
Every year, people are killed or seriously
injured by tornadoes and/or high winds
despite advanced warning. Some did
not hear the warning, while others
received the warning but did not take
action. The preparedness information
in this brochure, combined with timely
severe weather watch and warning
notificationscanhelpsaveyourlife.After
you have received the warnings and/
or observed threatening skies, YOU must
make the decision to seek shelter before
the storm arrives. It could be the most
important decision you will ever make!
What is the difference between a
tornado and a funnel cloud?
What is the difference between a
tornado and a funnel cloud?
How far do tornadoes travel once
they touch the ground?
Create a Family Disaster Plan
Much like a tornado, a funnel cloud is
also a column of violently rotating winds
extending down from a thunderstorm,
however, it does not impact the earth.
Much like a tornado, a funnel cloud is
also a column of violently rotating winds
extending down from a thunderstorm,
however, it does not impact the earth.
Can there be a tornado after dark?
When do tornadoes generally occur?
How much damage can 70 mph
winds do?
Most tornadoes occur during the months
of April through August in the late afternoon and evening hours. However, tornadoes can occur anytime in almost any
month of the year.
Tornadoes are most likely to occur between
3pmand9pmbuthavebeenknownto
occur at all hours of the day or night.
Windspeedof70mphcandoasmuch
damage as a small tornado including
turning over mobile homes, downing trees
and power lines and damaging buildings.
Emergency Preparedness
Starts with YOU!
Before thunderstorms develop, a change
in wind direction and an increase in wind
speed with increasing height creates an
invisible, horizontal spinning effect in the
loweratmosphere.Risingairwithinthe
thunderstorm’s updraft tilts the rotating air
from horizontal to vertical.
How do tornadoes form?
It is a column of violently rotating winds
extending down from a thunderstorm
cloud and touching the surface of the
earth. A tornado spins like a top and may
sound like an airplane or a train.
What is a tornado?
Tornadoes are most likely to occur between
3pmand9pmbuthavebeenknownto
occur at all hours of the day or night.
Can there be a tornado after dark?
The average Michigan tornado is on the
groundforlessthan10minutesandtravelsadistanceofaboutfivemiles.However, they do not always follow the norm,
and have been known to stay on the
ground for more than an hour and travel
morethan100miles.
How far do tornadoes travel once
they touch the ground?
• Post emergency telephone numbers
by every phone and program these
numbers into cell phones
• Show responsible family members how
and when to shut off water, gas and
electricity at main switches
• LearnfirstaidandCPR
• Put ICE (In Case of Emergency)
in your cell phone
When do tornadoes generally occur?
How much damage can 70 mph
winds do?
Complete these steps
Before thunderstorms develop, a change
in wind direction and an increase in wind
speed with increasing height creates an
invisible, horizontal spinning effect in the
loweratmosphere.Risingairwithinthe
thunderstorm’s updraft tilts the rotating air
from horizontal to vertical.
An average of 16 tornadoes occur in
Michiganeveryyear.Since1950,243persons have been killed due to tornadoes.
During the same time, Michigan experienced 965 tornadoes.
Plan in advance how your family will stay
in contact if separated by disaster.
Pick two meeting places
1) A location within a safe distance from home
2) Aplaceoutsideyourneighborhood
in case you can’t return home
Plan in advance how your family will stay
in contact if separated by disaster.
Pick two meeting places
1) A location within a safe distance from home
2) Aplaceoutsideyourneighborhood
in case you can’t return home
How do tornadoes form?
How many tornadoes usually occur
in Michigan every year?
Complete these steps
Windspeedof70mphcandoasmuch
damage as a small tornado including
turning over mobile homes, downing trees
and power lines and damaging buildings.
Create a Family Disaster Plan
It is a column of violently rotating winds
extending down from a thunderstorm
cloud and touching the surface of the
earth. A tornado spins like a top and may
sound like an airplane or a train.
Most tornadoes occur during the months
of April through August in the late afternoon and evening hours. However, tornadoes can occur anytime in almost any
month of the year.
Every year, people are killed or seriously
injured by tornadoes and/or high winds
despite advanced warning. Some did
not hear the warning, while others
received the warning but did not take
action. The preparedness information
in this brochure, combined with timely
severe weather watch and warning
notificationscanhelpsaveyourlife.After
you have received the warnings and/
or observed threatening skies, YOU must
make the decision to seek shelter before
the storm arrives. It could be the most
important decision you will ever make!
What is a tornado?
• Post emergency telephone numbers
by every phone and program these
numbers into cell phones
• Show responsible family members how
and when to shut off water, gas and
electricity at main switches
• LearnfirstaidandCPR
• Put ICE (In Case of Emergency)
in your cell phone
Emergency Preparedness
Starts with YOU!
An average of 16 tornadoes occur in
Michiganeveryyear.Since1950,243persons have been killed due to tornadoes.
During the same time, Michigan experienced 965 tornadoes.
How many tornadoes usually occur
in Michigan every year?
Tornado In A Bottle
A tornado watch means weather
conditions are right for tornadoes to
develop. A watch does not necessarily mean a tornado will develop.
Watches give you time to plan and
prepare. Keep children and pets
under close supervision. Keep an eye
on the sky and listen to a radio or
television for updates and warnings.
If a warning is issued for a tornado
and/or a severe thunderstorm with
70mphwindsorgreater,Oakland
County sirens will activate. Seek shelter immediately and listen to a radio
or television for more information.
Severe Weather Awareness Maze
In this experiment you will make a
tornado using two plastic bottles. As
water pours between the bottles, it
creates a whirlpool, simulating the
vortex of a tornado.
Materials:
1. Two2-literplasticbottleswithlabels
removed
2. Waterwithalittlefoodcoloring added. Using too much makes it
difficulttoseethetornado!
3. Papertowel
4. Flat,metalwasherwithsame
circumference as mouth of bottles,
and strong tape (or make holes in
the bottle lids or buy a ready made
plastic bottle neck joiner)
Unscramble the Words
RSETAISD_______________________________
1.
2. OTNDAOR_____________________________
Oakland County
Outdoor Warning Program
The sirens will activate for three minutes, warning a tornado and/or a severethunderstormwith70mphwinds
or greater is in the area. Seek shelter
immediately and listen to a radio or
television for more information.
Where To Seek Shelter
In a Home:
A basement offers the greatest
safety. If possible, seek shelter under
sturdy furniture. In a home without a
basement, take cover in the center
ofthehouseonthelowestfloorina
small room such as a closet or bathroom or under sturdy furniture.
In a Mobile Home or a Vehicle:
During watches, leave and go to a
substantial structure before the storm
arrives. If there is no shelter nearby,
lieflatinthenearestditch,ravineor
culvert away from mobile homes. Use
your hands to shield your head and
neck.
At Work or School:
Follow plans and move to interior hallwaysorsmallroomsonthelowestfloor.
Avoid areas with glass and wide, free
span roofs (schools, factories, and officebuildingsshoulddesignatesomeone to look for severe weather and
initiate an alarm).
In Open Country:
If possible, get into a sturdy building or
lieflatinaditchordepression.Useyour
arms to protect your head and neck.
4. KESETLEHRES___________________________
5. GNANRIW_____________________________
6.
DARONOTSRINES______________________
7.
WSERASAEN___________________________
8. TRUDOSNHMETR________________________
9. ALIH___________________________________
10. SAEDNPREPRES_________________________
Experiment
ANSWERS: 1) Disaster 2) Tornado 3) Funnel Cloud 4) Seek Shelter 5) Warning
6) Tornado Sirens 7) Awareness 8) Thunderstorm 9) Hail 10) Preparedness
Oakland County instituted an Outdoor
Warning Program to alert citizens who
are outside that a tornado warning
and/or severe thunderstorm warning
with70mphwindsorgreater,isinor
approaching Oakland County. Installing warning sirens is accomplished
through cost sharing agreements with
local municipalities.
3. NULENFDULOC________________________
1. Removelabelsandplasticrings
from necks of bottles.
2. Fillhalfofonebottlewithwater.
Dry opening of bottle with
paper towel and place washer
over it.
3. Placesecondbottleupside
down on top of washer.
Carefully secure bottles
together with strong tape.
4. Turnbottlesupsidedownsothe
bottle containing the water is
on top. Observe what happens.
5. Nowholdthelowerbottlewith
one hand and the upper bottle
with the other hand.
6. While supporting the lower
bottle, quickly move the top
of the upper bottle in a
clockwise circle.
7. Standthebottlesupright,with
the empty bottle remaining
underneath. See what happens
this time.
Youshouldfindthewaterinsidethe
top bottle swirls, forming a funnel
shape (or vortex) as it pours into the
bottom bottle. The vortex created
inthefluidisthesameshapeasa
tornado.
Tornado Safety Word Search
Awareness
Clouds
Debris
Disaster
Downburst
Emergency
Flood
Fog
Funnel
Hail
Lightning
Plan
Preparedness
Radar
Rain
Safety
Shelter
Siren
Storm
Thunderstorm
Tornado
Warning
Watch
Wind