Good Idea?

Joined
May 8, 2004
Messages
338
Location
Central Oklahoma
I got a mass mailing a few days ago from U.S. Representative Mary Fallin (fifth district of Oklahoma). The title is "Be Prepared for Tornado Season." It was addressed to a previous resident of the house I live in. The back of the flyer lists tips for staying safe during severe weather. Most of it is good stuff, but I found one tip a bit odd. The exact text is as follows:

"Move anything in your yard that can become flying debris inside your house or garage before a storm strikes."

Am I wrong, or is this rather bad advice? The bottom of the flyer suggests visiting www.spc.noaa.gov/faq/tornado/ to learn more. I visited the site and found nothing to support such advice.

I found it comical when I first read it, imagining a large tornado bearing down on a family while they frantically carried lawn chairs, bicycles, and yard gnomes inside. Then I realized that some people may actually take such advice seriously.

Anyway, I'm pondering contacting the the representative's office to let them know what I think, but I wanted to make sure that I'm right before I contact the office.

So . . . is the advice in quotes above good or bad advice?

Input appreciated.
 
In the face of an actual warning, it would be a pretty dumb thing to do. In the context of "Oh hey, the weather forecast says thunderstorms this afternoon, maybe I should move my plastic patio furniture into the shed" it's not a bad idea at all.

I worked an EMS call not long ago where a guy was cracked in the head by a flying "Something that came off my neighbor's patio, I couldn't see what it was". 35 stitches and a pair of black eyes. My guess was a big piece of a plastic play house which looked to have been blown apart by the ~70mph winds behind a gustfront.
 
I got a mass mailing a few days ago from U.S. Representative Mary Fallin (fifth district of Oklahoma). The title is "Be Prepared for Tornado Season." It was addressed to a previous resident of the house I live in. The back of the flyer lists tips for staying safe during severe weather. Most of it is good stuff, but I found one tip a bit odd. The exact text is as follows:

"Move anything in your yard that can become flying debris inside your house or garage before a storm strikes."

Am I wrong, or is this rather bad advice? The bottom of the flyer suggests visiting www.spc.noaa.gov/faq/tornado/ to learn more. I visited the site and found nothing to support such advice.

I found it comical when I first read it, imagining a large tornado bearing down on a family while they frantically carried lawn chairs, bicycles, and yard gnomes inside. Then I realized that some people may actually take such advice seriously.

Anyway, I'm pondering contacting the the representative's office to let them know what I think, but I wanted to make sure that I'm right before I contact the office.

So . . . is the advice in quotes above good or bad advice?

Input appreciated.

Why not, they can't eat ya. At least I don't think they can. LOL j/k.

In all seriousness, I'd say go for it. If you've never done this, it can be a cool experience. Also I'm kind a curios to see what the Rep has to say.

Regarding the advice given: If said tornado is strong enough, everything is going to be lofted anyways. I guess it depends if you want it all to go at once, or a couple pieces at a time. LOL ! Then again your dealing with mass weight, and that can be a good thing.

Please, keep us informed if you decide to proceed with this.
 
I know in hurricane prone areas when a watch is issued for a storm a few days out they suggest that you bring in the lawn furniture and toys tools. This is no small job in a lot of cases. Not sure if you could do it in time a storm/tornado watch gives you.
Still I don't think its bad advice if you have time. Best to leave it in secure building anyway.

Jeff
 
"Move anything in your yard that can become flying debris inside your house or garage before a storm strikes."

I think the key is "before a storm strikes."
Of course, The general public will probably interpret it as meaning before the tornado actually hits you.
 
Bottomline:

It is making people aware and better informed about severe weather and preparing for events. Most just wait till 2 seconds (or more) after it's too late to do anything.
 
Does it specifically say to do that in response to a tornado warning?

One section says "Tornado Safety Tips" and the other section says "Signs of a Tornado."

The part I quoted is from the Tornado Safety Tips section.

The general concensus seems to be that the advice on the flyer is not entirely wrong, so I have decided not to contact the representative's office. I think the tip could lead people to act inappropriately in the face of an oncoming storm, but maybe that's just how I read it.

Anyway, thanks for all the input. :)
 
It is good advice. "Batten down the hatches" as they say.

It clearly says "before a storm strikes".

Not sure if it is worth writing anyone about since it is correct
and is something contained in weather statements from the NWS.

Sure, leave that loose propane grill tank on your deck. Makes
life more fun when the wind begins to howl.

Folks shut their windows, put their cars in the garage etc.
Why not secure items that could become projectiles?

Seems like common sense.

Now if the person goes out in the middle of hurricane winds
to do it, that makes the person stupid, not the suggestion.

Tim
 
One section says "Tornado Safety Tips" and the other section says "Signs of a Tornado."

The part I quoted is from the Tornado Safety Tips section.

The general concensus seems to be that the advice on the flyer is not entirely wrong, so I have decided not to contact the representative's office. I think the tip could lead people to act inappropriately in the face of an oncoming storm, but maybe that's just how I read it.

Anyway, thanks for all the input. :)

Given that it's under the Tornado Safety Tips section, I don't think it'd be a bad idea to write anyway, and ask them to consider making the wording more specific. I've witnessed people who waited until the storm was practically on their doorstep before running outside to secure their possessions that were already being tossed around.

I don't think you can really spell instructions out too clearly when it comes to something like this. I've seen too many people act without thinking to just assume the average Joe is going to exercise common sense.
 
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