[Luv2travel]

Today we expect sever weather warnings but I am finding it difficult to find information on what to do in the event of something like a tornado sighting? We live in Sumter County in the Villages, how do we find out what to do should the weather turn very bad?

[Army Guy]

Ok, here are the basics for tornado survival. I have lived in "tornado alley" for many years and we can easily get 10 tornados in one day in the spring/fall.
Prior, have a radio battery powered, charged cell phone. Determine a safe room/place in your house. Usually the inner most room with no windows or closet. Bathrooms are generally good if small and interior as the pipes help strengthen the walls. Also have a heavy blanket or quilt nearby
During, listen to the TV/radio. If a tornado warning is given and you are in the path, do not attempt to leave or get in your car. That is the absolute WORSE THING! Go to your safe room, with your radio, phone, and blanket/quilt. Use the quilt/blanket to cover your head and protect from possible flying debris. Stay until all clear.
IF a tornado hits your home, use the phone to call for help and give your location as you may be buried in debris.
If in car or outside, stop the car and lay down in the lowest point, ie ditch, or get in a strong structure. DO NOT TRY TO OUT RUN IT! They change course and are very quick!

Army Guy

[JenAjd]

If one has a weather radio what station(s) do we put them on? I just heard it (sort of) on WLVG but didn't get it fast enough to write down. This may help some who don't listen to the radio. Thanks ahead of time

[English Ivy]

Originally Posted by JenAjd

If one has a weather radio what station(s) do we put them on? I just heard it (sort of) on WLVG but didn't get it fast enough to write down. This may help some who don't listen to the radio. Thanks ahead of time

Take your weather radio to one of our Villages fire stations. They will program your radio with the correct signals for the area you live in. Different areas are covered by different signals.

[ncr2482]

If you live in Sumter County, you can register on-line for code red emergency notification. http://www.sumtercountysheriff.org/emergencymanagement/codered.asp[/URL]

The county has an automated phone system(to your home and/or cellphone) with severe weather notifications. As others have mentioned it is a good idea to purchase a weather radio. One can be purchased at Walmart, Home depot, etc. Nancy

[redwitch]

Also, remove anything lightweight from your lanai, front porch, yard. If possible, move patio furniture to the garage. These items become very good missiles in a high wind even if no tornado.

[EdV]

You can and should purchase a weather radio with an alarm alert that will sound if a tornado watch or warning is issued. The EF3 tornado that struck TV in 2007 occurred at 3 AM.

If your safe room is a closet, it should be one that does NOT have an attic access door. Keep a flashlight there.

[LI SNOWBIRD]

Originally Posted by EdVinMass

You can and should purchase a weather radio with an alarm alert that will sound if a tornado watch or warning is issued. The EF3 tornado that struck TV in 2007 occurred at 3 AM.

If your safe room is a closet, it should be one that does NOT have an attic access door. Keep a flashlight there.

we also have a few "glow sticks" in our safe room (closet) in addition to a flashlight. they are cheap, have a long shelf life, and last for hours--justvsnap 'em and they're on. we were here during the'07 tornado--scary!

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by JenAjd

If one has a weather radio what station(s) do we put them on? I just heard it (sort of) on WLVG but didn't get it fast enough to write down. This may help some who don't listen to the radio. Thanks ahead of time

I heard on Wesh TV last night that our "number" to set on a weather radio is
162.500

They said our area (around The Villages) had a new setting. The meterologist gave the correct numbers for all of the different areas in the viewing area. I thought it was very helpful

Now I am going to get a weather radio and if there is a warning I will go to the basement.

.........oh wrong.

I will go into the closet and whimper.

[getdul981]

Was just wondering where you found a basement.

[duffysmom]

Originally Posted by ncr2482

If you live in Sumter County, you can register on-line for code red emergency notification. http://www.sumtercountysheriff.org/emergencymanagement/codered.asp[/URL]

The county has an automated phone system(to your home and/or cellphone) with severe weather notifications. As others have mentioned it is a good idea to purchase a weather radio. One can be purchased at Walmart, Home depot, etc. Nancy

Thanks ncr & Army Guy, I signed up for Code Red and just heard that the Rec centers are closing at 3 PM today because of the weather. Please be safe everyone.

[EdV]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

I heard on Wesh TV last night that our "number" to set on a weather radio is 162.500 .......

On most weather radios, you set the station for the voice weather news by selecting one of 7 channels. The frequency that GG mentions is the Sumterville tower and would be channel 5 on your weather radio.

You also need to set the alert code (on S.A.M.E. enabled radios) for the Sumterville tower, which is 012119.

[EdV]

If you want to keep an eye on things, here’s a link to the NEXRAD live radar for the area. Then scroll down to the bottom of that page to change any options if you like.

[ajbrown]

All good info, thanks. FWIW, here is a web site that is getting better with time:

http://www.intellicast.com/Local/WxM...SmoothPaletteA

Look at quick picks and select "Storm Cells". I do not see a legend so am not positive what they mean, but they have changed as the front progresses.

[ijusluvit]

Originally Posted by EdVinMass

You can and should purchase a weather radio with an alarm alert that will sound if a tornado watch or warning is issued. The EF3 tornado that struck TV in 2007 occurred at 3 AM.

If your safe room is a closet, it should be one that does NOT have an attic access door. Keep a flashlight there.

About the weather radio: be sure the one you get operates on ac and batteries. Then it will always alert you even if you forget to change the batteries. Not only set it to the correct frequency, but put it in a place where anyone in the house can hear it. Then, increase the volume a little more so you are sure it will wake you at 3:00 am. There will be many alerts which come at all hours, but which are not any real danger. But no, no, don't turn that radio down low or off!

I'll never forget 2/2/07 when I blissfully drove down 441 to Home Depot about 6:30 am. Friends and many of their neighbors near Cane Garden had just suffered great loss or the total destruction of their homes. Then the tornado passed over the place I was standing and caused more damage and fatal injuries in Lady Lake and beyond. My sister called me from New York and my response was "what tornado?"

I bought my radio a few days later.