May 3, 1999: 10 years later

 Since the massive tornado storm in 1999, the devastated areas have been cleaned up and rebuilt.
 This website shows many videos by Oklahoma News with interviews of victims from the storm. Many people were saved by knowing what to do and sometimes with a little luck. This leads me to believe that knowing what to do in an emergency can mean the difference between life and death. Hopefully the government has learned from this tragedy and doesn't take threats of tornadoes lightly.
The best story from this outbreak was the one of a man who used his NOAA weather radio to listen for information on incoming tornado paths to save his community. He lived in a mobile home area where hiding in your house would not prove effective protection. He gathered up some 35 people living in the area into a small cellar where they waited out the storm. When it had passed they found their mobile homes destroyed. They owed their lives to the effectiveness of the NOAA radio and its superb capabilities.

May 3, 1999 Tornado Storm

On May 3, 1999 a series of 68 tornadoes tore through the plain states. 48 people were killed and $1 billion in property damages was caused by the storm. 16 counties in Oklahoma declared themselves disaster areas. This was a serious tornado outbreak that could have been prepared for.
At the time, the tornado safety guide was very limited on telling citizens what do to in the event of a storm. They mainly told people to seek shelter and get as low as they could to the ground. It failed to mention that hiding under highway overpasses was a bad idea. 2 people were killed because they tried hiding under an overpass and this led to the revision of the guide to include this information. Are we just going to append the tornado safety guide based on the deaths of the uninformed? The guide should have already included this information leading me to believe that they are not as thorough as they could be about their information.

NOAA Weather Radios

NOAA weather radios are the best way to protect yourself from natural disasters. These radios receive free 24/7 broadcasting from NOAA radio stations all over the US. They alert their listeners on potential dangers from incoming storms and winds. The best part is that you don't even need to keep the radio volume turned up at all times. The radio will automatically signal an alarm when dangerous weather is approaching your area. I feel that these are especially important for those who live in mobile homes due to fatalities that can occur if warning are not heard. However, these radios are not cheap and can cost from $20-80 depending on their features. This is why I feel a need from the government and NGOs to provide a free weather radio to those who qualify. Tornadoes aren't going to stop any time soon but we can stop the risk of fatalities now.

Danger of Mobile Homes

Tornadoes strike all over the Midwest due to winds coming over the Rocky mountains. They leave a massive trail of destruction especially for those living in mobile homes. Tornadoes are very serious especially if you live in a mobile home. As seen in the picture, they do not stand up well against a tornado. This is why it is important to evacuate or get somewhere safer as soon as a tornado warning is put into effect. If you don't act soon, it may be too late. Over the past 10 years, noaa.gov has reported that 596 deaths occurred due to killer tornadoes alone. 307 of those deaths were of people living in mobile homes, 51% of the deaths. This is why it is crucial for information to reach mobile home residents as soon as possible.

Local Tornado Warnings

Here is a video of tornado watchers driving down main street in Weatherford, Oklahoma with tornado sirens going off. The sirens indicate that a tornado is expected in the area and to get to shelter. A tornado watch is issued when it is possible that a tornado could form. A tornado warning is issued when a tornado has actually been spotted or picked up on radar. When you hear a siren like this you should seek immediate shelter. Tornadoes are unpredictable; they change directions at will. It was fortunate that no major damage hit Weatherford as 2010 was a pretty dangerous tornado season.