Surviving Tornado Devastation

Emily and her
family–husband Garrett, son Jake and daughter Crystal–had made a comfortable
life for themselves in Guthrie, Oklahoma. They lived in a modest ranch-style
home at the end of a suburban cul-de-sac, and the two kids attended the local
Cotteral Elementary School. Garrett worked at a title insurance company
downtown while Emily kept the books for a local auto repair center. On weekends
they attended the rodeo at the Lazy E Arena, or played a round of golf at the
Cimarron National Golf Club.

Then disaster stuck.
On a beautiful sunny spring afternoon the first warnings came: there was a
tornado watch in Logan County and surrounding areas. As the afternoon waned
into evening the sky darkened and the winds increased. Emily gathered her
family in the kitchen and they monitored developments on the news. Garrett made
a run to the supermarket and returned home with extra batteries, bottled water,
and other supplies.

While the storm raged
through the night the family huddled in their basement. When dawn broke they
saw the devastation: parts of the roof had been ripped away and rain was coming
into the house through the roof and shattered windows. Trees were down and the
power was off. Their new Ford pickup in the driveway was damaged by a
neighbor’s oak tree that had been uprooted.

Fortunately, Emily
and Garrett were prepared and they had an action plan.
According to the American Red Cross, important guidelines homeowners must
follow after a tornado include:

Listen to local
radio or television stations or the NOAA Weather Radio for current information
and instructions.

Help neighbors who
may require special assistance, especially infants, the elderly, and people
with disabilities.

Help injured or
trapped persons, but do not move seriously injured persons unless they are in
danger of further injury. Call for help.

Watch out for
fallen power lines or broken gas lines and report them to the utility company
immediately.

Stay out of
disaster areas. Your presence might hamper rescue and other emergency
operations.

Stay out of damaged
buildings. If you are away from home, return only when authorities say it is
safe.

Wear sturdy shoes.
The most common injury following a disaster is cut feet.

Use battery-powered
lanterns or flashlights. Do not use candles at any time.

Inspect your home
for electrical system damage. Do not attempt to service electrical systems
yourself-call for assistance.

Assume all wires
and power lines are energized!

Take pictures of
the damage, both of your house and its contents, for insurance claims.

Use the telephone
only for emergency calls.

Knowing how to handle
your insurance claim is an important part of disaster recovery. Here are some
tips from Safeco Insurance:

Report your claim
promptly and be ready to provide at least a general description of your damage.

Make temporary
repairs if possible. It is the homeowner’s responsibility to take action to
avoid further damage from water and wind. Make sure to save receipts from any
temporary fixes.

Review your
insurance policy. If you can’t live in your home, your insurance company may
pay additional living expenses while the damage is assessed and your home is
being repaired or rebuilt.

Document your
damage. Make a thorough list of items the tornado damaged. Document the damage
with photos, video, bills, and receipts. Don’t throw out damaged items,
especially expensive ones.

Emily and her family
were prepared for the worst. Because they had a plan they were able to recover
from their disaster and get on with their lives in the community they called
home.