Picture this. You and your family are sitting around the table eating dinner, when all of a sudden a loud siren goes off in your neighborhood. The television program you are watching suddenly stops, and the weather station comes on making an announcement that there is a tornado warning in your area. 

You may find yourself asking, “What do I do? Where do we take shelter? Is the laundry room a safe place to shelter during a tornado? Or should I go somewhere else?”

In many homes, the laundry room is often the safest place to shelter during a tornado. This is because many laundry rooms tend to be on the lowest level of the home, or even in the basement. 

Don’t worry, and stay calm. This article will help you keep yourself and your family protected during a tornado, to choose the safest room in your home, and to have all the helpful tornado safety tips you will need to survive if you find yourself in such an emergency. Follow these tips to keep your family as safe as possible.

Should I Hide In The Laundry Room During a Tornado?

The laundry room is often a good place to shelter during a tornado. They often tend to be in the center of the home, on the lowest level of the home away from outside walls. Many laundry rooms also do not have windows, which can be dangerous if they break during a tornado. 

These rooms are also often reinforced to support the weight of plumbing and washing machines, which can make them sturdier than many other rooms in the house.

Additionally, laundry rooms could be an excellent place to keep emergency supplies for times when your family needs them. Many families will keep in their laundry rooms or other storage areas of their home supplies such as:

• Emergency blankets, 
• Weather radios, 
• Flashlights, 
• Food, 
• Medical supplies 

If your family chooses to do so, this would make the laundry room an obvious choice for where to shelter during a tornado.

So yes, if your laundry room meets the descriptions above it can be an excellent place to shelter if a tornado warning is issued in your area!

How To Stay Safe During a Tornado

When a tornado has been spotted in your area, it is extremely important that you take shelter immediately and follow basic safety tips.

• Head towards a sturdy shelter. If a tornado is heading in your direction, stop what you are doing immediately and head towards shelter. If you are outside, head inside immediately. If you are inside, head towards the safest room in the house.
• Don’t try to outrun the tornado. You should never try to outrun a tornado in your car or on foot. Tornados travel at very fast speeds, and change directions quickly. The safest option is to take shelter in the closest safe building, and to return to your home after the danger has passed.
• Avoid mobile homes. Mobile homes in particular are very prone to being overturned by tornados, so the safest tip is to evacuate and seek shelter in a stronger home or building in the nearby area. If such a shelter is not available, try to find a ditch or low-lying area to lie in.
• Be sure to have an emergency plan. If you live in an area where tornadoes are common, it is recommended that you and your family come up with an emergency plan ahead of any weather emergencies. Good emergency plans choose a designated safe place for your family to gather (such as the laundry room), plan for any unique needs your family may have (such as necessary medical supplies or equipment), and have emergency supplies planned in advance – such as a first aid kit, water, food, and battery-operated technologies like radio or television to get weather information.

The Safest Places In Your House During a Tornado

If you are at home when a tornado warning is issued, the safest place to be is underground if at all possible. Because of this, the safest places in your house during a tornado will be rooms such as the basement, cellar, or storm shelter, which are entirely underground. 

If your home does not have any underground options available, the safest places are any interior rooms on the bottom floor of your house. In particular, the safest rooms are ones that do not have windows, such as:

• Laundry room
• Closet
• Hallway
• Bathroom

In other words, you should try to wait out the storm in any spaces that are as far from the outside walls and windows of the home as possible are recommended as the safest places to take shelter.

What To Do If You’re Caught Inside During a Tornado

If you find yourself caught inside during a tornado, it is important that you avoid panicking and keep calm. Panicking can quickly lead to making mistakes during an emergency, so keeping a level head is absolutely essential to staying safe during a tornado. 

Remember that most of the time, inside is the safest place to be during a tornado – especially if you are calm and take the necessary steps to protect yourself.

If you are caught inside during a tornado, be sure to:

• Think carefully about which room you are in. Be sure you are far from the outside walls of the building and are away from windows. Then, make your way to one of those rooms immediately.
• Only save what is necessary. Don’t waste time trying to gather belongings or valuable items in your home to take with you. These items are never more valuable than your own life or the lives of your family. Focus on getting yourself and the people around you to a safe place.

Once in the safest room of the building you are in, be sure to:

• Sit in the center of the room. You should try to avoid sitting in the corners of the room, as corners have a tendency to attract debris if the tornado happens to damage the building you are in.
• Find a strong piece of furniture to sit underneath. This could be furniture such as a heavy table, sturdy desk, or an overturned couch – anything that will be harder to blow away in the strong winds.
• Cover your head and neck. Protecting your head and neck with a blanket, pillow, or mattress is recommended to help save you from any flying debris that may happen if the tornado hits the building you are in.

Tips For Recovering After a Tornado

As soon as danger has passed, take a look around and assess what needs to be handled immediately.

Check For Injuries

If your family is injured in any way – your first step will be getting them the medical attention they need. If you have a phone nearby, try contacting emergency services as soon as the storm has passed so you can get the help you need.

Contact Your Insurance Company

After the immediate danger has passed and you have ensured everyone is safe, you can begin to take steps to handle any damage that the tornado may have caused to your home. 

If you have homeowners or renters insurance, contact the insurance company as soon as possible. Your insurance company will likely need to send a representative to your home to assess the damages before any repairs can be made. Be sure to take photographs of all of the damage and debris for your records.

Get Help From Relief Organizations

If your home is completely unlivable, consider contacting relief organizations like the Red Cross. These organizations can often help find immediate housing after a disaster, and will often provide clothing, food, and other necessary supplies to those in need.

Clean Up The Mess

Once the insurance company has seen and recorded the damage, cleanup can begin. Allow the fire department or other emergency services to handle any dangerous debris like downed power lines. 

For other debris, consider asking if members of your community will help with the cleanup. The more people who help, the quicker the damage can be fixed and life can resume as normal.