Where to take shelter

We regard tornadoes, like all unpleasant things, as distant events, far away from our quiet, peaceful lives. We hear about tornadoes in Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma, and we consider ourselves lucky that we don’t live there. “Tornado Alleys” are elsewhere, we think.

But then several of them suddenly come down right next to us, and we get a jarring wake up call. When a series of twisters roared through several towns in DeKalb County barely 20 miles from Sun City recently, community residents found themselves thinking differently about tornadoes.

The April 9 damage to the towns of Ashton, Fairdale, and Kirkland forced Sun City residents and officials to consider some difficult but important things–emergency communications, preparedness, safety options, and what to do when the sirens go off.

After hearing of the DeKalb County disasters, the Sun Day got busy developing a report on the options, and responsibilities, Sun Citians have in the event of a weather disaster. Lauren Lee, Sun City community association executive director, issued her own “makeup call” in her April 10 e-blast communication to residents. She titled it, “We need your help.”

“When alarms at the lodges have gone off in the past,” she said, “it has come to my attention that there have been issues with some residents not following safety procedures. Using last night (April 9) as an example, residents were standing at the windows while the sirens were going off. Unfortunately, some residents yelled at my staff while the employees were trying to get them to safety. This is unacceptable behavior. Please help my staff in getting to proper locations during emergency situations.

“Our staff has been given strict instructions to get all residents to safety (in the basements of Prairie and Meadow View Lodges) in the event of an emergency weather situation. This includes evacuating the buildings during a fire alarm or directing residents and guests to safety in the event of a tornado warning. Residents need to cooperate with staff members when asked to go to a safe area.”

Sun City’s 9,000 residents actually have a couple of safety options that other area residents may not have. One is the Huntley Fire Department sirens on the Whisper Creek Golf Course and the other is the “safe houses” that some neighborhoods have created at homes that have basements. The sirens have their limitations, the chief one being that many residents cannot hear them from inside their homes.

“But the sirens are designed to move people from outside to inside buildings in the event of severe weather,” Lee said. “They are not intended to be warning devices to those inside buildings.”

Marilynn Berendt, vice chair of the Neighborhood Advisory Council, Neighborhood rep of N-10, and a leader in the Sun City Neighborhood Watch “Neighbors Helping Neighbors” program talked about the NW role in weather emergencies.

“Some neighborhoods have designated “safe houses,” in which homeowners with basements have offered their homes to their neighbors in case of a weather emergency,” she said. “We are discussing ways to formalize this to a greater degree and creating safe houses in all neighborhoods.

“We are constantly updating our calling trees so we can communicate effectively in emergencies. We encourage all neighborhoods to locate and designate safe houses wherever possible.”

Lee also said this week that the village recently informed her of a service available on its website called Nixle.

“It is a community information service that can help residents learn of area alerts immediately over a cell phone, a text message, by email, or by simply visiting the website. We are learning more about this and will update residents as more information becomes available.”

There are well known things persons can do to protect themselves and their families in a weather emergency. But they always bear repeating.

The following information is taken from the Village of Huntley’s website, in a link titled Severe Weather Safety:

“The greatest danger is from flying debris and the collapse of a roof or walls of a building. In a home, school, or office, move to the basement. If no basement, move to a small, interior room or hallway on the lowest level. Stay away from windows and exterior doors. If possible, get under something (such as a table) and place something over your head (such as a pillow, mattress, blanket, or coat) for added protection.

If outside, get to a building (preferably one with a basement) as fast as possible. If you are driving, get out of the vehicle and move to a ditch or ravine.

“Take a protective position on your elbows or knees with your hands over your head,” the village’s website says. “If a tornado has struck your neighborhood, turn off gas at the main switch to your building. If live electrical wires are down, turn off power at the main switch. Make sure no one touches loose electrical wires or broken utility boxes.”

In future issues, the Sun Day will discuss safety options in hail, thunderstorms, and lightning events.

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