On May 18, 2011, a minor Tornado hit Northeast Philadelphia damaging several businesses. Would you know what to do in a Tornado?
Planning and practicing how and where you take shelter is a matter of survival. Be prepared to act quickly with these safety tips:
- Determine a place where you will take shelter in case of a tornado warning. The basement or the lowest point of your home provides the best protection.
- If an underground shelter is not available, go to an interior room or hallway without any windows.
- Stay away from windows, doors and outside walls. Go to the center of the room. Stay away from corners because they attract debris.
- If you cannot find shelter, lie flat in a ditch or other low-lying area. Do not take cover under an overpass or bridge.
- If you are asked to evacuate, grab your Go Bag and leave right away
- During a tornado watch, stay tuned to local radio and TV stations or a National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Weather Radio for further weather information. Watch the weather and be prepared to take shelter immediately if conditions worsen. (Sign up for ReadyNotifyPA emergency text alerts to receive Tornado Watches and Warnings.)
- Never touch or go near downed power lines, even if you think they are safe.
It’s National Pet Week. Remember to include pets in your household emergency plan. If you must evacuate, bring your pets, too – it’s not safe to leave them behind.
Service animals and pets are allowed in certain shelters. Plan for your pet's safety now, before an emergency. Create a Pet Emergency Kit with the following items:
- At least a three-day supply of food and water (One gallon of water per pet per day – Three gallons of water per pet)
- Manual can opener for wet food.
- Copies of your animal’s health records, registration, license number, microchip number, and proof of vaccinations.
- Medications for your pet. Or, a list of the medications your pet takes regularly, including the type of medication, dosage, and the condition for which your pet is taking the medication.
- Contact list of veterinarian and local animal clinics.
- Animal first-aid kit, including flea and tick treatment.
- Extra collar, leash and muzzle.
- Recent photos of your pet for identification.
- Toys and treats.
- Litter, litter box and scoop.
- Plastic bags, paper towels, and cleaning supplies for clean-up.
- Collapsible carrier and cover sheet.
For more information on how to prepare your pets for emergencies, visit the For Pets page.
Find out first with ReadyNotifyPA, the region's emergency text and email alert system. Sign up to stay informed in an emergency. Receive important alerts directly on your text or email enabled device and find out first with ReadyNotifyPA.
To sign up:
In addition to the emergency alerts, Philadelphia allows subscribers to select any or all of the following alerts:
- National Weather Service Alerts
- SEPTA Transportation Alerts
- PennDOT Traffic Alerts
- Pennsylvania State Police Amber Alerts
- Health Alerts
- Philadelphia Prison System Alerts
- Philadelphia Police Department Alerts
- City Government Closings
- Court Closings
- Philadelphia Energy Solutions Refinery Notifications
The alerts are free; however, your cellular provider may charge for text messaging. For more information, visit www.readynotifypa.org.
We all have role to play in keeping Philadelphia safe and secure. Take simple steps to be prepared for emergencies, such as getting trained in basic first aid and volunteering to help local emergency responders.
How can you participate?
Volunteer as a member of any of these agencies who are helping Philadelphia’s first responders prepare for emergencies:
