After 4 Tornadoes In South Jersey, Red Cross Provides Safety Tips

In the wake of six confirmed tornadoes in New Jersey, including four in South Jersey, this year, the American Red Cross is offering tornado safety tips and is urging residents to be ready in the case of a major storm event.

“Tornadoes are violent and can occur quickly with little or no warning,” American Red Cross New Jersey Region CEO Rosie Taravella said. “In New Jersey, we’re more familiar with hurricanes, which usually allow a few days for us to prepare prior to landfall. It is crucial to pay attention to any tornado watch or warning when issued and act accordingly.”

The most recent tornado touched down in Springfield, Union County, on Wednesday, Aug. 7. It had winds estimated to be about 70 mph. Read more here: Tornado Touches Down In Springfield

Two tornadoes recently touched down in Burlington County, one in Mount Holly that carried 90 mph winds and one in Mount Laurel that had winds between 65 mph and 85 mph. Other tornadoes in South Jersey were reported in Gloucester Township and Mullica Hill. Read more here: 2 Tornadoes ID'd In NJ This Week As More Bad Weather Possible

The first confirmed tornado of the year hit Stanhope in May. Read more here: Tornado Hit North Jersey, NWS Confirms

National Weather Service Meteorologist Jonathan O'Brien describes recent weather as "a very active severe weather" season, but said one year doesn’t make a trend. Read more here: 'Active Severe Weather' In South Jersey Not A Trend Yet, NWS Says

It might not be a trend, but there could always be more, and the Red Cross is urging everyone in New Jersey to be better prepared for severe weather and the next tornado warning. People should keep informed with local news updates and watch for signs of a storm such as darkening skies, increasing wind or lightning flashes, and should postpone outdoor activities during these conditions, the Red Cross said on Thursday.

Families should discuss their tornado emergency plans so everyone knows where to go if a tornado warning is issued. Discussing ahead of time helps reduce fear, especially for younger children. The Red Cross provided the following steps to follow to be safe and prepared:

BEFORE THE STORM:

• Keep informed about any tornado watches and warnings issued.
• Pick a safe room — a basement, storm cellar or interior room on the lowest floor with no windows.
• Move items inside that could be picked up by the wind such as lawn furniture, trash cans and hanging plants.
• Watch for tornado danger signs such as dark, often greenish clouds, a wall cloud or cloud of debris, large hail, a roaring noise or funnel cloud.

DURING A TORNADO:

• Go to an underground shelter, basement or safe room. If these are not available, go to a small windowless interior room or hallway on the lowest level of a sturdy building.
• If caught outdoors, seek shelter in a basement, shelter or sturdy building. If you can’t get to one quickly, get into a vehicle, buckle your seat belt and try to drive to the nearest sturdy building.
• If driving, either stay in the car with the seat belt on and put your head down below the windows, covering with your hands and a blanket if possible. Or, if you can get noticeably lower than the level of the roadway, get out of the car and lie in that area, covering your head with your hands.
• Mobile homes are not safe during tornadoes. Do not seek shelter in the hallway or bathroom of a mobile home. If you can get to a sturdy shelter or vehicle, abandon the mobile home immediately and go to the nearest sturdy building, using your seat belt if driving. Do not wait until you see the tornado.

For more on tornado safety, visit redcross.org.

The Red Cross is urging residents to download their free emergency app to have severe weather alerts like tornado warnings and flash flood warnings, safety information about what to do before, during and after disasters, and shelter locations available on their mobile device. Red Cross apps are available in smartphone app stores by searching for the American Red Cross or going to redcross.org/apps.

"Households should build disaster kits with enough supplies for at least three days, including water (one gallon, per person, per day), nonperishable food, a flashlight, battery-powered or hand-crank radio, extra batteries, a first aid kit, a 7-day supply of medications, a multi-purpose tool, sanitation and personal hygiene items and copies of important personal documents," the Red Cross said. "They should also have a disaster emergency plan in which each person knows how to reach other members of the household. The plan should also include an out-of-area emergency contact person, and where everyone should meet if they can't go home."