Severe weather season has arrived in Kansas City. As moms, this also means our role as comforter and protector of our kids is thrown into overdrive, especially at night. Loud thunder, sirens, and hail hitting the window do not make for the calmest of sleep scenarios, no matter how much you dominated that bedtime routine.
Regardless of the time of day a storm strikes, it’s important to be prepared! If your children are old enough to act on their own, this also means having a plan in place for when dangerous conditions arise. I’m not just talking about the obvious tornado threat here either. Severe weather can involve a plethora of hazards including lightning, flooding, and hail.
Do you know the safest place to take cover for each of these? Do your kids? What about if you’re not at home? What about if you’re outside at a sporting event? Don’t fret if you haven’t enacted weekly practice drills at home or set up a month’s worth of canned goods in the basement, I’ve put together some simple steps and my favorite resources to help you feel a little more prepared.
Step 1: Educate
This is not only for our children, but for us as well! Educate yourself on what the different terminology used actually means. What is a watch versus a warning? What’s the correct action for each? With our kids, oftentimes the best way to calm their nerves is to explain to them exactly what is going on, but in their terms. Reassure them that you are there to protect them and that you have a plan in place. Which brings me to my next step.
Step 2: Plan
This one is obvious, make a plan! If your kids are too young to walk or understand what to do, then this is more for you and your partner. Make sure you agree on when to act, who is going to grab which kid, and where you’re going if sirens sound. In case you didn’t already know, the safest place in your house is the lowest, interior room away from windows. Maybe this is your basement bathroom? Or perhaps this is an interior bedroom closet. Test it out. See which space makes the most sense for gathering you all together quickly. Get a weather radio! Grab some blankets, a flashlight, and have it all ready to go. This post gives more info on the things to pack in case the worst happens.
Of course not every situation results in the need to shelter in the basement. Maybe you just need to plan what to do when your littles wake up scared due to the loud thunder and bright lightning. Will you lay with them? Will you bring them into your bed? Having at least talked about this with your partner beforehand can help prevent 2 a.m. arguments over the best way to get everyone back to sleep.
Step 3: Survive!
This applies as much in the obvious sense as it does to a night of interrupted sleep. If you know what to expect, if you have a plan and are prepared to act when necessary, you will survive even the longest storm filled nights. Granted, you may be tired the next day, but at least you can rest assured you did everything you could to keep your family safe.
Some Helpful Links:
National Weather Service Situation Report. This is produced daily by the local Kansas City NWS office and provides a snapshot of what to expect weather wise today, tomorrow, and the coming week. It’s a great source for quick information explained in a way that is easy to understand.
The Storm Prediction Center site provides outlooks for days 1, 2, and 3 as well as an extended outlook on where severe weather is most likely to occur. They also offer a ton of useful information for those wanting to dig in a little deeper.
The NWS Weather Ready Nation page provides useful and easy to understand information on weather hazards throughout the year. They also provide all the nifty info graphics I’ve posted here!
