Kim Bills

The Red Cross When a natural disaster strikes the Red Cross will provide shelter, food, and emergency services. Red cross also provides blood for injured emergency worker and victims of a tornado. The Red Cross gives money donations after disasters.

After the storm Try to help the injured people without moving the seriously injured. When emergency units come to you do exactly what they tell you to do. Check the T.V./ radio for the latest emergency information.

Do’s and Don'ts THE DO’S Help people Get to the safest place in the area/Stay away from disaster areas. If you are injured, find emergency units. Take pictures of the area, For insurance purposes THE DONTS Don’t Go near fallen power lines. Don’t Use spilled medicines or gasoline. Spilled medicines can be dangerous and gasoline is flammable. Don’t Go back into your home unless authorities say it is safe.

What to expect. Tornadoes may appear nearly transparent until dust and debris are picked up. Stay alert for high winds even if you do not "see" a tornado Tornadoes often occur when it is not raining. Damage happens when wind gets inside a home through a broken window, door, or damaged roof. Keep windows closed. Houses do not explode due to air pressure differences. Stay away from windows during severe storms. Before a tornado listen for your communities warning that a tornado is near, which is usually a siren. And after listen to the radio for updates.

The 6 kinds of tornados F0 and F1- F0 tornados cause little to no damage. F1 tornados will…peel surface off roofs; mobile homes pushed; moving autos pushed off the roads; attached garages may be destroyed.Wind speed, mph F2- Considerable damage. Roofs torn off frame houses; mobile homes demolished; boxcars pushed over; large trees snapped or uprooted. Wind speed, mph F3-Roof and some walls torn off well constructed houses; trains overturned; most trees in forest uprooted. Wind speed, mph

The 5 kinds of tornados continued… F4---Well-constructed houses leveled; structures with weak foundations blown off some distance; cars thrown and large missiles generated. Wind speed, mph F5---Strong frame houses lifted off foundations and carried considerable distances to disintegrate; automobile sized missiles fly through the air in excess of 100 meters; trees debarked; steel re-enforced concrete structures badly damaged. Wind speed, mph

Mechanicville Tornado of 1998 May 31 st 1998 Violent tornadoes rip across region, smashing 25 homes and injuring at least 16; “it's a miracle no one was killed”, one firefighter says. A resident says, “it looks like an atomic bomb hit. Houses were on fire and it was a mess!” "I thought I was going to die," said Jim Batt, whose apartment is only a couple hundred feet from the destroyed homes. "It'll be amazing if nobody's dead," Batt continued. "I just remember these loud pops when the power went out and then the lines just started frying. My house shook so bad I thought it was going to get crushed."

The Difference between a Watch and a Warning A Tornado WARNING ----A tornado has been spotted in the area and immediate action should be taken. Move away from windows and outside walls. Duration is one hour unless otherwise canceled. Mercer Police strongly advises you to seek shelter in the event of a Tornado WARNING. A Tornado WATCH ---- Atmospheric conditions are favorable for a tornado to possibly occur. Issued for 4 to 8 hours and covers a large portion of the state.

Mechanicville Tornado Pictures