Are you and your family prepared for severe weather? Here are some tips.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — We know the threat of severe weather can be scary. Middle Tennessee and Southern Kentucky have seen our share of storms in recent years. But there are things you can do now to make sure you and your family are prepared when severe weather strikes.

First, you need a way to get weather information — especially when you're sleeping. NewsChannel 5 has a lot of ways to get you weather information — you can find us online, on TV, or our streaming apps. You can also download our StormShield app or sign up for Weather Call.

Severe Weather Safety Rules

Tornado

• If you're indoors, move to your safe place. That means an interior room with no windows and the lowest level of your home.
• Be sure to shut all your windows and doors
• If you're in a mobile home - see if there is somewhere safer to go (maybe a neighbor's house)
• Do not try to outrun a tornado. Pull over and get out of your car. Do not park under an overpass.
• If you're outdoors, get away from trees and find a ditch or low-lying area to lie down

Lightning

• If you can hear thunder, you need to move inside a structure.
• Get away from water — lakes, pools, golf course
• Don't shower or take a bath
• Don't use corded phones and electronics

Flood

• Don't walk through floodwaters or let your children play in it
• Never drive through a flooded road
• Be cautious at night. Roads that are typically there could have been swept away
• If your car stalls in rising water, leave it immediately and seek higher ground

Watch versus Warning

A watch is issued when there's a chance of severe weather. It usually includes a lot of counties and lasts several hours.

A warning means the storm is happening and you should go to your safe place. A warning will cover a smaller area and usually lasts for a much shorter amount of time.

Safety Kit Items

In your safe space, it's good to have some basic supplies at your ready. Here are some items to keep handy:

• flashlight
• First Aid kit
• extra batteries
• bottled water
• baby food and supplies
• canned, nonperishable food
• hand-operated can opener
• prescription medicine
• battery-powered radio
• phone chargers

NOAA Weather Radio codes

Your NOAA Weather Radio is a great tool to use during overnight storms.

While you can alarm for your county, it is a good idea to warn for counties near you — particularly south and west. This gives you more advanced warning time.

Weather Call

WeatherCall is a subscription-based system that calls you when a tornado or severe thunderstorm warning is issued for your location.
WeatherCall continuously monitors the warnings issued by the National Weather Service. When a severe weather warning includes your specific location, you'll receive a phone call no matter what time of day it is. Along with a NOAA weather radio, it's your best chance to stay weather aware — especially in the middle of the night.

A WeatherCall subscription costs $15 a year and includes up to two phone numbers.

Register for WeatherCall in English

Regístrese en WeatherCall NexGen - Español

NewsChannel 5 Now Livestream

Live Interactive Radar

Sign up for WeatherCall

Download Storm Shield

Safe Places

 

• What do I do if there's a warning near me?
• ¿Qué hago si hay una advertencia cerca de mí?

What do I do if there's a warning near me?

You need to seek shelter immediately if you hear the Storm 5 weather team tell you there is a tornado warning. You can see our radar at this link.

That means going into your home's best interior room with no windows. If you have a basement, go downstairs.

Grab closed-toe shoes and helmets if they are available. If you have a kid who has a car seat, bring this along.

You can catch up in the player below:

Keep your phone with you. We stream through the app and Facebook, so you can be in your safe space and still know what is happening.

Downloading our free Storm Shield app is another resource.

I live in a mobile home. Where do I go during a tornado warning?

Living in a mobile home, you need an action plan.

Our Safe Places initiative will help you make one.

In anticipation of a severe weather event, Safe Places — that are open or plan to be open — will appear on the page listed by county. This list is populated by local emergency management offices and is updated frequently.

If you see a paw, that does mean your pets are allowed. A paw with a slash through it means pets are not allowed.

To find a Safe Place location, go to: newschannel5.com/weather/safe-places

¿Qué hago si hay una advertencia cerca de mí?

Tome acción inmediata ante una advertencia de tornado! Escuche atentamente las indicaciones del equipo meteorológico de Storm 5. Si anuncian una advertencia de tornado, busca refugio de inmediato y siga estos consejos:

1. Dirigase a la habitación interior más segura de su casa. Busca una habitación sin ventanas, preferiblemente en el nivel más bajo de su casa. Si tienes un sótano, ¡baja las escaleras!

2. Protege tus pies y cabeza. Usa zapatos cerrados y cascos si están disponibles. Si tienes un niño pequeño con asiento de seguridad, llévalo contigo.

3. Mantente informado. Ten tu teléfono a mano. Te seguiremos informando sobre la situación a través de nuestra aplicación y Facebook. De esta manera, podrás mantenerte al tanto de lo que está sucediendo mientras te proteges en un lugar seguro.

4. También puedes descargar nuestra aplicación gratuista Storm Shield como otro recurso.

Vivo en una casa móvil. ¿A dónde debo ir durante una advertencia de tornado?

Si vives en una casa móvil, necesitas un plan de acción.

Nuestra iniciativa Lugares Seguros te ayudará a crear uno!

En caso de un evento climático severo, los lugares seguros —que estén abiertos o planeen estarlo — aparecerán en la página organizados por condado. Esta lista está organizada por condado y es actualizada con regularidad por las autoridades locales de emergencias.

Si ves una pata de animal, significa que tus mascotas están permitidas. Una pata de animal con una línea a través indica que las mascotas no están permitidas.