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PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT...SEVERE WEATHER PREPAREDNESS WEEK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHICAGO/ROMEOVILLE IL
900 AM CST TUE MAR 3 2009

...TORNADO SAFETY...

IN ILLINOIS...MOST TORNADOES OCCUR FROM APRIL THROUGH
JUNE...DURING THE MID AFTERNOON THROUGH EARLY EVENING HOURS...BUT
THEY CAN OCCUR ANYTIME OF THE DAY AND ANY MONTH OF THE YEAR. LAST
YEAR, ILLINOIS MOST POWERFUL TORNADO...AN EF3...OCCURRED ON JANUARY
7 IN BOONE AND MCHENRY COUNTIES IN FAR NORTHERN ILLINOIS. ILLINOIS
HAS AN AVERAGE OF 42 TORNADOES A YEAR WHICH MAKES IT FIFTH IN THE
NATION IN TORNADOES PER SQUARE MILE. THE 124 TORNADOES THAT OCCURRED
IN ILLINOIS IN 2006 WAS A RECORD.

WHEN A TORNADO THREATENS...YOU MAY ONLY HAVE SECONDS TO SAVE
YOURSELF AND YOUR FAMILY. HAVE A PREPAREDNESS PLAN FOR YOUR HOME...
SCHOOL...AND WORKPLACE. KNOW WHERE TO FIND THE BEST TORNADO
SHELTER.

IN A HOME...GO TO THE BASEMENT AND GET UNDER THE STAIRWELL...OR
UNDER A HEAVY PIECE OF FURNITURE. IF THERE IS NO BASEMENT...GO TO
AN INTERIOR CLOSET...HALL OR BATHROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR AND STAY
AWAY FROM WINDOWS. COVER YOUR HEAD WITH PILLOWS OR SOFA CUSHIONS.

IN SCHOOLS...HOSPITALS...CHURCHES AND OFFICE BUILDINGS...GO TO
SMALL INTERIOR ROOMS OR HALLS ON THE LOWEST FLOOR. STAY AWAY FROM
WINDOWS. AVOID LARGE OPEN AREAS WITH FREE SPAN ROOFS SUCH AS
GYMNASIUMS AND CAFETERIAS.

IN HIGH RISE BUILDINGS...IT IS NOT NECESSARY TO GET TO THE LOWEST
FLOOR...BUT GO TO INTERIOR HALLS...BATHROOMS OR CLOSETS.

IN SHOPPING CENTERS...AVOID LARGE OPEN AREAS AND GLASS. SEEK
SHELTER IN BATHROOMS...SMALL INTERIOR SPACES AND BEHIND COUNTERS.
DO NOT ATTEMPT TO ESCAPE IN YOUR VEHICLE.

ABANDON MOBILE HOMES AND VEHICLES FOR A NEARBY REINFORCED
BUILDING. AS A LAST RESORT LIE FLAT IN A DITCH. DO NOT SEEK SHELTER
UNDER AN OVERPASS.

ALLSOPP