Severe weather has been plaguing large parts of the country, including Illinois, this spring. These severe weather outbreaks have included tornados, severe thunderstorms, straight–line winds, large damaging hail, and heavy rain. In fact, there have been three times more large-scale disasters during the first months of 2016 than in the previous three year combined, according to the American Red Cross.
Illinois is not immune to tornados. Just last sprint, a tornado struck the small town of Fairdale, killing two people and leveling dozens of homes.
After the storm has passed, ServiceMaster Restoration By Simons is standing by to help with the cleanup and restoration of a natural disaster in Hyde Park. Our teams of restoration professionals will be on the scene quickly to assess the damage and begin restoring your property to its pre-loss condition. We’ll work quickly and compassionately to help you get your life back to normal.
In light of the season’s severe storms, here are several tornado safety tips, courtesy of the American Red Cross.
BEFORE THE STORM:
- Have multiple ways of receiving information and weather alerts, including a weather radio and weather apps on your smartphone. Also, make sure your phone is set to receive emergency weather alerts.
- Pick a safe room such as a basement, storm cellar, or interior room on the lowest floor with no windows.
- Quickly move items inside that could be picked up by the wind, including lawn furniture, trash cans, and hanging plants.
- Watch for tornado danger signs. These include dark, often greenish-colored clouds, a wall cloud or cloud of debris, large hail, a roaring noise, or a 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.
- Mobile homes are not safe during tornadoes. If you can get to a sturdy shelter or vehicle, abandon the mobile home immediately and go the nearest sturdy building, using your seat belt if driving. Do not wait until you see the tornado.
- 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, stay in the car with the seat belt on and put your head down below the windows, covering your head 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.
Contact ServiceMaster Restoration by Simons immediately at 773-376-1110 if a natural disaster has occurred on your property and caused extensive damage. We’re trained, equipped, and standing by 24/7 to restore your property.