When it comes to tornado safety... DUCK

I can get several 1st, 2nd, and 3rd graders to laugh when I put up this picture in my weather presentation:

When it comes to tornado safety, remember DUCK because it's an easy way to recall the basics of protecting yourself.

D - Downstairs to the basement or cellar
U - Under something that will protect you from something that could fall from above (i.e. work bench, computer desk, stairwell, mattress)
C - Cover your head with pillows and blankets
K - Keep away from windows and keep in shelter until the storm has passed

One of the things I stress to kids is that they should always remember what is directly above them in the house. You never want to be under a heavy object that could fall through the floor. And remember to put on a pair of shoes. In the event of damage, you don't want to emerge from your shelter with no protection for your feet. Living in Kansas, most of us prepare for the worst and hope that we never have to go through it.

Sometimes you'll hear us recommend putting as many walls between you and the tornado as possible, and it's to prevent debris from penetrating exterior walls and injuring you. Look at this picture of a piece of lumber basically becoming a missile and shooting through the outer wall. And many of us have seen pictures of straw or grass stuck in a tree after a tornado. Sometimes, the most bizarre things happen during nature's worst storms, and we just want you to be prepared.