When I first arrived in Watonga five years ago this week, it was such a momentous event the town threw a tornado warning for me. I was in the Watonga Motel, wondering how far it was to the First Baptist Church where I could seek shelter. But the warning was vacated, and I can laugh about it now.
But tornado and thunderstorm season is nothing to laugh at. We all need to get a game plan together and give ourselves what we need to succeed at the game of survival should the sirens sound.
What does your game plan look like? Do you know where you are headed if the skies turn black and the clouds start to spin?
Do you have a basement or shelter? A saferoom, maybe? Do you need to head to a church or other specified storm shelter? How long will that trip take?
Is your safe place at home ready? If it is a basement or storm shelter, better take a little time and stock it with water, food, a can opener and a few days’ supply of medications. Clothes and stout shoes, flashlights and paper plates. Some cash and a way to charge your cell phones. You can take it all out again when the season passes. Don’t forget pet food and important papers.
If you don’t have a safe place at home, figure out the nearest safe port in the storm. Fix up a bag with necessities, like that medication, some cash, those papers. Take the time to pack an extra set of clothes, socks, things for the kids or babies. Put the bag near the door or in the car. Know where you are going to go, how long it will take to get there and the safest route. Roads can flood even here in town.
Just because a facility was designated as a safe haven last year doesn’t mean it will be again this year. Check. You might feel a little sheepish asking, but better safe than sorry. Literally. It is also a good idea to check the clothes in the pack you made up last spring. Kids are notorious for growing out of clothes and we adults aren’t immune to it, either.
Know where you are going to get your information. Know what the alarms in town mean. Know the difference between a watch and a warning.
If you have travel plans, keep in mind you may have to seek shelter during those travels and think ahead.
Getting ready for storm season isn’t a happy occasion. But a little foresight, planning and preparation now can save a whole lot of heartache later.
PS — Thanks to the citizens of Watonga and Blaine County for some of the best five years a person could ask for, even if part of that time I was off discovering that this is where I truly belong. Here’s to another five. Or 20. We’ll see.