Texas averages 125 tornadoes every year- more than any other state. Oklahoma comes in second with an average of 57 per year. While tornadoes can happen at any time of day, they’re most likely to occur between 3 and 9 p.m. So when your afternoon talk show or evening sitcom is interrupted for a tornado warning- pay attention and don’t go outside!

During a tornado warning, take action immediately:

• A tornado is imminent
• Take shelter immediately
• Check for forecast updates

During a tornado watch, be prepared a tornado is possible:

• Check for forecast updates
• Monitor sky conditions
• Know where to take shelter

Take Caution:

• Tornadoes can be obscured by rain or nearby low-hanging clouds
• Some tornadoes appear as a visible funnel extending only partially to the ground
• Look for signs of debris below the visible funnel

Learn More About Tornado Safety

Floods and flash flooding is the most common hazard in North Central Texas. Natural processes such as weather systems can cause flooding. Inadequate drainage, soil saturation, and dam failure can also cause flooding. More people die from flooding than any other severe weather related hazard. It only takes six inches of fast-moving floodwater to knock over an adult ad two feet to carry away most vehicles, including pickups and SUVs. Turn Around Don’t Drown.

Flood vs. Flash Flood

What’s the difference between a flash flood and a normal flood? Flash flooding occurs during heavy rain events and happens very quickly. It ends quickly as well. Regular flooding occurs as the result of a more prolonged rain event, lake overflow, or dam failure. It’s more gradual, more predictable, and lasts longer.

Flash Flood Safety Tips

• Avoid already flooded and high-velocity flow areas—don’t attempt to cross a flowing stream.
• Get out of areas subject to flooding, like dips, low spots, canyons, washes, etc.
  • Don’t camp or park your vehicle along streams and washes, particularly during threatening conditions.
• Don’t allow children to play near high water, storm drains or ditches.
• Never drive through flooded roadways in case the roadbed is no longer intact.
  • If your vehicle stalls, leave it immediately and seek higher ground.
• Be especially cautious at night when it’s harder to recognize flood dangers.

NWS Simplifies Flood Alerts

The National Weather Service has implemented consolidated flood watches, warnings, and advisories. To see what's changed, visit: National Weather Service Simplification of NWS Flood Products PDF

Thunderstorms can be exciting to watch, but they can also be extremely dangerous. Thunderstorms can produce high winds, hail, flash flooding, and lightning. Lightning kills more people than tornadoes each year. 

Severe Thunderstorm and Lightning Safety

• If you can hear thunder, you are close enough to be struck by it; find safe shelter immediately.
• Move to a sturdy building and stay away from windows
  • If a sturdy shelter is not available, get inside a hardtop vehicle and keep the windows up.
• Get out of boats and away from water.
• Unplug appliances and avoid using the telephone except in an emergency. 

FACT VS. FICTION

Fiction: Lightning never strikes twice in the same place.

FACT: Lightning has “favorite” strikes that it may hit many times during one storm.

Fiction: If it’s not raining, then there is no danger from lightning.

FACT: Lightning often strikes outside of heavy rain and may occur as far as 10 miles away from any rainfall.

Fiction: The rubber soles of shoes or rubber tires on a car will protect you from being struck by lightning.

FACT: Rubber-soled shoes and rubber tires provide NO protection from lightning. However, the steel frame of a hard-topped vehicle provides increased protection if you are not touching metal.

Fiction: People struck by lightning carry an electrical charge and should not be touched. 

Hot Texas summers- there’s nothing quite like it! Careful—extreme heat not only kills lawns, it can also push your body beyond its limits. Older adults, young children, and those who are sick or overweight are most likely to suffer when the mercury rises. Droughts can also be the result of super-hot temperatures, low amounts of rainfall and careless behavior. Learn how to take protective measures to safeguard yourself and your environment. 

Drought Information

Get up-to-date drought information for North Central Texas at http://droughtreporter.unl.edu and learn how to conserve water.

Heat-Related Illnesses

High temperatures, like the kind we experience in a North Central Texas summer, along with high humidity, can cause heat-related illnesses which range in severity from mild heat cramps, to heat exhaustion, to potentially life-threatening heatstroke.

To Stay Cool

• Visit Cooling Resources or call 2-1-1 to find a place to beat the heat in the summer months
• Wear light-colored, loose-fitting, and lightweight clothing
• Drink extra water
• Take frequent breaks during hot summer months
• Protect your skin from sun with sunscreen and shade
• Avoid caffeinated beverages and alcohol with can dehydrate 

For More Information: https://www.cor.net/departments/communications/severe-weather/winter-weather

Hailstorm Safety

• When driving into a hailstorm, find a safe place to pull over and turn your vehicle so the hail will hit the windshield. The safety glass in the windshield will help protect you.
• In a building, stay away from windows!
• If you are outside, seek shelter immediately! Hail of any size can be dangerous when pelted in high winds.
• If you can’t protect your entire body, at least try to protect your head. Many hailstorm related deaths are due to being struck in the head with a hail stone.
• If weather conditions are prime for a storm, move cars, boats, RVs, and lawn and patio furniture into a covered area.

These hard, frozen nuggets are formed when raindrops pass through a belt of cold air which causes them to freeze on their way to earth. Hail most commonly causes damage to property, vehicles and crops; more than $1 billion in damage each year. Considering the fact that large stones can fall at speeds faster than 100 mph, it’s important that you cover your head and learn what to do when hail is present. 

On May 5, 1995, an isolated severe thunderstorm developed ahead of an already intense squall line in Fort Worth and injured over 100 people and was the costliest thunderstorm in U.S. history. Cars were pummeled with grapefruit-sized hail, vegetation was totally stripped from the trees and shrubs, and rain poured down at a rate of as much as three inches in thirty minutes, causing massive flash flooding. The storm cost billions of dollars—a figure once reserved only for major hurricane damage.

So what’s the difference between a flu “bug” circulating around your school or office and a flu epidemic? Epidemics exceed what is expected. For example, many people are expected to get the flu each year but if flu cases skyrocket to an unprecedented level, it’s considered an epidemic.

A pandemic is a global outbreak of a disease that occurs when a new virus appears in the human population, causes serious illness, and then spreads easily from person to person throughout the world. For more information on COVID-19 including testing sites in Texas, visit https://knowhat2do.com/epidemics-pandemics/.  The H1N1 virus reached pandemic status in the winter of 2009-2010 and led the CDC to change flu vaccines the following season. The best thing you can do to prepare for the possibility of an epidemic or pandemic is to stay alert and informed. You can also visit the Center for Disease Control website for more information.  

Preparing for Health-related Emergencies

Make sure your Emergency Supply Kit is ready.
Stay up to date on local health trends and how they may affect you.
Follow directions from officials about sheltering-in-place or evacuating.

Practice healthy habits that may protect you and others later:

• Wash your hands
• Cover coughs and sneezes
• Stay home from work or school if you are sick
• Exercise personal space allowing yourself and others around 6 feet of distance whenever possible

Flu Facts

Everyone 6 months and older should get a flu vaccine as soon as vaccine is available each fall. Take advantage of the many opportunities to get flu shots each fall, as the vaccines are updated yearly to combat the most active strains. Learn who is included in high risk groups, and the specific medical advice for each group by visiting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Flu website.

An earthquake is the sudden, rapid shaking of the earth, caused by the breaking and shifting of subterranean rock as it releases strain that has accumulated over time. Earthquakes can happen at any time of the year.

For more information and preparedness actions visit: http://www.ready.gov/earthquakes

To report earthquakes and/or associated shaking and movement please visit USGS Did You Feel It at: http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security recommends all individuals take the time to learn more about what is often termed as an “active shooter.”

An Active Shooter is an individual actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a confined and populated area; in most cases, active shooters use firearms and there is no pattern or method to their selection of victims.

Active shooter situations are unpredictable and evolve quickly. Typically, the immediate deployment of law enforcement is required to stop the shooting and mitigate harm to victims. While waiting for law enforcement to arrive on the scene, individuals must be prepared both mentally and physically to deal with an active shooter situation.

Good Practices for Coping with an Active Shooter Situation

• Be aware of your environment and any possible dangers
• Take note of the two nearest exits in any facility you visit
• If you are in an office, stay there and secure the door
• If you are in a hallway, get into a room and secure the door
• Call 911 when it is safe to do so

Tips for Evacuating or Shelter in Place:

Evacuate

• Have an escape route and plan in mind
• Evacuate regardless of whether others agree to follow
• Leave your belongings behind
• Help others escape, if possible
• Prevent individuals from entering an area where the active shooter may be
• Keep your hands visible
• Follow the instructions of any police officers
• Do not attempt to move wounded people
• Call 911 when you are safe

Shelter in Place

• Lock the door
• Blockade the door with heavy furniture
• Silence your cell phone and/or pager
• Turn off any source of noise (i.e., radios, televisions)
• Hide behind large items (i.e., cabinets, desks)
• Remain calm and quiet
• Dial 911, if possible, to alert police to the active shooter’s location
• If you cannot speak, leave the line open and allow the dispatcher to listen

What happens when you cough without covering your mouth? Millions of tiny, invisible germs are released into the air and the guy next to you better hope he had his flu shot. That’s how biological agents work too. They’re microscopic germs and/or toxins that can be introduced into the air with the intention of making hundreds of thousands of people sick at one time. They can also damage crops and livestock, hurting the food supply. Some examples of biological agents include smallpox, anthrax and botulism.  

Preparing for a Biological Emergency

• Make sure your Emergency Supply Kit is ready.
• Educate yourself about biological agents and how they may affect you.
• Follow directions from officials about sheltering-in-place or evacuating.
• Do not stockpile or take antibiotics without a medical prescription. Taking medications that are not prescribed for you can be harmful or lessen their effectiveness later if and when they’re needed.

Shelter-In-Place and Seal-the-Room

• Close and lock all windows and exterior doors.
• Turn off all fans, heating and air conditioning systems.
• Close the fireplace damper.
• Get your emergency supply kit and turn on your battery-powered radio.
• Go to an interior room that is above ground level and without windows, if possible. In the case of a chemical threat, an above-ground location is preferable because some chemicals are heavier than air, and may seep into basements even if the windows are closed.
• If directed by local authorities on the radio, use duct tape to seal all cracks around the door and any vents into the room. Tape plastic sheeting, such as heavy-duty plastic garbage bags, over any windows.
• Listen to your radio or television for further instructions. Local officials will tell you when you can leave the room in which you are sheltering, or they may call for evacuation in specific areas at greatest risk in your community.

What’s invisible, odorless and colorless but can really make you sick? You guessed it—carbon monoxide (CO)! This potentially lethal gas is created when fuels such as gasoline, wood, coal, natural gas, propane, oil, and methane burn incompletely.

And the danger is no joke—according to the National Safety Council, 200-300 unintentional-injury deaths a year are due to CO poisoning.

Symptoms of CO Poisoning

• Shortness of breath
• Nausea
• Dizziness
• Light headedness or headaches

To Protect Against CO Emergencies

• Install CO alarms in a central location outside each sleeping area and test monthly
• Know the difference between the sound of smoke alarms and CO alarms
• Never use your oven to heat your home
• Don’t run a fuel-burning vehicle or generator indoors, even if garage doors are open
• Only use barbecue grills—which can produce CO—outside. Never use them in the home, garage or near building openings
• When camping, remember to use battery-powered lights in tents, trailers, and motor homes

If your CO alarm sounds

• Immediately move to a fresh air location (usually outside) and call 9-1-1 for help
• Remain at the fresh air location until emergency personnel have completed investigations
• If the audible trouble signal chips, check for low batteries or other trouble indicators

 

Explosions can be caused by industrial accidents, infrastructure failure, and terrorist attacks. By preparing for all North Texas hazards, you will also be preparing for explosive blasts.

If There is an Explosion

• Get under a sturdy table or desk if things are falling around you. When they stop falling, leave quickly, watching for obviously weakened floors and stairways. As you exit from the building, be especially watchful of falling debris.
• Leave the building as quickly as possible. Do not stop to retrieve personal possessions or make phone calls.
• Do not use elevators.

Once You are Out

• Do not stand in front of windows, glass doors, or other potentially hazardous areas.
• Move away from sidewalks or streets to be used by emergency officials or others still exiting the building.

If You were Trapped in Debris

• If possible, use a flashlight or whistle to signal rescuers.
• Tap on a pipe or wall so rescuers can hear where you are.
• Avoid unnecessary movement so you don’t kick up dust.
• Shout only as a last resort. Shouting can cause a person to inhale dangerous amounts of dust.
• Cover your nose and mouth with anything you have on hand. (Dense-weave cotton material can act as a good filter. Try to breathe through the material.)

If You Receive a Telephoned Bomb Threat

• Get as much information from the caller as possible. 
• Keep the caller on the line and record everything that is said and the manner in which it was spoken (calm, angry, crying, disguised, etc.).
• Try to pick up on any background noises on the caller’s end, such as factory noise, traffic, music, PA systems, etc.
• Immediately notify the police and building management.

Try to Ask the Following Questions of the Caller

• When and where is the bomb going to explode?
• What does it look like?
• Did you place the bomb? Why?
• What is your name?

Fires comes from any number of sources. Smoking is the most common cause of residential fires, and many of them start in the bedroom. Faulty wiring, unsupervised children and improper use of space heaters are among other causes for residential fires. Go through each room in your home and identify two exit plans. Practice exiting from different areas and meeting all members of your home at one location, choose a tree, mailbox, or street lamp. Call 911 once you are safely outside or from a neighbor's phone.

Smoke Alarms

A working smoke alarm can help you and your family escape a deadly home fire. It can also help save the lives of firefighters who would otherwise have to risk their lives by searching a burning home for residents. A working smoke alarm continuously scans the air for smoke, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

• Test the alarm monthly
• For alarms powered by 9-volt batteries, replace the batteries at least once per year and the entire smoke alarm unit should be replaced every 8-10 years
• For smoke alarms powered by lithium batteries, the entire smoke alarm should be replaced according to the manufacture's instructions

If a smoke alarm sounds while you’re cooking or taking a shower with lots of steam, do not remove the battery. You should:

• Open a window or door and press the “hush” button
• Wave a towel at the alarm to clear the air
• Never disable a smoke alarm or remove the battery for ANY period of time; this can be a deadly mistake

Home is where the heart is—it’s also where the bleach, ammonia and paint thinner lie in wait to cause unintended accidents. In fact, most chemical accidents occur in homes. It’s time to get down and dirty with your cleaners and other potentially poisonous concoctions. Properly dispose of what you don’t need and store what you do in a safe, child-proof location. The good news is, with a little planning and knowledge, most home emergencies can be prevented.

Preparing for a Household Chemical Emergency

• Read the instructions on chemical containers to help you understand the threats they may pose.
• Always store chemicals in a safe place, out of reach of children, and dispose of them properly.
• Avoid mixing common household chemical products like ammonia and bleach.
• Never smoke while using household chemicals.
• Always use chemicals in well-ventilated areas.
• Program the Poison Control number (800-222-1222) into your phone in case of emergencies.

If you think someone has been poisoned

• Call Poison Control IMMEDIATELY at 800-222-1222
• Do not wait for the person to look or feel sick
• Do not try to treat the person yourself

The same chemicals that are used to create useful things like window cleaner and exciting things like new flat-screen televisions can, under certain conditions, have a harmful effect on your health. It’s up to you to be prepared in the event of a leak, spill, explosion or other potential chemical emergency.    

Preparing for a Chemical Emergency

• Make sure your Emergency Supply Kit is ready
• Identify an internal room where you can shelter-in-place and protect yourself from contaminated air

A nuclear or radiological emergency would most likely be the result of an accident. But it’s possible that a hostile country could use a nuclear weapon or a “dirty bomb” could be used by terrorists.

According to the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), any foreseeable event at the Comanche Peak Power facility, including a ”melt-down”, would have no impact on the City of Richardson. Only those jurisdictions within a 50 mile radius of the power plant will need to consider specific preparedness actions. Dallas County is located 70 statute miles northeast of the plant and is not considered to be at risk, even in a worst case situation.

Considerations for Radiation

Time- Radioactive materials become less radioactive over time. Minimizing the length of your exposure will minimize your risk.  

Distance- Put as much distance between yourself and the source of the radiation as possible. 

Shielding- Put as much thick material between yourself and the radiation as possible. Try to stay indoors.

Subterranean pipelines are an invisible hazard and exposed pipelines may not be very well marked.  

So Where Are the Pipelines?

Signs indicating a pipeline’s location are often placed along its path. Pay attention to these signs to help prevent accidents. And if you see something you think may be an exposed pipeline, treat it as if it is.

How Can I Prepare?

• Learn about the location of pipelines near you and always call 811 before you dig
• Familiarize yourself with “escape routes” in and around your neighborhood
• Be ready to evacuate quickly by gathering important documents and creating a kit
  • If you had only 3 minutes to evacuate, are you ready? What would you take?

What to do in the event of a leak

DO

• Leave the area immediately on foot
• Warn others in the area
• Refrain from activities that could cause heat sparks
• Notify 911 of the leak when you reach safety
• Call Atmos at 866-322-8667

DON'T

• Light a match, start an engine, or switch electrical equipment on and off (including lights)
• Attempt to use a cell phone until you have left the area—it can potentially cause a spark
• Drive into a vapor cloud
• Make contact with any escaping material, some products may be toxic or corrosive

Our daily lives depend on electricity. It influences how we preserve and prepare food, send and receive information, stay in contact with people, and remain safe and healthy. In a disaster, power becomes all the more critical. It is extremely important to prepare for times of power outages and to create redundant systems of gathering information, communicating with others, sustaining yourself and your family, and protecting yourself and your family from other hazards. 

 

Prepare for an Outage

• Create and maintain your emergency supply kit.
• Make sure that you have flashlights, a battery-powered or hand-crank radio, a NOAA All-Hazards Radio, and plenty of extra batteries.
• Test and change out your batteries every 6 months.
• Stock your kit with nonperishable food that will be easy to prepare without electricity.
• Keep some extra cash in your kit. Automated teller machines (ATMs) may not work during a power outage.
• Gas stations rely on electricity to power their pumps, so keep at least a half tank of fuel in your vehicles at all times.
• Make a family emergency plan with details on how to contact each other and where everyone should meet if you are separated.
• Back up computer files and operating systems. Consider buying extra batteries and a power converter if you use a laptop computer.
• Turn off all electronic devices when they are not in use. Buy a high-quality surge protector for your electronic equipment.
• If you or someone in your home has a medical need that is dependent on electricity, always have a backup plan for events of prolonged outage. If the situation becomes a medical emergency, call 911.
• Know the location of the fuse box or circuit breaker in your home and learn how to reset the circuit or change a blown fuse, if necessary.
• If you have an electric garage door opener, locate the manual release lever and learn how to operate it.
• Program the Texas electric delivery provider, ONCOR, in your phone and have it written down in an accessible place. For Texas, the ONCOR number is (888) 313-4747. Have your ESID and zip code ready (your ESID is on your electric bill).

During a Power Outage

• Report an outage immediately. There are several sources to report and track progress to restore power. Call (888) 313-4747, sign up for ONCOR's Text Program by texting the word REG to 66267 and follow the prompts, or you can report your outage and get status updates via our website at www.oncor.com.
• Listen to your battery-powered or hand-crank radio for information relating to the outage or the hazard event.
• Turn on your battery-powered NOAA All-Hazards Radio to stay informed of any impending hazards.
• Keep the refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible to maintain the cold temperature. The refrigerator will keep food safely cold for about 4 hours if it is unopened. A full freezer will hold the temperature for approximately 48 hours (24 hours if it is half full) if the door remains closed.
• If you choose to prepare your food with a camping stove or a gas or charcoal grill, only use it outside and be cautious of fire and gas hazards.
• If you choose to use a generator for power, DO NOT run it in the house or garage. Only operate it outdoors in an open area, away from windows, and away from any of your home’s ventilation sources. Exhaust produced by the generator is deadly.
• Stay away from downed power lines. Call 911.
• Do not touch an object that is in contact with power lines, including tree limbs. Remember tree limbs can conduct electricity.
• If you are involved in a vehicle accident and a power line falls across your vehicle, stay inside until help arrives. Your tires provide important insulation from the ground.
• Depending on the severity and widespread area of the outage – it may take several hours to a few days to restore your power. Be prepared for such events, continue to check the status of your outage, and know that utility crews are working on the issue.

After the Power is Restored

• Determine if your food is safe for use.
• If an appliance thermometer was kept in the freezer, check the temperature when the power comes back on. If the freezer thermometer reads 40°F or below, the food is safe and may be refrozen.
• If a thermometer has not been kept in the freezer, check each package of food to determine its safety.
• You cannot rely on appearance or odor. If the food still contains ice crystals or is 40 °F or below, it is safe to refreeze or cook.
• Refrigerated food should be safe as long as the power was out for no more than 4 hours and the refrigerator door was kept shut. Discard any perishable food (such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs or leftovers) that has been above 40°F for two hours or more.

In December 2009, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security added Dallas-Fort Worth to the nation’s top ten terror targets. Terrorist attacks and increased law enforcement efforts make communities and individuals more aware and improve their ability to cope with emergencies.
Are you ready?   

Preparing for a Terrorist Attack

• Develop an emergency plan.
• Make sure your Emergency Supply Kit is ready.
• Identify an internal room that you can shelter in and block out contaminated air in case of a chemical or biological attack.
• In the case of a nuclear attack, your three best tools are time, distance and shielding to minimize your exposure to radioactive material.
• Check on the school emergency plan for any school-age children.
• Follow directions from officials.
• Stay alert and informed at all times!

Homeland Security Advisory System

The Homeland Security Advisory System combines threat information with vulnerability assessments and provides communications to public safety officials and the public. For more information, please visit the DHS webpage.

All types of chemicals are riding down our highways and railroads—ant killer, anti-freeze, shower cleaner and even biological and nuclear waste. Most of the time, chemicals arrive safely at their intended destinations. But once in a while, accidents happen. That’s why it’s important to have a plan in mind and be ready to act instinctively.  

Preparing for a Transportation Emergency

• Stay aware of your surroundings
• Prepare to use your senses to help you decide how to act
  • Do you see a gas cloud?
  • Smell a sharp odor?
  • Hear an explosion?
• Follow directions from officials about sheltering-in-place or evacuating