Springtime in Oklahoma is a beautiful sight indeed. The sweeping plains come to life with green grasses, blossoming wildflowers and blue skies as far as the eye can see. The trees come back to life with vibrant greens and colorful buds. What could be bad about that?

Well, of course, in Oklahoma, spring also brings severe weather. Tornados are a fact of life in Oklahoma, and our landscape is dotted with remnants of the destruction brought by past storms. What’s the best way to manage your family in severe weather season?

Tips from the Weather Man
KFOR’s Mike Morgan has been in the weather business since the age of 10 when his dad took him tornado tracking—at Mike’s request. On that day, an F4 tornado hit Oklahoma City and killed 14 people in Drumright.

“It’s important to know how our weather works,” said Morgan. “Severe weather, when it decides to come together, can be a threat to life, limb, and property. Outbreaks like May 3, 1999 (when an F5 tornado hit the Metro) occur about once every 10 years. Considering the amount of destruction that can occur—that’s pretty frequent. The threat is there and worth monitoring. Children need to understand that weather can be violent and should be respected.”

On the other hand, there is a danger of an information overload. “Typically, severe weather covers a very small area,” said Morgan. “Just because it’s in Norman, that doesn’t mean it’s going to hit Edmond.” So while severe weather is a very real threat, it’s important to remember that the event itself might be isolated.

“Severe weather is a part of the fabric of life in Oklahoma,” said Morgan. “You have to remain vigilant and aware,” and part of that vigilance is knowing where the storms are striking and how much information you need to let your children know. “Our responsibility as parents is to act as a filter for our children. On the news, we provide an overwhelming amount of coverage in many cases, with helicopter and dashboard cameras,” continued Morgan. “It’s important to have an awareness of the impact of severe weather due to the volatility of our weather.” And it’s important for parents to monitor the coverage and how much of it their children are viewing. “With enough information we can help our children to understand it’s not everywhere out there.”

Most of all, “what people most need to remember is that there is plenty of great weather in Oklahoma! The weather can be fantastic,” said Morgan. While severe weather will happen, “let the weather people worry about the weather.”

Tips from a Child Psychologist
Dr. Lisa Marotta, a licensed clinical/school psychologist can relate to weather anxiety. “We were camping in Kansas and there was a tornado. We didn’t know what county we were in and didn’t understand until very late that the severe weather was in our area. We were evacuated and went to a shelter.” Clusters of families were scattered around in the shelter, managing the storm and information in different ways. “One mother had the radio pressed to her ear, her family huddled under a table as she barked out the storm’s path.”

In another family, the parents were talking about how much fun it was to hang out in that church basement, completely avoiding mentioning the reason they were there. “The kids could sense the anxiety in the room, but were clueless as to what was going on.”

A third family took a different approach. “They were sitting together, talking about the weather and how they were in a safe place,” said Dr. Marotta. “They made the weather real but reassured their family
that they were safe. They talked about the situation and ways that they could help.”

According to Dr. Marotta, “there’s a balance between empowering children and filtering information for them. You
have to be able to share a sense of knowledge about safety and weather with your kids.” Kids with a high level of
anxiety might benefit from a safety plan, which ultimately benefits the entire family. If kids are prepared ahead of time, they don’t have the added stress of wondering if they will be ready if severe weather hits.

Parents must also monitor the information their child is getting during bouts of severe weather. “You don’t want your child not to know how to handle the storm,” continued Dr. Marotta. “But if your child is the type to over-alarm, then you need to assure them that you will let them know when it’s time to get very concerned.” Let your child know that being responsible for their safety is your job. However, letting your child have a little
healthy anxiety about severe weather is a good thing. “Kids without anxiety might need a little,” said Dr. Marotta. “Anxiety serves as a motivation for them to learn how to take care of themselves.”

Kids should have an awareness of the weather—what the sirens mean, concerns about windows or staying outside.
Excitement-driven kids might want to go outside to see what is going on. They need a bit of healthy anxiety and respect for the weather.”

After severe weather, it’s a good idea to get your kids involved so they increase their sense of control and connection to their community. “Kids feel a sense of mastery and control if they can help other people, by donating clothes or toys, tangible things. Kids that don’t have that problem with anxiety or older children might help with cleanup, but for younger children, the stimulation of seeing the damage might be too much,” said Dr. Marotta.

Keep in mind that every place has “something.” In Oklahoma it’s our weather, but the benefit to that is that we have top-notch weather coverage. Balance that with the proper parental controls, and children can manage that coverage in a positive manner.and children can manage that coverage in a positive manner.

Visit here to see a video of Mike Morgan talking to children about ways they can help keep their family safe during severe weather.

What To Do During a Tornado
• Gather your severe weather kit, containing cell phone, sturdy shoes, battery-operated TV or radio, helmets, blanket, nonperishable snacks, water, flashlight and extra batteries.

• If you are in a building, get as many walls as possible between you and the storm; get in a shelter or the lowest level of your home, windows closed.

• If no shelter is available, lie flat in a ditch, covering your head for protection. Do not stay in your car or try to outrun an impending tornado.

Visit fema.gov/hazard/tornado/to_during.shtml for additional severe weather tips.

Fujita Tornado Damage Scale
(adapted from the National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center website, spc.noaa.gov)
Scale Wind Estimate Typical Damage
F0 < 73 mph Light damage to structures, trees and signs.
F1 73-112 mph Moderate damage to roofs, mobile homes and cars.
F2 113-157 mph Considerable damage to roofs,
homes, trees and cars. F3 158-206 mph Severe damage to larger structures, trains, trees and large vehicles.
F4 207-260 mph Devastating damage causing complete destruction of structures.
F5 261-318 mph Incredible damage causing widespread destruction.

What To Do Afterwards
Tips for the aftermath of severe weather provided by insurance adjuster Alice Young of Brown-O’Haver

• Collect important items not already gathered into your safe room. If your home was exposed to heat or smoke, do not consume any food, drink or medicines. Contact your doctor to replace existing prescriptions.

• Review options for insurance claims. Visit UnitedPolicyHolders.org and napia.com to understand your rights.

• Contact your insurance company to file claim and request advance payment for immediate expenses.

• Find a temporary home, which should be covered under the “additional expenses” portion of your insurance policy.

• Contact a restoration company to board up your home.

• Call utility companies to turn off services.

• Keep all receipts; these expenses should be reimbursable and the receipts will provide the paper trail.