One way that you can help your family endure their time in tornado shelter is to have a tornado bag for your family. This will help you reach the shelter more quickly as you will only need to grab one thing before heading out to the shelter. Here is a list of things to include in your bag.
1) You should enough water for your family to last at least a day. You may want to store 72-hours of water in your shelter, in case you need it. You can include juice boxes in your bag as well.
2) You should have food in your bag as well. You may want to include granola bars, and cheese and peanut butter crackers. You may want to include a special treat or fun food. This will lend something positive to the experience for your children.
3) You will want to have a flashlight and a battery operated radio in your bag or your shelter. The flashlight will help you if the lights in your shelter go out. A gas lantern is not safe, in case your shelter is compromised. The radio will allow you to stay abreast of the warnings and watches in your area.
4) You should include activities for each member of your family. You can include short board games such as Boggle or cards in the bag. You may also want to include coloring books and crayons. You can also include a comfort item for each child.
5) If you have an infant you will want to include diapers and any other items, such as a bottle or pacifiers that your baby may need.
6) You should also plan for bathroom emergencies for your family. This is especially true if you have a preschooler or newly trained toddler.
In your shelter you should include items to wrap up in, and a comfortable place for your family to sit. This could be as simple as a pile of pillows. Your tornado bag will help you to move more quickly to the shelter and make the time go faster for your family. It will also make your family’s time there more comfortable.