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INTO THE CLOSET
If you're in a mobile home, go somewhere else. If you're in a house, head to your basement. If you don't have a basement or storm cellar, seek shelter in an inner hallway or even a closet. Above all, get away from the windows. If it's convenient, grab a mattress to use as a shield. Failing that, a blanket or heavy jacket can protect you from swirling debris and glass.
According to one myth, you can reduce damage by opening the windows, so you can equalize pressure inside and out. Uh ... no. All that does is increase your chance of getting hit by something. Stay away from the windows!
Finally, don't go out to gawk at the damage once you think the tornado has passed. Other twisters can develop from one storm; think how stupid you'd feel if you dodged one, only to find yourself face-to-face with another. Listen to a portable radio — a key possession in a tornado — and wait for the official all clear.
