Since hurricane season is here and hundreds of fires are engulfing and devastating the West Coast, how should people in Missouri stay safe in case of disaster?

One of the more common natural disasters or emergencies that happen in Missouri are tornadoes.  According to St. Charles County’s website, there are about 32 tornadoes that occur in the state of Missouri each year.  These storms can cause a lot of damage to buildings and people.

“Tornadoes are pretty common in our area so my family taught me to go to my basement if I hear the tornado siren,” said sophomore Austin Fouse.

If someone caught in the area of a tornado they should go to the lowest level of your house or the building that you are in.  They should try to get into the centermost room of the structure and avoid being near windows.  Always keep an eye or ear on the tv or radio to see if or when the storm has cleared the area and they are safe to come out of cover.  

The state of Missouri also happens to be on one of the biggest and potentially devastating earthquake fault lines in the country.  The New Madrid Fault Zone is in southern Missouri and could produce a massive earthquake if the plates slip, according to Missouri’s Department of Natural Resources website.

According to an article on The US Department of Homeland Security website, to protect themselves from an earthquake a person should drop to the ground, hold on to something sturdy, try to get under a sturder table or chair, and cover their head/neck with their arms.

In drills at school the teachers and students are told to do the exact same thing.  They are told to duck and cover under a table/desk to protect from falling debris that may be caused by the shaking.

Another emergency that can and does happen in our area often is flooding.  All throughout the year in Missouri we often get a few days in a row where it rains a lot which can cause flash flooding.  Floods can also be caused by melting snow which the state get a lot of too.  Missouri is near two rivers: The Mississippi and Missouri which can flood if they receive a significant amount of rainfall.  Last summer people saw many road and business closures that were caused by flooding of the rivers and streams in the area.  

“Floods can really pop up out of nowhere in Missouri.  One minute everything is fine and the next the rivers flood and everyone is in danger,” sophomore Jaworski said.  

Floods can happen without notice at times.  In case of a flood a person should try to stay inside and avoid driving or walking through running water.  They should also go to the highest point possible in your house just in case the flood waters make their way into the building.

Now that you all know what to do in the case of a few of the emergencies that can happen in our area you should all stay safe if they do happen.

If you would like to access more information about how to say safe in emergencies, visit ready.gov and keep learning.