If I live in an upstiars apartment in a tornado should I run downstairs?

Question

We dont get very strong tornados where I live nothing usually more than an F-2 but I live upstairs and Im terrified of tornados. Theres a "common area" where all of our front doors are then a main door. Should I run downstairs in the hallway or would the tornado suck me out of the front door, or just bang on the neighbors door?

Answer 1

Get into an interior room, like a bathroom on the ground floor.  Stay away from any windows.  Get under a big piece of furniture (not in our bathroom!!), cover your head with your arms, put something on top of yourself and pray.

I thought an F-2 was a bad tornado.

F2 Significant tornado 113-157 mph Considerable damage. Roofs torn off frame houses; mobile homes demolished; boxcars pushed over; large trees snapped or uprooted; light object missiles generated

We just had one about 3 miles from us.  It demolished a two story townhouse building, sucked the roof off a school, and closed down several businesses.  

As for getting sucked out a door, I don't know how likely that is but people have been found 200 yards away from where they were hiding.  http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23050298 11 month old was found (depending on story) 100 - 150 yards from his house.

Answer 2

The scale of a tornado has nothing to do with the wind speed. It all depends on the amount of damage it does. The can be a tornado with 300 mph winds out in the middle of no where causing little damage and be given an F-2 scale.  So yes, get to the basement or lower level.

Answer 3

Always downstairs.  Stay in the hallway away from doors and windows.  Just like they taught us in school, sit on the floor and cover your head.  If a neighbor lets you in, the safest place is in the tub covered with a pillow or cushion.  Good luck!

Answer 4

Yes Diffidently go downstairs unless you want the tornado to tear of the top of your home I suggest you run as quickly as possible down stairs.

Answer 5

Any area can get F-4 or F-5 tornados.  They may not be as common as tornado-prone areas like Oklahoma or Kansas, but they can happen.  Besides, even an F-2 tornado can destroy a house or apartment and kill or injure people.

I'd say either go into an interior room with no windows (like a bathroom) or go to your downstairs neighbor's apartment.

Answer 6

The closer to the ground, the better.

Answer 7

It would be safest to go to the part of the house that is the sturdiest and safest... away from windows, that kind of thing.

Answer 8

If the common area has windows, no.  You are probably better off in your (upstairs) bathroom.  However, does your appartment building have a laundry room in the basement?  A downstairs hallway (again, without windows) would be better than your upstairs bathroom.  Bring a nice hard back book to put over your head (open it, half on each side of your head, and set it on top of your head) for protection, and sit down on the floor with your back to a wall.  Again, basement would be better than ground floor.

Answer 9

Before there is a tornado I would work something out with the family that lives below you.

You are much safer down lower than you are in your apartment.

Good Luck

Answer 10

you need to get as low s you can. thats why they say if youre outside and have no where to go, go to a ditch and get as low to the ground as you can. and no, the tornado will not suck you out. they dont work that way

Answer 11

Get to the lowest place you can, first floor is good, basement is better, and get underneath something strong, like a big sturdy table, or desk, hopefully there is something like that in your apartments common area.

Answer 12

If there is a basement, you want to get to it.  The lowest spot possible.  If you are outdoors, a ditch.