Contact: Priscilla Knight, 703-392-1580, pknight@novec.com
NORTHERN VIRGINIA — Severe tornadoes on May 10, 2010, killed several people, injured dozens more, destroyed homes, and knocked down power lines in Oklahoma and parts of Kansas. Although tornadoes usually occur in the Midwest, they also hit Virginia. The Northern Virginia Electric Cooperative recommends that all residents be prepared for severe weather and power outages.
1996 F2 Tornado
On June 24, 1996, the National Weather Service Doppler radar identified a F2 tornado in southern Loudoun County with winds approaching 150 miles per hour. The tornado roared into Fairfax County and ripped off roofs and whole sides of houses in Centreville before heading for Alexandria. An 80-MPH downburst from the storm almost caused a US Air Shuttle to crash on take-off at Reagan National Airport. The storm spawned another tornado in Upper Marlboro, Md., knocking out power to more than 80,000 homes — some for a week.
Be Prepared for Power Outages
“During the Feb. 2010 snowstorms, we restored service to everyone who lost power as quickly as we could, but many of our customers weren't prepared to go days without electricity,” says Allen Barbee, NOVEC vice president of electric system operations. “We want our customers to be ready in case tornadoes and other storms stir up trouble this spring and summer.”
Barbee advises customers to monitor local weather and news stations. “A tornado watch means weather conditions may cause a tornado,” explains Barbee. “A tornado warning means a funnel has been sighted in your area and you should take cover immediately.”
Develop a Tornado Safety Plan
Home Preparation
- Designate the safest shelter location, such as a basement or cellar room away from windows. A basement bathroom provides extra protection, because water pipes reinforce the walls. If a family member is disabled, develop an alternative plan. Because a mobile home is extremely unsafe during a tornado, plan to leave it immediately and seek shelter inside a nearby sturdy building or find a ditch away from the home to lie in with arms and hands over your head.
- Have on hand: bottled water, non-perishable food, pet food, manual can opener, paper supplies, flashlights, battery-powered lanterns, fresh batteries, prescription drugs, first aid supplies, and baby-care items.
- Own a NOAA weather radio or other battery-powered radio to hear storm news.
- Have identification and documentation readily available. Store Social Security information; birth certificates; home, car, and life insurance files; and other important documents in a water-proof file box.
- Cordless phones do not work when power is out. Have a landline phone and/or keep cell phones charged.
- NOVEC customers should post the Co-op’s telephone number — 703-335-0500 or 1-888-335-0500 — in an easy-to-find place, and make sure NOVEC has the customer’s current phone number to expedite outage reporting and restoration.
- If there is time before an imminent tornado, turn off the air conditioner and unplug TVs, DVD/ VCR players, microwave oven, and computers to protect them from power surges and lightning strikes.
- Never try to outrun a tornado on foot or in an automobile. Find shelter inside a sturdy building or lie flat in a culvert or ditch and cover your head with your arms and hands. Do not take shelter under a highway overpass or bridge, because flying debris could hit you or the structure could collapse on you.
- If you or family members are at school, in a mall, a sports stadium, or other public place when a tornado warning is issued, get inside a restroom. If time is short, seek shelter against an interior wall away from windows, or crawl under a heavy desk that will support or deflect falling debris. Cover your head with your arms and hands.
- Call NOVEC. If you have access to www.novec.com, click on the outage map for updates.
- Stay away from downed power lines and poles and the area around them. Storm debris, such as metal fences and bicycles, can hide a downed power line, which can energize anything that comes in contact with it. Notify NOVEC immediately.
- Use flashlights or lanterns instead of candles. If you use candles, watch them and keep them away from children and flammable household furnishings.
- Open freezers and refrigerators only when necessary.
- Use a portable generator, camp stove, or charcoal grill outdoors to prevent creating deadly carbon monoxide fumes indoors.
