NEWS 25 WEHT Evansville, Henderson, OwensboroTwo National Agencies Different On What To Do During A Tornado

Two National Agencies Different On What To Do During A Tornado

story by Courtney Gousman

EVANSVILLE - Two big national agencies are now divided about what you should do in the event of a tornado and you're stuck in your car.

In May the American Red Cross amended its recommendation going against the National Weather Service.

Both agencies have made a case for their recommendation.  The Red Cross says its new stance comes after studying the latest statistics.

You hear the warning.  A tornado is coming, but you're stuck in your car.  What do you do?

Do you A, stay in your car and duck for cover? 

Or B, get out and take shelter in a ditch?

The correct answer might depend on who you ask.

"We recommend you pull your car over... and actually duck below the dash," says Emily Fehrenbacher, Community Relations Coordinator for the Southwest Indiana Chapter of the Red Cross.

For years the Red Cross followed the lead of the National Weather Service, which advises getting out of your car and taking shelter in the nearest ditch.

"We have learned from statistics and experience that a lot of folks who were getting out of their car to go actually lie in a ditch were getting hit with large debris from the tornado coming at them or even struck by lighting," says Fehrenbacher.  

So here's what the Red Cross is now recommending. If a tornado is coming and you're stuck in your car, park your vehicle, leave your engine running, and your seat belt on. You want to make sure you duck so that you're head and body are below window level.  You can also cover yourself with a blanket or piece of clothing for extra protection.

"You can make a cause for going either route," says National Weather Service Meteorologist, Rick Shanklin.

Shanklin tells NEWS 25 there are dangers if you opt to stay inside your car, citing the EF 3 tornado that hit Corydon, Kentucky in March.

"An extended cab ford ranger truck was picked up by the tornado and thrown approximately a quarter of a mile... If somebody had been in that truck, remained in that truck, their fate almost would have been certain death," says Shanklin.

Both Shanklin and Fehrenbacher say choosing either of these options should come second to seeking shelter inside a building.

"I think we're wanting to see all of the data very thoroughly before there would be any change," says Shanklin.

The Red Cross says this change comes after it discussed the issue with the Advisory Council for First Aid, Aquatics, Safety and Preparedness, which is an independent panel of health and safety experts that advise the Red Cross.