When a tornado siren sounds, go inside a sturdy building immediately and take shelter in a basement or, if there is none, a small windowless room on the lowest floor. Get low, protect your head from debris, and check official alerts. Stay sheltered until authorities say the threat has passed: a siren stopping is not an all-clear.
What to do as soon as you hear a siren
- Go indoors immediately. Enter a sturdy, enclosed building. Do not stay outside to watch the storm or wait for another signal. A tornado warning is a take-action alert; follow National Weather Service (NWS) guidance to seek shelter when a warning covers your area. NWS tornado safety guidance.
- Choose the safest available place. At home, go to the basement if you have one. Otherwise, use a small interior room without windows—such as a closet or bathroom—on the lowest floor. Keep away from windows and exterior walls. NWS tornado safety guidance.
- Get low and cover up. If practical, get under sturdy furniture. Use a mattress, blankets, pillows, or cushions to shield your body, and protect your head. A helmet can help if one is readily available. NWS regional tornado safety guidance.
- Keep monitoring official information. Use a reliable source such as NWS alerts or local emergency management updates while you shelter. Do not leave because the siren has stopped; wait for authorities to say the threat has passed.
Where to shelter in different places
At home
Use a basement when available. Without one, shelter in a small windowless room on the lowest floor, away from exterior walls and glass. No ordinary room guarantees protection, so add as much distance and cover between you and potential debris as you can. NWS tornado safety guidance.
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At school, work, or a public building
Follow the building’s tornado plan and go to its designated shelter. If there is no designated space, use a low-floor interior hallway or room. Avoid glass-enclosed areas and large open spaces with wide-span roofs, such as auditoriums. NWS tornado safety guidance.
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In a mobile home
Leave for a sturdy building or designated shelter as soon as a warning or local instructions indicate a threat. A mobile home is not a substitute for substantial shelter. NWS tornado safety guidance.
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In a vehicle
Seek substantial shelter if you can reach it safely. Do not try to outrun a tornado in congested traffic, and do not shelter under an overpass. NWS tornado safety guidance.
Outside with no shelter nearby
There is no single research-based action that fits every outdoor situation. NWS guidance describes getting to a low area and protecting your head as possible last-resort actions, but conditions vary; an overpass is not a safe shelter. Follow local emergency guidance when available. NWS tornado safety guidance.
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Why you should not rely on the siren alone
Outdoor sirens are intended to warn people outside and may not be audible indoors. The NWS Springfield infographic says, “Sirens are for OUTDOOR warning purposes and are NOT meant to be heard indoors.” Hearing one is a cue to get indoors and seek more information—not to go outside and look for a tornado. NWS Springfield tornado guidance.
A siren stopping does not mean the danger is over. Keep sheltering and check official alerts for updates and instructions. Local siren activation and all-clear practices vary, so follow your local emergency management guidance as well as current NWS information. NWS Springfield tornado guidance.
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Set up more than one way to receive warnings
Choose alert channels that can reach you where you actually spend time, including indoors, and consider how they will work if power or connectivity is interrupted. NWS recommends using multiple ways to receive warnings, including a battery-backup NOAA Weather Radio with tone-alert capability and SAME county coding. Outdoor sirens should not be your only alert source. NWS NOAA Weather Radio preparedness guide.
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