Personal Preparation in Event of a Tornado Warning (Essay Sample)

Background on tornadoes
A tornado is a violently spinning column of air that emanates in a thunderstorm and extends to the ground. Tornado winds can reach speed of up to 250 miles per hour, wrecking everything in their way. The most damaging tornadoes are generated by supercells thunderstorms, which are massive, persistent thunderstorms. Destructive storms can be seen all over the world, but the United States is a hotspot for them with about a thousand tornadoes every year CITATION Nat192 \l 1033 (NatGeo, 2019)
Tornadoes in the United States kill approximately 80 people per year and injure over 1,500 others. Every state in the United States has had tornadoes, but Texas holds the record with an annual average of 120. CITATION Nat192 \l 1033 (NatGeo, 2019).A total of 41 people died while 100 were injured in tornado season of 2019(CDC, 2020).
To stay safe during a tornado, the National Center of Environmental Health recommends: formulating a plan and an emergency kit, staying vigilant of weather conditions during thunderstorms, identifying safe places to shelter both indoors and outdoors, and most importantly, always shield your head (CDC, 2020).
Although Los Angeles County has never experienced the worst Midwest tornadoes, smaller ones, aren`t unknown here. At least 42 tornadoes have been recorded in Los Angeles County since 1950.The majority were small, covering only a short distance and causing little to no harm. Tornadoes are more likely to occur in the region from November to January CITATION Mat21 \l 1033 (Cappucci, 2021)
Tornadoes can cause damage to power lines, gas lines, and electrical infrastructure, raising the risk of fire, electrocution, and explosion. To protect oneself and one's family, one must treat any injuries sustained during the storm as