Safety

• Carry a cell phone in case of emergency.
• Be aware of nearby people and vehicles
• If using headphones, let them hang around your neck. It's important to hear, as well as see, what's happening in the vicinity.
• If it's necessary to call for help, be able to relay an exact location by knowing the nearest Park District area, intersection, or major landmark.
• When possible, visit Cleveland Metroparks with a friend or in a group.
• Avoid isolated areas. Keep roadways in sight, especially if alone.
• Carry a whistle to make a loud noise in case of an emergency.
• Always be observant, especially of suspicious people.
• If someone becomes a crime victim, a good description will assist in identifying the attacker.
• If a vehicle is involved in a crime, try to get the license plate number. It could prove essential in assisting the police investigation.
• If jogging along the parkway in dusk or dawn hours, wear bright-colored clothing or a reflective vest.
• If bicycling on the parkway, ride with traffic in the right lane and obey traffic laws.

For a child, Cleveland Metroparks can be an enticing place to explore. It can also be a dangerous place to play. When in the Park District, parents should always know the whereabouts of their children. Parents should remember that while visiting Cleveland Metroparks they are responsible for the supervision of their own children.

• Carry a cell phone in case of emergency.
• Young children should never be allowed to venture off by themselves.
• Keep close visual contact with children at all times, especially if a roadway or body of water is nearby.
• Teach children they should never talk to strangers, or accept invitations to go anywhere with someone they don't know.
• Educate children about police officers. Explain they are there to help, and it's okay for an officer to assist them.
• Teach children how to contact help in an emergency, by calling 911 or 440.333.4911.

When parking a vehicle in Cleveland Metroparks, try to follow these crime prevention tips:

• Lock all valuables (purses, wallets, cameras, etc.) in the trunk before entering the Park District.
• Lock car doors and close the windows after checking to make sure keys are removed from the vehicle.
• Have keys ready when returning to the car.
• In the event of vehicle trouble, contact Police at 440.333.4911.
• Before entering the Park District, only bring essentials like your keys, driver's license, and cell phone.
• Engrave identification on items like cameras, portable electronic devices, and removable stereos.
• Keep an updated record of serial numbers and credit card numbers at home. Have it available for an officer in the event of a theft.
• Install a locking gas cap so a thief can't siphon gas.
• Consider the use of a steering wheel lock, or install an alarm system.
• Keep a pen and paper in the car for notes in the event of a crime.

If you are caught outside with no safe shelter anywhere nearby the following actions may reduce your risk:

• Immediately get off elevated areas such as hills, mountain ridges or peaks
• Never lie flat on the ground
• Never shelter under an isolated tree
• Never use a cliff or rocky overhang for shelter
• Immediately get out and away from ponds, lakes and other bodies of water
• Stay away from objects that conduct electricity (barbed wire fences, power lines, windmills, etc.

During a flood, water levels and the rate the water is flowing can quickly change. Remain aware and monitor local radio and television outlets. Avoid flood waters at all costs and evacuate immediately when water starts to rise. Don't wait until it's too late! What is the difference between a Flood Watch and a Flood Warning issued by the National Weather Service?

• Flash Flood Warning: Take Action! A Flash Flood Warning is issued when a flash flood is imminent or occurring. If you are in a flood prone area move immediately to high ground. A flash flood is a sudden violent flood that can take from minutes to hours to develop. It is even possible to experience a flash flood in areas not immediately receiving rain.
• Flood Warning: Take Action! A Flood Warning is issued when the hazardous weather event is imminent or already happening. A Flood Warning is issued when flooding is imminent or occurring.
• Flood Watch: Be Prepared:A Flood Watch is issued when conditions are favorable for a specific hazardous weather event to occur. A Flood Watch is issued when conditions are favorable for flooding. It does not mean flooding will occur, but it is possible.
• Flood Advisory: Be Aware: An Flood Advisory is issued when a specific weather event that is forecast to occur may become a nuisance. A Flood Advisory is issued when flooding is not expected to be bad enough to issue a warning. However, it may cause significant inconvenience, and if caution is not exercised, it could lead to situations that may threaten life and/or property.

Before a Tornado

• Identify safe rooms built to FEMA criteria or ICC500 storm shelters or other potential protective locations in sturdy buildings near your home, work, and other locations you frequent so you have a plan for where you will go quickly for safety when there is a Warning or an approaching tornado.
• For schools, malls, and other buildings with long-span roofs or open space plans, or many occupants, ask the building manager to identify the best available refuge.
• Build an emergency kit and make a family communications plan.
• Listen to NOAA Weather Radio or to commercial radio or television newscasts for the latest information. In any emergency, always listen to the instructions given by local emergency management officials.
• Be alert to changing weather conditions. Look for approaching storms.
• Look for the following danger signs:
  • Dark, often greenish sky
  • Large hail
  • A large, dark, low-lying cloud (particularly if rotating)
  • Loud roar, similar to a freight train.
  • If you see approaching storms or any of the danger signs, be prepared to take shelter immediately.

Tornado Facts

The extent of destruction caused by tornadoes depends on the tornado’s intensity, size, path, time of day, and amount of time it is on the ground. Wind from tornadoes can reach more than 300 miles per hour, and damage paths can be more than 1 mile wide and 50 miles long. Wind from tornadoes can destroy buildings and trees, transform debris into deadly projectiles, and roll vehicles.

• They may strike quickly, with little or no warning.
• They may appear nearly transparent until dust and debris are picked up or a cloud forms in the funnel.
• The average tornado moves Southwest to Northeast, but tornadoes have been known to move in any direction.
• Tornadoes can accompany tropical storms and hurricanes as they move onto land.
• Waterspouts are tornadoes that form over water.

Know the Terms

Familiarize yourself with these terms to help identify a tornado hazard:

• Tornado Watch - Tornadoes are possible. When there is a Watch, move to be near enough to a shelter or sturdy building to be able to get there quickly in a few minutes if there is a Warning or if you see signs of a tornado approaching. Remain alert for approaching storms. Watch the sky and stay tuned to NOAA Weather Radio, commercial radio or television for information.
• Tornado Warning - A tornado has been sighted or indicated by weather radar. Take shelter immediately.

During a Tornado

If you are under a tornado warning, seek shelter immediately! Most injuries associated with high winds are from flying debris, so remember to protect your head. If you are in school, nursing home, hospital, factory, shopping center, high-rise building pre-identified best available refuge then:

• Go to a pre-designated area such as a safe room built to FEMA criteria, or a small interior windowless room on the lowest level, below ground in a basement, or storm cellar, is best. (closet, interior hallway) away from corners, windows, doors, and outside walls. Put as many walls as possible between you and the outside. Get under a sturdy table and cover your head and neck with your arms and cover your body as best you can e.g., with a heavy coat or blankets, pillows.
• In a high-rise building, go to a small interior room or hallway on the lowest floor possible.
• Do not open windows.
• A sturdy structure (e.g. residence, small building), school, nursing home, hospital, factory, shopping center, high-rise building)

A manufactured home or office then:

• Get out immediately and go to a pre-identified location such as the lowest floor of a sturdy, nearby building or a storm shelter. Mobile homes, even if tied down, do not offer protection from tornadoes.

The outside with no shelter then:

If you are not in a sturdy building, there is no single research-based recommendation for what last-resort action to take because many factors can affect your decision. Possible actions include:

• Immediately get into a vehicle, buckle your seat belt and try to drive to the closest sturdy shelter. If your vehicle is hit by flying debris while you are driving, pull over and park.
• Take cover in a stationary vehicle. Put the seat belt on and cover your head with your arms and a blanket, coat or other cushion if possible.

In all situations:

• Do not get under an overpass or bridge. You are safer in a low, flat location.
• Never try to outrun a tornado in urban or congested areas in a car or truck. Instead, leave the vehicle immediately for protection in a sturdy building.
• Outdoor areas are not protected from flying debris. Flying debris from tornadoes causes most fatalities and injuries.

Source: https://www.ready.gov/tornadoes

When caught in a winter storm, there are life saving actions you can take to protect yourself outside, in a vehicle and inside your home office

Outside

• Find Shelter: Try to stay dry and cover all exposed body parts.
• When There Is No Shelter Nearby: Build a lean-to, windbreak or snow cave for protection from the wind. Build a fire for heat and to attract attention. Place rocks around the fire to absorb and reflect heat.
• Melt Snow for Drinking Water: Eating unmelted snow will lower your body temperature.
• Exercise: From time to time, move arms, legs, fingers and toes vigorously to keep blood circulating and to keep warm. Avoid overexertion such as shoveling heavy snow, pushing a car or walking in deep snow if you are not in good health. The strain from the cold and the hard labor may cause a heart attack. Sweating could lead to a chill and hypothermia.

In Vehicles

If you must drive during a storm, take the following precautions:

• Slow down! Even if the roads just look wet they could still be slick. More than 6,000 fatalities occur on the roadways each year due to weather conditions.
• Make sure your vehicle is completely clear of ice or snow before starting the trip. Flying snow from cars causes accidents.
• Let someone know where you are going and what route you will take. If something happens, this person will know where to start a search.
• Don't leave the house without the following a fully charged mobile phone and car charger and a emergency supplies kit in your car.
• If you are driving and begin to skid, remain calm, ease your foot off the gas and turn your wheels in the direction you want the front of the car to go. If you have an anti-lock braking system (ABS), apply steady pressure to the brake pedal. Never pump the brakes on an ABS equipped vehicle.
• If you are having trouble seeing due to weather conditions, pull over to the side of the road and stop your car until visibility improves. Turn off your lights and use your parking break when stopped so that another car won't mistakenly follow your tail/brake lights and end up hitting you.

If your car gets stuck during a storm:

• Stay in the vehicle! - If you leave your vehicle, you will become disoriented quickly in wind-driven snow and cold. - Run the motor about 10 minutes each hour for heat. - While running the motor, open the window a little for fresh air to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning. - Clear snow from the exhaust pipe to avoid gas poisoning.
• Be visible to rescuers. - Turn on the dome light at night when running the engine. - Tie a bright colored cloth, preferably red, to your antenna or door. - After snow stops falling, raise the hood to indicate you need help.

Inside

Stay Inside: When using heat from a fire place, wood stove, space heater, etc., use fire safeguards and properly ventilate. If you have a gas furnace, make sure it is not not blocked by a snowdrift as soon as it's safe to go out. If you have an upstairs gas furnace which vents out the roof, you may need to turn off the upstairs unit until the snow melts off your roof.

If Your Heat Goes Out

• Close off unneeded rooms to avoid wasting heat.
• Stuff towels or rags in cracks under doors.
• Close blinds or curtains to keep in some heat.
• Eat and drink. Food provides the body with energy for producing its own heat. Drinks lots of water and other non-caffeinated, non-alcholohic drinks to prevent dehydration. Cold air is very dry.
• Wear layers of loose-fitting, lightweight, warm clothing. Remove layers to avoid overheating, perspiration and subsequent chill.

Source: http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/winter/during.shtml

Take Shelter

• Immediately go inside a sturdy building during a high wind warning or severe thunderstorm warning and move to an interior room or basement.
• Listen to the local news or NOAA Weather Radio for updates.

If Caught Outside or Driving

• Take shelter in your car if you are not near a sturdy building. If possible, drive to a nearby sturdy building. Otherwise, move your car to a location where it is less likely to be hit by falling trees or powerlines.
• If no shelter is available avoid trees, power lines, and the side of the road. Keep in mind that power lines that are laying on the ground may be live. Do not go near them! Try to find a place that will block blowing or falling debris.
• If you are driving and aren't near a sturdy building, hold the steering wheel with both hands and slow down.