Be prepared for tornado season Published April 10, 2006 By Senior Airman John Gordinier 20th Fighter Wing Public Affairs SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. (AFPN) -- Driving to work Sept. 7, 2004, Senior Airman Joshua Hjemvick saw cloud cover and well-defined rain showers south of the base. Suddenly, the forecaster from the 28th Operational Weather Squadron saw flying debris from the buildings to his right. He stopped the car and threw it into reverse, but noticed more flying debris behind him.In the blink of an eye, Airman Hjemvick was thrown into a life or death situation. He was in the middle of a tornado. When it comes to tornado preparation, "everyone must have a plan and they need to know where they will go for safety," said 1st Lt. Nicholas Healy, a meteorology instructor at the 20th Operations Support Squadron. They also need to know their surroundings and which rooms have the strongest protection. For preparation, a person should choose a room that has few windows or no windows at all. If all rooms have windows, the hallway is considered a good spot to take cover because it has close wall support for protection, Lieutenant Healy said. When outside, a person should head for a substantial building or ditch if nearby.When taking cover, it is important to crouch down on your knees and use your arms and hands to protect your head from flying debris, said Staff Sgt. Rachel Marshall, a weather forecaster at the 20th OSS. Other preparations include having a flashlight and a portable radio with fresh batteries readily available in order to get current weather reports. A radio is recommended since a TV set may not be accessible when taking cover, Lieutenant Healy said. "The simplest way for people to prepare for tornado season is to know the difference between a tornado watch and a tornado warning," he said. "Many people get that mixed up." A tornado watch means tornadoes are possible in the area. A tornado warning means a tornado has been sighted or indicated by weather radar. If a tornado warning is issued, move to the pre-designated place of safety and listen to the radio for tornado information updates. Tornadoes are measured by the Fujita Scale, which ranges from F0 through F5. The Fujita intensity is determined by the estimation of surface damage and wind speed, he said. An F0 is the smallest tornado and an F5 is the largest. During tornado season, "be prepared and aware," Lieutenant Healy said. "If you know there is a tornado coming, take action." That's what Airman Hjemvick did. He took action and remembered his training. He got out of his car, ran across the road and jumped into a ditch, covering his head and eyes. Airman Hjemvick was not injured, but his car, unfortunately, was not so lucky.