Every Tornado Season requires some Prep-Bag additions: We outline 3 must have items for your safety
As tornado season approaches, standard emergency kits often lack specialized items crucial for this specific weather threat. While your everyday prep bag or 72-hour kit provides general emergency coverage, tornados present unique challenges requiring specialized gear. If you live in Tornado Alley or any region prone to these violent storms, these three critical additions to your get home bag could make a life-saving difference when minutes matter.
1. Personal Head Protection
During a tornado, flying debris causes the majority of injuries and fatalities. Your standard prep bag likely lacks adequate head protection, but this simple addition could save your life:
What to add: A lightweight bicycle or construction helmet with a full-face shield or wrap-around safety glasses.
Unlike bulky sports helmets, bicycle helmets are designed to protect against impact while remaining lightweight and compact enough for your go bag. Choose models with adequate ventilation and adjustable sizing so multiple family members can use it if necessary.
For those concerned about space, even a folding bump cap (commonly used by mechanics working in tight spaces) provides significantly better protection than nothing at all. Whatever you choose, ensure it’s quickly accessible in your 3-day bag – not buried at the bottom where it’s useless in a sudden emergency.
2. Enhanced Communication Tools
Standard prep bags typically include basic communication tools, but tornado scenarios demand more specialized options:
What to add: A weather radio with SAME technology and hand-crank/solar charging capabilities.
While many go bags include basic emergency radios, tornado-specific prep requires SAME (Specific Area Message Encoding) technology that automatically alerts you to tornado warnings in your precise location. Models with automatic wake-up functions can alert you even during nighttime tornadoes when you might be sleeping through conventional warnings.
Look for radios featuring:
- NOAA weather band reception
- SAME location-specific alerts
- Multiple power sources (battery, hand-crank, solar)
- USB charging output for emergency phone charging
This single addition dramatically improves your early warning capabilities, potentially giving you precious extra minutes to reach shelter before a tornado strikes.
3. Specialized Respiratory Protection
The aftermath of a tornado presents serious respiratory dangers rarely addressed in standard get home bags:
What to add: N95 respirator masks (minimum 2 per person) and protective goggles.
After a tornado, airborne particulates from building materials (including insulation, asbestos in older structures, and pulverized concrete) create hazardous breathing conditions. Standard dust masks found in most prep bags provide inadequate protection against these fine particulates.
N95 respirators filter 95% of airborne particles when properly fitted and are essential when navigating tornado damage. Pair these with protective goggles to shield your eyes from the same irritants. These items require minimal space in your prep bag but provide critical protection when moving through debris fields or returning to damaged structures.
Don’t Forget the Basics
While these specialized additions enhance your tornado readiness, they complement rather than replace core prep bag essentials. Ensure your get home bag still contains:
- Water (1 gallon per person per day)
- Non-perishable food
- First aid supplies
- Emergency blanket
- Flashlight and extra batteries
- Essential medications
- Emergency contact information
- Cash in small denominations
Your tornado-specific additions integrate with these foundations to create a more comprehensive emergency kit tailored to this specific threat.
Take Action Before Tornado Season
Don’t wait until tornado warnings appear on your phone to enhance your emergency kit. These three additions require minimal investment but provide substantial protection during one of nature’s most unpredictable disasters.
For more comprehensive emergency planning beyond these specific tornado additions, check out our guide to advanced bug out bag considerations that covers a wider range of emergency scenarios.
Not sure exactly what your get home bag should contain based on your specific region and household composition? Our interactive bug out bag calculator provides customized recommendations tailored to your unique situation.
Remember, the best prep bag isn’t the one with the most equipment—it’s the one thoughtfully customized for the specific threats you’re most likely to face. Is your get home bag tornado-ready?