When Bob Hawk awoke Friday morning he found a text message on his cell phone from his niece who lives in Hawaii.
The message said, “Don’t worry, I’m safe.”
Alarmed and confused, Hawk texted her back asking “safe from what?”
His niece replied, “The tsunami missed us, but hit Japan.”
Weather can change in a matter of minutes, Hawk told students at Lincoln Elementary School. “You have to be prepared.”
In conjunction with the statewide tornado drill on Thursday, Hawk talked to the students about remaining calm and safe during a tornado.
“Where we live, severe weather is an issue. As in ‘The Wizard of Oz’ Kansas is not a stranger to tornadoes,” Hawk said.
The National Weather Service in Wichita does an excellent job keeping Kansans notified of weather conditions. When severe weather approaches the Iola area the weather service issues warnings through local radio and television stations.
“When bad weather strikes stay inside. Lightning during a storm can cause as much harm as high winds,” Hawk said.
Don’t fear a tornado but respect the destruction it can cause by taking safety precautions.
Winds in a tornado can reach in excess of 300 miles per hour. Kansas has an average of 100 tornadoes a year, he said.
Hawk urged the students to remain calm if a tornado should come near Iola.
To help the youths remember safety tips during a tornado he told them to DUCK: Down to the lowest level, under something sturdy, cover your head and body and keep down until the storm passes.
Tornadoes make a big noise, like the roar of a train and can be heard for miles.
“Several years ago I was near Pizza Hut when a tornado passed by Piqua. I was in Iola and still was able to hear the tornado which was about 6 miles away,” he said.
Hawk has assisted with a number of weather disasters, including the flood that hit Iola a few years ago and the tornado that destroyed Greensburg.
Most of Greensburg was leveled by the storm as was seen in photos taken by Hawk. The tornado was 1 1/2 miles wide and destroyed homes, businesses and schools.
“If you are driving in a car and see a tornado, immediately get out of the car and get into a ditch and cover your head. A tornado can lift a car in the air and twist it into an unrecognizable shape,” he said.
One student asked what he should do if at home and there is a tornado. Go to a basement or an interior hallway or a closet. A tornado is a lot like Pac Man. The storm eats away layers of the home from the outside in. You are safer in the interior of the home, he said.
Another student wanted to know if it is safer to be at home or in school in case of a tornado. A school may be a little safer than a home because it is a stronger building, Hawk said.
“I want you all to go home and talk to your parents about forming a safety plan in case Iola is in the path of a tornado. I want you all to know how to be safe and survive,” Hawk said.
Students learn storm safety
