According to the National Weather Service, storms could begin to impact the Dallas-Fort Worth area from 2 a.m. to 5 a.m. A few tornadoes could be strong.

Be sure you have multiple ways to receive warnings and ensure that any weather alerts you receive will wake you up. Damaging winds up to 70 mph is the primary hazard.

So what does this mean for you and your family?

Outdoor activities may need to be put on hold --- and you need to have a plan for your family’s safety.

“One of the most important things you can do to prepare is to know where you will go for shelter,” said Kaysey Pollan, director of Environmental Safety and Emergency Management at Cook Children’s. “The best place to be during a tornado is underground. If you don’t have access to a basement or underground shelter, move to the interior room or hallway on the lowest floor and get under a sturdy piece of furniture.”

When sheltering in an interior room, you want to make sure you’re away from windows. A bathroom or closet may also be a good option.

One of the worst places you can be during a tornado or strong winds is a mobile home. If you live in a mobile home, decide now where you will go for secure shelter.

In addition to knowing where to seek shelter, families should have a designated meeting place away from home (a neighbor’s house or a street corner in the neighborhood) where you would gather if you were separated during an emergency. Make sure everyone in your family knows where the meeting place is located.

Other ways to prepare:

• Locate your first-aid kit and fire extinguishers.
• Have flashlights handy.
• If you have helmets in your home, have them ready in an easy-to-access spot near your safe place.
• Know where utility switches or valves are located in case you need to turn them off.

If you are driving during a storm, stay in your car and try to find shelter (but not under an overpass). The only exception is if there’s a tornado coming toward you. If you can’t find shelter, get out of the car and find the most low-lying area (ditch, ravine, etc.). Lay flat on your stomach and cover your head with your hands. If it’s hailing, stop driving and find a place to park like inside a garage, under a carwash or a service station awning. If you have small children with you, put them under you and cover their eyes.

Whether or not your child is afraid of storms, it’s important for parents to stay calm during severe weather. Children are quick to pick up on their parents’ fears and anxieties and during an emergency and they will look to you for safety and reassurance.

“Parents should do their best to manage their own anxiety. If parents are calm it will help calm their children,” said Kristi Mannon, Ph.D., a psychologist at Cook Children’s Medical Center. “Parents should do their best to avoid watching news coverage in front of their children. Parents can check on weather updates on their phone or a device away from their children in order to stay informed.”

Dr. Mannon also advises parents not to dismiss their child’s feelings or to scold them.

“If a parent needs to complete a task such as preparing dinner and their child is expressing fear, they can take a break for a few seconds, make eye contact with their child, acknowledge their fear, and tell them they will talk about it as soon as dinner is ready,” she said.

“You can help your child stay calm not only by managing your own fears, but by having a supply kit ready to go,” said Justin Smith, M.D., a pediatrician at Cook Children’s Pediatrics Trophy Club. “Make sure you have snacks and something for your child to drink in case you have to remain under shelter for an extended period of time.”

Another tip – distraction can go a long way with children.

“Have a box of items that don’t rely on electricity such as coloring books, board games, a deck of cards or a favorite stuffed animal,” he said. “This can help during the storm and if you have to leave your house during a disaster.”

It is also important to be honest with children about what’s going on. However, make sure the amount of information and detail you share is appropriate for their age level.

The National Weather  Service Storm Prediction Center issued a tweet that read, "The most dangerous corridor for strong tornadoes and intense damaging winds should be centered on northeast TX, northern LA, and southern AR late tonight."

According to NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth, 43 tornadoes have occurred in North Texas during January since records have been kept (1880), with two in 2018 and eight more in 2017.

With tornadoes capable of occurring almost any time in Texas, Kaysey Pollan, Environmental Safety and Emergency Management officer at Cook Children’s, says everyone should have a plan in place in case of severe weather.

• Discuss with your family before severe weather where and how to seek shelter.
• Know where your first-aid kit and fire extinguishers are located.
• Know where utility switches or valves are located if there’s time to turn them off.
• Teach your family the basics of first aid, CPR, how to use a fire extinguisher.
• A growing trend during a storm is for families to wear helmets. Make sure the helmets are accessible. The Centers for Disease and Prevention warns that “Looking for a helmet in the few seconds before a tornado hits may delay you getting safely to shelter. If people choose to use helmets, these helmets should not be considered an alternative to seeking appropriate shelter. Rather, helmets should be considered just one part of their overall home tornado preparedness kit to avoiding any delay.

“If you don’t have access to an underground shelter, move to the interior room or hallway on the lowest floor and get under a sturdy piece of furniture,” Pollan said. “If you live in a mobile home, get out and find secure shelter.”

In addition to knowing where to seek shelter, families should have a designated meeting place away from home (a neighbor’s house or a street corner in the neighborhood) where you would gather if you were separated during an emergency. Make sure everyone in your family knows where the meeting place is located.

The CDC warns everyone to stay away from windows. An exploding window can injure or kill.

“The safest place in the home is the interior part of a basement. If there is no basement, go to an inside room, without windows, on the lowest floor. This could be a center hallway, bathroom, or closet,” according to the CDC.

“For added protection, get under something sturdy such as a heavy table or workbench. If possible, cover your body with a blanket, sleeping bag, or mattress, and protect your head with anything available–even your hands. Avoid taking shelter where there are heavy objects, such as pianos or refrigerators, on the area of the floor that is directly above you. They could fall through the floor if the tornado strikes your house.”

If you are driving during a storm, stay in your car and try to find shelter (but not under an overpass). The only exception is if there’s a tornado coming toward you. If you can’t find shelter, get out of the car and find the most low-lying area (ditch, ravine, etc.). Lay flat on your stomach and cover your head with your hands. If it’s hailing, stop driving and find a place to park like inside a garage, under a carwash or a service station awning. If you have small children with you, put them under you and cover their eyes.

Whether or not your child is afraid of storms, it’s important for parents to stay calm during severe weather. Children are quick to pick up on their parents’ fears and anxieties and during an emergency and they will look to you for safety and reassurance.

“Parents should do their best to manage their own anxiety. If parents are calm it will help calm their children,” said Kristi Mannon, Ph.D., a psychologist at Cook Children’s Medical Center. “Parents should do their best to avoid watching news coverage in front of their children. Parents can check on weather updates on their phone or a device away from their children in order to stay informed.”

Dr. Mannon also advises parents not to dismiss their child’s feelings or to scold them.

“If a parent needs to complete a task such as preparing dinner and their child is expressing fear, they can take a break for a few seconds, make eye-contact with their child, acknowledge their fear, and tell them they will talk about it as soon as dinner is ready,” she said.

It is also important to be honest with children about what’s going on. However, make sure the amount of information and detail you share is appropriate for their age level.

It’s also a good idea to know the difference between a Watch and a Warning.

A Watch means conditions are favorable for severe weather to occur over the next several hours. The National Weather Service advises you to continue activities as normal, but monitor the weather and be ready to act if a Warning is issued.

A Warning means head for cover! This is an indication that severe weather is imminent or already occurring at your location. Seek shelter on the lowest floor of a sturdy building and stay away from windows.

One easy way to prepare for severe weather is to download the tornado app created by The American Red Cross. It provides alerts, watches, warnings, and plan-ahead lists right to your phone.

The American Academy of Pediatrics also has compiled a thorough list of how to prepare for a disaster. You can find it here. 

Should we plan on making baseball practice?

Are we prepared if the storm hits our home or while we are driving?

What can I do to ease the fears of my child who is afraid of storms?

First, your outdoor plans may need to be put on hold. According to the National Weather Service, you should start paying attention to the weather around 4 p.m. today. Storms will increase in coverage during the evening and overnight hours.

Next, have a plan for your family’s safety. Kaysey Pollan, Environmental Safety and Emergency Management officer at Cook Children’s, says everyone should know where they are going to go during severe weather.

“If you don’t have access to underground shelter, move to the interior room or hallway on the lowest floor and get under a sturdy piece of furniture,” Pollan says. “If you live in a mobile home, get out and find secure shelter.”

In addition to knowing where to seek shelter, families should have a designated meeting place away from home (a neighbor’s house or a street corner in the neighborhood) where you would gather if you were separated during an emergency. Make sure everyone in your family knows where the meeting place is located.

If you are driving during a storm, stay in your car and try to find shelter (but not under an overpass). The only exception is if there’s a tornado coming toward you. If you can’t find shelter, get out of the car and find the most low-lying area (ditch, ravine, etc.). Lay flat on your stomach and cover your head with your hands. If it’s hailing, stop driving and find a place to park like inside a garage, under a carwash or a service station awning. If you have small children with you, put them under you and cover their eyes.

Whether or not your child is afraid of storms, it’s important for parents to stay calm during severe weather. Children are quick to pick up on their parents’ fears and anxieties and during an emergency and they will look to you for safety and reassurance.

“Parents should do their best to manage their own anxiety. If parents are calm it will help calm their children,” said Kristi Mannon, Ph.D., psychologist at Cook Children’s Medical Center. “Parents should do their best to avoid watching news coverage in front of their children. Parents can check on weather updates on their phone or a device away from their children in order to stay informed.”

Dr. Mannon also advises parents not to dismiss their child’s feelings or to scold them.

“If a parent needs to complete a task such as preparing dinner and their child is expressing fear, they can take a break for a few seconds, make eye-contact with their child, acknowledge their fear, and tell them they will talk about it as soon as dinner is ready,” she said.

“You can help your child stay calm not only by managing your own fears, but by having a supply kit ready to go,” said Justin Smith, M.D., pediatrician at Cook Children’s Pediatrics Trophy Club. “Make sure you have snacks and something for your child to drink in case you have to remain under shelter for an extended period of time.”

Also, don’t let darkness become an added fear. Dr. Smith advises parents to have flashlights in a place that is easily accessible, and not just the one on your smartphone.

“You don’t want to run the risk of your phone dying and losing your flashlight too. It’s always a good idea to have a real flashlight handy,” he said.

Another tip – distraction can go a long way with children.

“Have a box of items that don’t rely on electricity such as coloring books, board games, a deck of cards or a favorite stuffed animal,” he said. “This can help during the storm and if you have to leave your house during a disaster.”

It is also important to be honest with children about what’s going on. However, make sure the amount of information and detail you share is appropriate for their age level.

It’s also a good idea to know the difference between a Watch and a Warning.

A Watch means conditions are favorable for severe weather to occur over the next several hours. The National Weather Service advises you to continue activities as normal, but monitor the weather and be ready to act if a Warning is issued.

A Warning means head for cover! This is an indication that severe weather is imminent or already occurring at your location. Seek shelter on the lowest floor of a sturdy building and stay away from windows.

One easy way to prepare for severe weather is to download the tornado app created by The American Red Cross. It provides alerts, watches, warnings, and plan-ahead lists right to your phone.

The American Academy of Pediatrics also has compiled a thorough list if wants to prepare for a disaster. You can find it here. 

An average of 132 tornadoes occur in Texas each year.  

At some point, probably in the near future, one of those tornadoes will be in our area. Then what?

First of all, have a plan in place.

Sometimes, it’s just as important to know what you shouldn’t do. Kaysey Pollan, Environmental Safety and Emergency Management officer at Cook Children’s, offers these five things you should never do during a tornado:

1. Be unsure of your safeplace. Whether if it’s at your home or your office, know where you are going to go during severe weather. If you don’t have access to underground shelter, move to the interior room or hallway on the lowest floor and get under a sturdy piece of furniture. If you live in a mobile home, get out and find secure shelter.
2. Turn off your TV or radio. You hear it all the time. People calling in complaining to TV stations because their favorite program was interrupted for the weather. Don’t be that person. Pay attention to the weather forecast.
3. Depend on your fast car. Sorry, you can’t, or shouldn’t want to, outrun a tornado. Find shelter. If you can’t find shelter, get out of the car and find the most low-lying area (ditch, ravine, etc.). Lay flat your stomach and cover your head with your hands.
4. Open the windows. It’s been proven that this serves no benefit whatsoever. All an open window does is allow more wreckage to enter your home. During a severe storm, stay away from windows and keep them closed.
5. Drive underneath an overpass The National Weather Service Forecast Office says, “Seeking shelter under an overpass is more dangerous than standing in an open field while a tornado is approaching." When a tornado passes over an overpass, the wind is funneled under the bridge. In turn, this actually increases its velocity.”

Learn more from the source material for this article at the following sites:

• ready.gov
• knowhat2do.com
• accuweather.com/

Eleven people died, including one young child.

Maybe, someone you know was affected by the storm or maybe you had this thought: “That could have been me or my family.”

“This event may raise anxiety because it was so close to home,” Joy Crabtree, Psy.D., a licensed psychologist for Cook Children’s Behavioral Health in Southlake. “It’s important to stress to kids that even though some storms can be devastating. They are rarely deadly or cause such widespread damage.”

Saturday’s tornado outbreak was one of the worst in recent memory. The tornado that touched down in Garland was only the second EF-4 tornado to hit Dallas County since 1950.

Victoria McCain, a licensed psychologist for Cook Children’s, suggests giving young people just enough information that some bad things happened and how people are affected.

“Immediately follow this information with information about how people are helping, where affected people go for help, and how friends and neighbors act to help people affected by storm damage, and maybe how your family plans to help,” McCain said. “Older children may be curious about what happened and watch TV reports. Be sure to talk with your children about what they think and listen for their emotional reactions. Allow them to talk about what they think the people affected may be experiencing, emotionally and physically.”

Young children can be frightened by thunder and lightning and need reassurance during these events. Role model confidence and provide-age appropriate explanations about the day’s weather conditions.

Crabtree encourages a discussion following the aftermath of the storms, but only if your young children knows about the news of the tornadoes. Depending on their age and maturity level, it might be best to shield children from the news entirely.

Teens may have more questions and concerns because they are more aware of what happened. It’s OK to share with your child your own fears and anxieties about the events. Let them know it’s Ok to feel scared or frustrated, but it cannot overtake them.

“Be sure you are in control of your emotions and stress level,” McCain said. “Keep your face and body language pleasant and relaxed and convey confidence. Your kids will pick up on your fears and have trouble letting go of their own. Listen to what your child says about the event, validate his or her feelings by saying that everyone has feelings about what happened; show empathy by using feeling words such as saying, ‘You sound worried, scared, angry, mad, helpless, etc. about what happened.’”

You know your child better than anyone, check in with him or her often to see how they affected. Watch for signs of stress such as trouble sleeping, disturbed appetite, increase in bedwetting, being more clingy to you than before, irritability or wanting the comfort object they haven’t needed for a while. During this time, make sure to be there for your child and comfort with hugs as needed.

If bad weather is on the horizon, use activities to distract kids from the weather or from their own fears. Watch a movie or read books or play a game.

Reassure them that they are safe and if weather becomes severe, you are prepared. Let your child know that bad weather is usually predicted and it will give you time to get to your safe place in the home. Practice going to the safe spot in your home with the things you need such as bicycle helmets, flashlights, shoes, snacks, water and snacks (even for the pet).

Certainly, when severe storms leave behind damage and loss of life, it can raise anxiety levels for everyone. Reassure children about the advance warning systems for such storms and the steps that are taken to keep everyone safe. It may also be beneficial for kids to feel that they can help. That could be a gesture as simple as sending a letter or making a picture for those affected, or it could mean donating time or resources as well. Getting involved can be a great way to take anxious energy and turn it into something positive in order to help others.

“Talking with your children about ways to help those affected by the storm can be a good way to reduce the feeling of helplessness children feel after such an event,” McCain said. “Your child may spontaneously suggest a helpful action, or you may bring up the subject after you and your child have talked about the event and their feelings. Some families have established the way they handle charitable giving after tragic events and can involve their children in age-appropriate ways to participate. Some families are new to the concept and may be unsure of what to do. Contacting disaster relief agencies such as Salvation Army or Red Cross through their respective websites can give ideas that may inspire ways to give.”

We cannot give into fear. We need to be prepared. Know the signs. Have a plan.

Before the storms even start it is important that you have a plan for your family’s safety.

You need to pick a safe room in your home where your family can gather. The safest place is a basement or storm cellar but these are pretty rare in North Texas so you need to pick an interior space in your house on the bottom floor like a closet, bathroom or hallway where there are no windows. You want to put as many walls between you and the storm. The biggest source of injury in a tornado occur from being struck with flying debris so if you can pull a mattress into your shelter space or cover with heavy blankets or sleeping bags you will increase your protection. Contrary to popular belief you do not have to pick an area in the southwest corner of your house. Just pick the safest area in your house. Also you do not have to open or crack windows to equalize the pressure in your house. You are just increasing your risk of getting hit by flying debris.

If you live in a mobile home get out! People are 15 times more likely to die in a mobile home than any other location. Try to take shelter in a permanent structure if you can. As a last resort if you cannot find a permanent structure for shelter then go to a low lying area like a ditch and cover your head.

If you are at work, take shelter in an interior room, stairwell, or bathroom on the first floor and away from windows. Your office should have an inclement weather plan and remind employees of it twice a year.

If your child is at school they will be instructed to follow the school’s tornado plan. Schools will go on lockdown mode and move the children to the safest area possible. Follow your school’s tornado and inclement weather plan. It is the best way to ensure your child’s safety as well as your own. Your child has gone through numerous safety drills at school and knows to follow the schools plan. Reassure them that this is the safest thing to do. Remind your children to follow what their teachers have taught them. The best way to reassure your child is to help them understand the importance of following the direction of the adults who are caring for them.

If you are outside, try to find shelter in a permanent location. If you cannot find structural shelter get in a low lying area and cover your head with your hands and arms. Try to pick a spot away from trees and other potential projectiles.

If you are in your car and cannot get to a structural shelter, the American Red Cross recommends staying in your car. They recommend pulling off the road. Leave your seat belt on and crouch down away from the windows. Try to cover your face and head with a coat or blanket is possible. They do not recommend trying to take shelter under an overpass or bridge. Do not try to flee a tornado that is moving toward you. They also note if your car is near a low-lying ditch or culvert it may be safer to leave your vehicle and get to the lowest point possible. Always remember to cover your head with your hands and arms.

It is important to know the difference between a TORNADO WATCH and a TORNADO WARNING.

TORNADO WATCHThis means that the conditions are present that make a tornado possible over the next several hours. This does not mean a tornado is about to occur. It is a caution to be vigilant as you go through your day.

TORNADO WARNING

This means an actual tornado has been spotted or that meteorologists have picked up rotation on their Doppler radar. Your city’s safety alert siren will sound if a tornado warning is occurring. This is a sign to go to your safe area.

I highly recommend you get the American Red Cross app for your phone. This is a free app that will alert you if a TORNADO WARNING is occurring in your area. It also has excellent tips about tornado preparedness and the ability to set up a blast message you can send to friends and family to let them know that you are safe. It will send the message via email, Message, Twitter, and Facebook.

It is a good idea to create an emergency- preparedness kit. The American Red Cross recommends you include the following basics:

• Water – at least a 3-day supply. One gallon per person per day.
• Food – at least a 3 day supply of nonperishable easy to prepare food
• Flashlight with batteries
• Battery powered or hand crank radio
• First aid kit
• 7 day supply of all necessary medications
• Copies of personal documents
• Family and emergency contact information
• Extra set of clothing and study shoes
• Sanitation and personal hygiene items

You have a Plan.You know the signs. Be safe. Have Faith.

Sandra C. Peak, M.D.

Learn what you shouldn't do during a tornado here.