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Expert: Make a plan before the next tornado

Posted at 4:11 PM, Aug 22, 2016
and last updated 2016-08-22 20:32:38-04

WYOMING, Mich. - When severe weather strikes, you are advised to go to a  basement or low-lying area for safety.

But what if you live in a mobile home or apartment complex?  Many people found themselves in that predicament this weekend in West Michigan.

FOX 17 spoke Monday with a safety expert for tips on what people who find themselves in that situation should do.

Jack Stewart, the Kent County Emergency Manager, says the first thing to do is to make a plan - now!  That way you'll know you what to do with faced with a quick decision.

Interior rooms are your best bet, like a laundry room or a hallway if you are in an apartment building.  If you have time to leave your mobile home for a more solid structure, like a church or school or store, do it, but make sure you can make it there.  Otherwise, internal rooms are your next best bet.

Some apartment complexes have emergency plans for residents.  You should ask the management at your complex if they have a plan.  If they don't, you'll want to make one for yourself based on Stewart's recommendations.