Author: FFP Ai Bot

Illustration: The Fostoria Free Press.

SENECA COUNTY- Tornado season in Ohio is usually thought of as spring and early summer, but the National Weather Service says tornadoes can occur at any time of day or night and at any time of the year. A plan made on a calm day is the one that works when the sirens sound. Here is how Seneca County families can get ready.

Know the alerts

The National Weather Service’s tornado alerts guide explains three levels:

• Tornado Watch: Be prepared. Tornadoes are possible in and near the watch area, which is usually large and can cover many counties. Review your plan, check your supplies and your safe room, and be ready to act quickly.
• Tornado Warning: Take action. A tornado has been sighted or indicated by weather radar, and there is imminent danger. Move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building and avoid windows. Warnings cover a much smaller area and are issued by your local forecast office.
• Tornado Emergency: Seek shelter immediately. This is the weather service’s highest alert, used when a violent tornado has touched down and catastrophic damage is confirmed.

Sign up for local alerts

The NWS advises knowing how your community sends warnings. Some places use outdoor sirens, while others depend on media and phones. In Seneca County, the Seneca County Emergency Management Agency’s Hyper-Reach system sends emergency alerts by text message, email or voice call. The EMA encourages residents to also sign up elderly relatives, who can get calls on a landline. Sign-up is available through the EMA’s website.

Also keep a NOAA Weather Radio and local news handy, as the weather service recommends.

Where to shelter

The NWS page on what to do during a tornado says:

• At home: Go to your basement, safe room or an interior room away from windows. Do not forget pets if time allows.
• At work or school: Follow your tornado drill and go to the shelter area quickly and calmly. Stay away from windows and large open rooms such as cafeterias, gyms and auditoriums.
• Outside: Get inside a sturdy building right away. Sheds, storage buildings, mobile homes and tents are not safe.
• In a vehicle: A vehicle is not safe in a tornado. Drive to the closest shelter if you can. If you cannot, either get down in the car and cover your head, or leave the car and lie in a low area such as a ditch or ravine.

Video: “Get Weather Ready: During a Tornado” from the National Weather Service (NWS) YouTube channel.

Build your family plan

The weather service’s tornado preparation page recommends that families:

1. Pick a safe room, such as a basement, storm cellar or interior room on the lowest floor with no windows.
2. Make a communications plan with an emergency meeting place.
3. Plan ahead if you have no basement or live in a mobile home. Identify a nearby sturdy building you can reach quickly, such as a church or a relative’s home.
4. Practice. Hold a family drill regularly so everyone knows where to go when a warning is issued.
5. Help your neighbors prepare, and consider CPR training so you can help if someone is hurt.

More planning help is available at Ready.gov.

A simple shelter kit

Keep a few basics in or near your safe spot: a flashlight with extra batteries, a weather radio, water, any needed medications, sturdy shoes and a charged phone. Keep it simple enough that you will actually maintain it.

After the storm

• Stay away from downed power lines and report them to 911 or to AEP Ohio at 800-672-2231.
• Keep monitoring local forecasts for updates, as the weather service advises.
• For non-emergency questions after a disaster, the Seneca County EMA can be reached at 419-447-0266.
• The EMA’s comfort center page says that if you need a safe place to escape extreme temperatures, call your local dispatch center’s administrative line, such as Fostoria Police at 419-435-8573. Do not call 911 except for emergencies.

Forecasts for Seneca County come from the National Weather Service office in Cleveland, which issues local warnings.

Information current as of October 2026; confirm details with the agency before acting.

Sources

National Weather Service, Tornado Safety, Understand Tornado Alerts, What to do During a Tornado, and Prepare pages (weather.gov)
Seneca County Emergency Management Agency, Hyper-Reach and Comfort Centers pages (senecacountyema.org)
Ready.gov, Make a Plan
AEP Ohio, Report Tree Problem and safety hazard information (aepohio.com)
National Weather Service YouTube video “Get Weather Ready: During a Tornado”