DAYTON, Ohio --

Despite Doppler Radar, tornadoes can sometimes occur without warning, allowing very little time to act. It is important to know the basics of tornado safety. Know the difference between tornado watches and tornado warnings.

Tune into one of the following for weather information: radio, local or cable television, (to include the Ohio News Network or the Weather Channel), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) weather radio.

Take responsibility for your safety and be prepared before a watch or warning is issued. Meet with household members to develop a disaster plan to respond to tornado watches and warnings. Conduct regular tornado drills. When a tornado watch is issued, review your plan and don't wait for the watch to become a warning. Learn how to turn off the water, gas, and electricity at the main switches.

If you are a resident with special needs (such as a physical diability or a language barrier), you should register your name and address with your local emergency management agency, police and fire departments before any natural or man-made disaster. First responders will be able to ensure you have been notified during emergency situations.

The safest place to be during a tornado is a basement. Once there, try to find something sturdy to crawl under. Getting underneath a work bench or heavy table will protect you from flying debris and/or a collapsed roof. If the building has no basement or cellar, go to a small room (a bathroom or closet) on the lowest level on the structure, away from windows and as close to the center of the structure as possible.

Be aware of emergency shelter plans in stores, offices, and schools that you and your family members frequent. If no specific shelter has been identified, move to the building's lowest level. Try to avoid areas with large glass windows, large rooms and wide-span roofs such as auditoriums, cafeterias, large hallways or shopping malls.

If you are outside, in a car or mobile home, go immediately to the lowest level of a nearby sturdy building. Sturdy buildings are the safest structures to be in when tornadoes threaten. Winds from tornadoes can blow large objects, including cars, and mobile homes, hundreds of feet away. Tornadoes can change direction quickly and lift a car or truck, tossing it through the air. Never try to out-drive a tornado. Mobile homes are particularly vulnerable. A mobile home can oveturn very easily if precautions hae been taken to tie down the unit.

If there is no building nearby, lie flat in a low spot. Use your arms and hands to protect your head as tornadoes cause debris to be blown at very high speeds. Do not seek shelter under highway overpasses and bridges, weake structures could be destroyed from the high winds and dangerous flying debris. You will be safer lying flat in a low-lying area where wind and debris can blow above you.

Tornadoes come from severe thunderstorms, which can produce a lot of rain. If you see water rising rapidly or flood waters moving toward you quickly, move to another location.