As I headed home after work this past Wednesday evening, a weather alert appeared on my phone. The sky was quickly turning an ominous color and the text alerts were coming in fast and furious calling for a tornado warning!

I parked the car, ran into the house while calling my son to see if he was safe. He wasn't picking up his phone. I continued dialing him like a mad-mom while I searched for something to transport my three cats in just case we really did need to get to our underground storage area. It was then that I remembered that I never got the pet carriers back that I had loaned out. The sky continued getting worse, turning a color I have never seen.

My husband, my son and I watched the weather reports as they pinpointed a swirling mass of air which was just a few miles away and moving straight towards our home. The sky getting darker and weirder and I have to admit, I was really getting freaked out. Thankfully, the swirling mass disipated and we barely got rain.

After the nightmare that could have been was over, I thought that the wrong time to think about what you would do is when you are in the situation.

Not that you have to have a "Tornado Kit" but you should have these few things readily available to grab and go:

  • An extra set of keys kept in a place where you know they will always be- so you are not panicking to find a set in a situation where you have to leave the house.
  • A portable and charged cell phone charger and cord.
  • One pet carrier per pet. Believe me, this would have saved a lot of stress the other night if I had three.
  • Make sure you know where the nearest underground area is. If that area is locked, make sure those keys are with your extra set of house keys.

More From The Wolf