As we brush up on severe weather information, an official dispels some myths.

Tod Pritchard with Wisconsin Emergency Management is trying to raise awareness about severe weather, warnings, and what to do. Also, he says, many myths just don’t seem to do away.

The number one myth is probably the erroneous belief that going to the southwest corner of the basement is the best place to be. He says that’s absolutely wrong. It doesn’t matter which corner,  as long as you get underneath something, like a sturdy table, chair, stairwell to protect yourself from flying and falling debris. Pritchard says even a mattress will buffer the blow; some folks put their football, motorcycle or bicycle helmet on for head protection.

AUDIOPritchard says he number one myth is that going to the southwest corner of the basement is the best place to be. 1:36

Another common myth involved windows. Don’t open windows in a tornado to “equalize pressure.” That’s because the glass shatters, flies all over the place, and can easily injure or kill people. It’s the tornadic winds that cause the damage, not pressure differences.

AUDIO: Pritchard dispels the myth about opening windows during a tornado. :47

Number three on the list is the idea that when outdoors during a storm, going under a bridge or overpass will protect you. Pritchard says evidence shows that’s one of the worse places to be. The underpass acts as a tunnel, through which the high-speed tornadic winds blow even harder than they otherwise would.

This is Wisconsin’s Tornado & Severe Weather Awareness Week (April 21-25, 2014)

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