Thunderstorms, tornadoes, and other kinds
of severe weather may seem beautiful and mesmerizing, but you should never forget that they can
also be an extremely dangerous phenomenon. Surely, I’m not saying to hole up every
time you hear thunder, but it only makes sense to go inside when the storm starts brewing. However, even indoors, there are 19 things
you must never do during severe weather if you want to stay safe. - Never Take a Shower
The thing is that when a thunderstorm is raging outside, the electrical currents created by
lightning can travel through the water pipes in your house. As a result, your shower could be shocking,
or the lightning bolt could start a fire in your home. - Never Use a Landline
I must admit that nowadays, you'll have to try pretty hard to find a corded phone whatsoever. But if you manage to, avoid talking on this
type of phone during a lightning storm. It can easily get inside your house, not only
through your water and plumbing systems, but also through the wiring. So, hold that thought until the storm passes. - Never Leave A Plastic Water Container On
a Concrete Floor If you keep your water supply in plastic containers
in a place with a concrete floor, store them either on a wooden pallet, or on a piece of
cardboard. First of all, if it's a garage, there might
be oil spills on the floor. On top of that, the concrete itself contains
tons of chemicals used during its production. If any of these substances leach into your
water supply, they can make it unsafe to drink. - Never Ignore The State of Your Hair. No really. Let's say you're standing outside of your
house, admiring the approaching thunderstorm. But suddenly, you notice something bizarre:
your hair is standing on end! Don't ignore this phenomenon - it's your clue
that you should get inside the house right away! When the positive charge of your body interacts
with the negative charge of the storm, it makes your hair stand up. Unfortunately, if you don't get indoors, you
could get struck by lightning! - Never Light Candles
The problem with candles is that they can also start a fire. But during a bad storm, there might not be
phone service, and as a result, you won't be able to get through to the fire department,
and they won't be able to reach your house. Also, fire hydrants might not be working. To avoid all these “worst case scenarios”
use flashlights, which also produce more light than candles. - Never Do the Dishes
Once again, during a thunderstorm, never get anywhere near a tap, be it in the bathroom
or in the kitchen. Keep in mind that touching an electrified
faucet can lead to very dramatic consequences. - Never Evacuate During a Tornado
As soon as you hear a tornado warning, immediately hide, either in the innermost room of your
house or in the basement. Seriously, I mean it, put down that car key,
and do not try to outrun the destructive force of nature. - Never Run Generators Indoors
It may seem like a generator is one of the most irreplaceable things during a blackout
caused by a severe storm. In reality though, the idea of using it indoors
may turn out to be the worst in your life. A generator engine, just like any other combustion
engine, emits carbon monoxide, a harmful gas that can cause a splitting headache and make
you pass out. In most cases, people rarely survive big doses
of this gas. - Never Leave Your Pets Outside. Of course you shouldn’t! Bring your animals inside during a thunderstorm;
that's the only way to keep them safe. If your dog is chained to a tree, and lighting
hits it, your pooch won't survive the electric current. A doghouse isn't proper protection either,
especially if it's made of wood, which burns unnervingly fast. - Never Stand Near a Window
And no, it's not because of the lightning. Contrary to popular belief, by standing at
the window during a severe storm, you put yourself at risk of getting hurt by shattered
glass. Even though this material doesn't conduct
electricity well enough to hurt you, the force from the strike can shatter the window. On the other hand, some windows do contain
metal parts that conduct electricity. In this case, if you touch them or stand too
close when lightning strikes, you um, can get a charge out of it. - Never Open a Window
If you're one of those people who believe that opening windows during a storm equalizes
the pressure and prevents them from shattering, it might be time to revise your beliefs. Experts state that this is nothing but a myth,
and all you'll achieve by opening the windows is letting fierce winds into the house. - Never Keep Your Laptop Plugged
If you need to do some urgent work on your laptop, and a storm is raging outside, make
sure that your computer isn't plugged into the wall. Just like with a corded phone, an electric
current can rush through the power cord and not only destroy your device, but also hurt
you. By the way, if power is lost, go and unplug
all the electric devices in the house. Otherwise, when the power is restored, a power
surge can cause damage to your appliances, or even lead to a fire. - Never Overuse Your Fridge
First of all, the fridge is just another kind of electric appliance you should stay away
from during a storm. Secondly, if there’s a power failure, you'll
want to keep your fridge as cold as possible for as long as you can, right? But every time you open it, it gets warmer
and warmer inside. - Never Board Up Your Windows
The right time to board up your windows is before a storm arrives. But if you wait until the last moment, gusts
of wind can blow the boards out of your hands, turning them into life-threatening projectiles. Try to find out the weather forecast for the
next couple of days in advance, and if a severe storm is approaching, board your windows up
beforehand. - Never Turn Your TV and Radio Off at Once
You're relaxing on the sofa with a remote control in your hand and your favorite TV-show
on the screen. But suddenly, an urgent voice interrupts it
to announce that some severe weather is coming. Do NOT turn your TV or radio off immediately,
and listen to the weather updates. Remember that paying attention may save your
life. - Never Use a Charcoal Grill Indoors
Imagine there’s a blackout, but you're terribly hungry. But hey, there’s a solution! Why don't you just start a charcoal grill
in the middle of your living room? Well, I sincerely hope you’d never entertain
this idea, because using a charcoal grill indoors can end up in tragedy. While functioning, the thing emits lethal
carbon monoxide gas that takes people's lives discreetly and quickly. - Never Touch Concrete Structures
The problem with concrete floors, walls, and buildings is that they often have metal bars
or wires going through them. So, if you don't want the lightning to get
to you, avoid standing next to concrete structures or leaning on them. - Never Do Anything That Can Lead to Injuries
When a storm is raging outside, try not to get engaged in any risky activities. Power failures mean delayed ambulance service
and crowded emergency rooms. Severe weather is one of the worst times to
get hurt, so, don't take your chances. - Never Get Locked In
You probably know that garage door openers tend to lock up as soon as the power is off. Luckily, there’s a special cord which releases
the door from the opener in case of an emergency. Figure out where this cord is and show its
location to your family members. This way, you'll be able to get inside the
garage and drive your car out if you need to evacuate. If you have any tips on staying safe in severe
weather that I haven't mentioned in the video, let me know down in the comments! If you learned something new today, then give
this video a like and share it with a friend. But – hey! – don't go storming off just
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video, click on it, and enjoy! Stay on the Bright Side of life!
