Know your alerts
This type of message is designed to notify you about a possible or current danger in your area.
What is an emergency alert?
A WATCH means conditions are favorable for a hazardous weather event to occur. What should you be doing?
Preparing and staying alert for changing conditions.
This federal agency provides official weather watches, warnings, forecasts, and other hazardous weather information.
What is the National Weather Service (NWS)?
You receive an emergency alert while watching TV. The alert tells you to take shelter for a tornado. What should you do?
Follow the warning and take shelter immediately.
Tarrant County experiences several severe weather hazards. Which of the following is a real local hazard residents should be prepared for?
A. Tornadoes
B. Flooding
C. Extreme heat
D. All of the above
D. All of the above
A message on your phone says: “Tornado Warning issued for your area.” What is the most important thing to determine first?
A. How long the warning will last
B. Where you should take shelter
C. Whether your neighbors received the same message
D. Whether the weather will affect you tomorrow
B. Where you should take shelter
A WARNING means a hazardous weather event is occurring, imminent, or has been detected. What should you do?
Take action and follow the safety instructions.
Name ONE reliable source you could use to verify an emergency or severe weather alert.
You are at home when a Tornado Warning is issued. What is the safest option?
A. Near windows so you can see what is happening
B. Outside under a tree
C. In a sturdy interior room away from windows
D. In your car in the driveway
C. In a sturdy interior room away from windows
You receive a Tornado Warning while you're at home. Your first thought is, “I've lived in Texas my whole life and it doesn't look that bad outside.” What should you do?
A. Wait until you can see the tornado
B. Check social media to see if anyone else is concerned
C. Follow the warning and move to your designated safe location
D. Go outside to see what is happening
C. Follow the warning and move to your designated safe location
You receive an emergency alert but the message is unclear. Name TWO things you should look for to understand whether it affects you.
The location/area affected and the type of hazard or instructions.
Other acceptable answers: timing, expiration, source.
A Severe Thunderstorm Watch has been issued for your area. Your neighbor says, “Nothing is happening, so I don't need to pay attention yet.” What would you tell them?
The watch means conditions are favorable for severe weather, so this is the time to prepare and monitor reliable alerts.
Your friend sends you a text saying, “I heard a tornado is coming, everyone needs to leave immediately.” What should you do before acting on the message?
Verify the information through a reliable source, such as the NWS, local emergency management, or local news.
A Flood Warning is issued and your normal route to work crosses a low-water area. The road looks passable. What should you do?
Do not attempt to drive through flooded or potentially flooded roads. Find a safer route and follow official instructions.
It is an extremely hot day in Tarrant County. You receive an alert advising residents to limit outdoor activity. Which response shows the BEST preparedness?
A. Wait until you feel thirsty before drinking water
B. Plan outdoor activities for the hottest part of the afternoon
C. Stay hydrated, limit time in the heat, and check on people who may be more vulnerable
D. Stay outside and take frequent breaks
C. Stay hydrated, limit time in the heat, and check on people who may be more vulnerable
You receive a severe weather alert while you are driving. The alert tells you to seek shelter immediately. What should you NOT do?
A. Pull over somewhere safe
B. Look for a sturdy building
C. Continue driving while watching the weather on your phone
D. Follow the instructions in the alert
C. Continue driving while watching the weather on your phone
Which situation requires the most immediate action?
A. Tornado watch
B. Tornado warning
C. Severe thunderstorm watch
D. Flood outlook
B. Tornado warning
Why can social media or forwarded messages be unreliable during an emergency?
Information can be outdated, inaccurate, incomplete, or taken out of context, and it may not come from an official source.
You lose power during severe weather and your phone battery is at 12%. Name TWO things you could do to continue receiving important information.
During a week of extreme heat, which situation would be the biggest warning sign that someone needs immediate attention?
A. Feeling thirsty after being outside
B. Sweating more than usual
C. Becoming confused, faint, or unusually drowsy
D. Wanting to rest after doing yard work
C. Becoming confused, faint, or unusually drowsy
An alert says: “Tornado Warning: take shelter now.” You are inside your home. What information in the alert is most important for deciding what to do immediately?
The hazard and the instructions to take shelter, along with the affected location.
You receive a Flood Warning for your area, but the sky outside looks clear. Should you ignore the warning? Why or why not?
No. A warning means hazardous conditions are occurring or expected. Flooding can develop elsewhere and affect roads or areas even when it isn't currently raining where you are.
You see a post online claiming there is a tornado warning in your area. The post doesn't show where the information came from. What is the BEST next step?
A. Share it so others know
B. Ignore all warnings because social media is unreliable
C. Verify the information through an official source
D. Wait until someone else confirms it
C. Verify the information through an official source
You receive an emergency alert for a tornado warning while you are visiting a friend who does not receive alerts on their phone. What should you do?
Take shelter together and help them follow the official instructions. Don't assume that because they didn't receive the alert, the warning isn't real.
You receive an emergency alert for severe weather, but the alert does not affect your exact location yet. Why is it still important to pay attention?
Weather conditions can change quickly and move into your area, so monitoring reliable updates gives you time to prepare and act before conditions become dangerous.