You know that Kansas has all kinds of weather -- from thunderstorms to ice storms to extremely high heat. And you may already know some of the important weather safety rules, like staying out of the water during a lightning storm or taking shelter in a basement or interior room during a tornado. But did you know that just 2 feet of water can float a car? Or that you shouldn't talk on the phone during a lightning storm?

Below is a super-sized collection of tips for handling the wide variety of hazards that may come your way during a "normal" year in Kansas. Test yourself... how many did you already know? How many are new to you?

When a summer heat warning is issued, take is seriously! Extreme heat causes numerous deaths in the United States every year. It is especially dangerous for the elderly and the very young, as well as the chronically ill and disabled. Things to keep in mind in when the temperature shoots up:

1. Stay out of the sun, if possible.
 
2. Drink lots of liquids, especially water (sports drinks can also help replace electrolytes).

3. Take cool baths.

4. Use air conditioning a couple of hours each day.

5. Use fans to pull in cool air from the shaded side of your house (but don't use a fan in an enclosed room if the air is hotter than you are!).

6. Wear light-colored, loose clothing.

7. Make sure pets and livestock are protected and have adequate water and food supplies.

Thunderstorms are a common occurrence in Kansas, but that doesn't mean they aren't dangerous. When a Severe Thunderstorm Warning is issued, it's time to head indoors. A thunderstorm can produce straight-line winds and downbursts that reach over 100 miles per hour. These winds can peel off roofs, uproot trees, and overturn mobile homes. Thunderstorms can also produce hail stones as big as softballs. You don't want to be caught outside when those are falling!  Tips to remember in a thunderstorm:

1. As we already mentioned: STAY INSIDE! Large hail has been known to injure or kill people or animals caught in its path.

2. Stay away from windows -- strong winds and hail can actually shatter your windows. Move to the interior part of your home.

Along with thunderstorms generally comes lightning.  Lightning is one of nature's most awe inspiring phenomenon, but is also one of the most dangerous.  One flash of lightning is packed with tremendous amounts of energy.  That one bolt could light a 100-watt light bulb for at least 3 months.  That is a lot of energy!  In Kansas from 1959 to 1997, 49 people were killed by lightning and 182 were injured.  When the thunder starts rumbling, follow these lightning safety tips:

1. Move indoors immediately.

2. Stay away from windows and doors. 

3. DO NOT get into water (that includes outdoor water like lakes and swimming pools as well as indoor water like showers).

4. Avoid using electrical appliances (that includes computers and video games!).

5. DO NOT use the telephone (that is, phones with cords -- cell phones and cordless phones are OK)

6. If you get caught outdoors and don't have a shelter nearby, be sure to stay away from isolated objects (like a single tree), and avoid contact with anything metal. Also, if you're out on a lake, get to shore as fast as possible.

7. If you feel your hair standing on end or your skin starts to tingle, lightning may be about to strike.  Make yourself as small as possible, as fast as possible, and try to minimize your contact with the ground.

Kansas lies right in the heart of "tornado alley."  In 1997 alone, 62 tornadoes touched down, 36 of them in May.  Luckily, no deaths were reported.  During the time frame of 1950-1997, Kansas ranked 3rd in the nation in the number of tornados, accumulating an average of 48 per year over that time frame.  Kansas ranks 8th in the number of deaths, 14th in injuries, and 3rd in the cost of damage caused by tornadoes.  In 1991, 116 tornadoes touched down while only 14 touched down in 1976.  From 1950-1997, Butler County had 55 tornadoes, 28 fatalities, and 225 reported injuries.  On April 26, 1991 a killer tornado swept through Andover, KS.  This tornado flattened a mobile home park killing 13 people, and injuring hundreds more. When a tornado warning is issued, be sure to take shelter immediately!

1. Go to your basement or storm shelter and get under the stairs or under a heavy piece of furniture (to protect yourself from falling debris).

2. If you don't have a basement, go to the interior part of the lowest floor of your house (a bathroom or closet is often the best choice). Stay away from windows and get under something sturdy.

3. If you're in a mobile home, leave it and go to a community shelter. If there is no shelter available, go to the nearest ditch, lie flat, and protect your head with your arms.

Once in awhile, when strong storms threaten Kansas, heavy rains will cause flooding to occur.  Between 1955 and 1999, Kansas ranked 25th in flood damage.  $86.28 million in damage was reported according to the United States Army Corps of Engineers.  Most people, especially youngsters like yourself, do not realize the very real threat of flood waters.  Sure, water is fun to play in, however, there is a time and place for that and it is not after heavy rains.  You are much safer going to the swimming pool instead of out to a flooded ditch.  Rushing waters can easily sweep away vehicles, trees, and buildings.  Take a minute to imagine what the raging water could do to you.  

1. It only takes 6 inches of rapidly-moving water to knock you off your feet, so DON'T play in flooded ditches or roadways. You can actually be swept away from your home!

2. Two feet of water will float a car, so never drive into flooded areas. However, if you happen to do so, and your vehicle stalls, abandon it quickly and move to higher ground.

Winter weather is one weather event that many people take for granted.  People don't realized that winter weather can cause just as many problems and hardships as any other weather event.  January 3rd & 4th 2005 caught many people unprepared.  Mother Nature dumped ice over the entire state of Kansas, and resulted in a Federal Disaster Declaration for 32 of the 105 Kansas counties, Butler included.  Several people were without power for up to one week, some even longer than that.  And just three years before that, on January 29, 2002, some families in Butler County had already felt the same blow.  In 2002, Mother Nature dumped ice over the south and east end of our county, causing major tree damage, snapping off power lines, damaging houses, and leaving hundreds of residents without power for several days.  This event did not affect nearly as many people as the 2005 event, but was still devastating to many of our residents. Below are some steps you can take to prepare for a winter storm:

1. Store drinking water, a first aid kit, canned/no-cook food, a non-electric can opener, a flashlight, and a battery powered radio (include extra batteries!) where you can easily get to them.

2. Have a NOAA weather radio handy so you can stay tuned to the latest watches and warnings.

3. Buying a generator can be very helpful as well. Don't wait until the last minutes before an ice storm to go out and purchase one, though. Time has proven that it's better to have one long before you need it, rather than heading out when the storm is on the horizon and finding there are none left to buy!

Fires can happen just as quickly and unexpectedly as the potential disasters listed above.  You should be just as prepared for fires as natural disasters.  You must realize that in a fire, you will not have the kind of warning you have with storms.  However, you should have escape routes from your home already planned out.  This will greatly increase your chances of survival.  Follow these tips below and make sure you and your parents work on a fire plan if you don't already have one.  

1. Know 2 escape routes from each room in your house.

2. Practice your escape routes frequently.

3. Have a designated safe meeting place outside your home.

4. Have a smoke detector on each floor, especially near bedrooms.

5. Have your family choose a local and out-of-state contact person. Make sure everyone in the family has these numbers memorized.

6. If a fire does happen in your house, stay calm, keep low to the ground, and remember what you and your family have practiced!

Kansas life can be exciting enough with twisters, floods, thunderstorms, and lightning.  However, one must also add earthquakes to the list of disasters that can shake Kansas residents up.  Granted, Kansas doesn't have the earthquake reputation that California has, but we do still have them in this state.  The most recent earthquake was reported approximately 10 miles southwest of El Dorado, between El Dorado and Augusta.  It had a magnitude of 3.0 and was felt, but no damage was reported.  More than 100 earthquakes were measured between 1977 and 1989.  Most Kansas quakes are very minor and barely felt.  The source of these tremors is a fault line that stretches from Omaha, Nebraska to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.  The Humboldt Fault Zone that forms the eastern boundary of the Nemaha Ridge (passing near Wamego, Kansas, east of Manhattan, and down near El Dorado) is still active today.  So, if you ever do feel the ground start shaking, here's what you need to know:

1. Move away from the outer walls of your home and take cover under a heavy object such as a  couch or table... and hold on!

2. If you are in bed, stay there, hold on, and protect your head with a pillow.

3. If you are outdoors, find a clear spot away from buildings, trees, streetlights, and power lines. Drop to the ground and stay there until the shaking stops.

4. If you are in a vehicle, pull over to a clear location, stop, and stay there (with your seatbelt still fastened!) until the shaking stops.

The best thing to do with an earthquake is to wait it out. Since our ground is make up of flint rock and the earthquakes are so deep, our chances of having aftershocks are slim to none. In other words, once the shaking stops, you should be in the clear! 

Just remember:  Drop, Cover and Hold On!

This map, taken from a Kansas Geological Survey publication, displays the risk of damage from an earthquake.

Butler County is in a "moderate" risk area.