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Disaster Readiness A Hot Topic In Colorado After Midwest Tornadoes

DENVER (CBS4) - Severe weather and deadly tornadoes across the nation are a reminder about planning for disasters. Brandon Williams with Colorado Emergency Management talked with CBS4's Gloria Neal about what everyone needs to do before a storm hits.

"The first step is just being informed," he said. "There are a number of different places you can go. You can obviously watch local television, monitor local radio stations. You can go to COEmergency.com and find the links to your local emergency managers.

Williams said it is important to put together an emergency kit, and it doesn't need to be elaborate.

Brandon Williams
Brandon Williams (credit CBS)

"What you need to put in there is some clothing, some food, some water. Just enough to get through a short period, maybe up to three days for each member of the family," Williams said.

He also said a communications plan is essential. "Know where your kids are, know where your parents are, have an out-of-state or out-of-area contact so you can communicate with them to let everybody know everything is okay."

Williams said it's important to make sure you know your neighbors because it's likely either you or they will be the first people to offer help.

And what if you find yourself in a car with a tornado approaching? Stop and get out to find the lowest place like a ditch or culvert and lie down flat.

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