At work, know whether there's a basement and how to get to it. At school, make sure there's a weather radio in the office so staff can hear warnings. And urge your principal to practice severe weather drills. At home, the safest place is the basement, preferably under something sturdy like stairs or a work bench. Stay away from the southwest corner or any corner of hte basement.
New studies indicate corners actually collect flying debris.
Don't waste time opening windows. It will have no effect on the air pressure. The National Weather Service says most tornados happen between 2 p.m. and 9 p.m. Right at the time kids are getting home from school. So people need to make sure that their children know what to do if they're home alone.