Getting revised safety messages across has been difficult because people often hear only part of a message, Dewey said. He offered his comments with tornado season looming this month. Although bathrooms are often interior rooms, sometimes they're not. Bathrooms on the perimeter of the house are the wrong place to head, he said. Television videos depicting people escaping tornadoes by seeking shelter under highway overpasses make the dangerous practice seem safe.
Overpasses become wind tunnels, with flying debris that can injure or kill.
Drivers seeking shelter under viaducts often cause traffic jams that can endanger lives. People hold onto myths such as believing tornadoes don't cross rivers or hit cities even after storms strike, because they feel safer believing myths, Dewey said. However, that's naive and dangerous thinking. Severe storms are a real risk anywhere in Nebraska. Above all, Dewey urges taking precautions to avoid severe weather hazards.