Tornado tragedy in Nashville offers reminders of the Stateline’s vulnerability – WIFR

The images are heartbreaking. Dozens lost their lives, while hundreds, if not thousands lost their homes and belongings in the wake of Tuesday's tragic tornadoes in Tennessee. While it's been awhile since a significant tornado touched down in the Stateline, we should never let our guard down, because we, too, are very much vulnerable to tornadoes, despite there being a widely-held thought that we're protected for some reason or another.

We can learn something about our own vulnerability to tornadoes by using what happened in the Nashville area early Tuesday Morning to help dispel some common myths.

Many folks believe tornadoes don't hit large cities or densely populated areas. This couldn't be more false. With a population of just shy of 700,000, and growing rapidly, Nashville is currently the 24th largest city in America. And, this isn't the first time Music City has been struck! Tornadoes moved through Nashville in 1998 and also in 1933. If a city of Nashville's size and stature can be struck, Rockford most certainly can, too.

One of the theories I hear most often in my interactions with our viewers is that tornadoes don't strike our area because we're near a river, and situated in a valley, and that rivers and valleys offer protection. This too, is undeniably false. Tuesday Morning's tornado tracked directly over the Cumberland River near Downtown Nashville. It's a river similar in width to the Rock River, and more than twice its size in length. On a local level, both the Fairdale tornado in 2015 and the Belvidere tornado in 1967 crossed the Kishwaukee River.

This leads us to our third myth to be debunked. There's a long-standing thought that tornadoes just don't hit the Stateline, and that we're immune. Folks, it's not a matter of if the Stateline will see another tornado. It's a matter of when the Stateline will see another tornado. Our area has had more than its fair share of significant twisters in just the past 20 years. Fairdale, Caledonia, Poplar Grove, and Utica have all been struck since the turn of the century. Few will ever forget the Belvidere tornado of 1967. Even here in Rockford, tragedy has struck before. It was in 1928 that a strong tornado plowed through the southeast side of the Forest City, killing 14 and damaging hundreds of homes and buildings.

Knowing that another tornado WILL happen here eventually, the need to be prepared is of critical importance. We need to know, at all times, and in all places, where we will need to take shelter should a tornado warning be issued. Following simple shelter guidelines will dramatically increase your chance of surviving a tornado. Under NO circumstances should you seek shelter in a mobile home, in your car, or underneath an overpass. You should do your best to avoid large, open rooms, such as gymnasiums, as well as manufactured homes. A better solution would be to head to your basement, or to an interior room in a well-constructed home or building, away from windows. The best options would be to have a tornado shelter installed or a specifically designed safe room, though those are far less commonly found in these areas.

Our severe storm and tornado season generally peaks in May and June, though we know from experience that they can happen any time of the year. 2008's Poplar Grove tornado took place in January, while 2010's Caledonia tornado occurred in November.

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Tornado tragedy in Nashville offers reminders of the Stateline's vulnerability - WIFR