FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. — Just like Fort Leonard Wood’s warriors train every day to be mission ready, preparing for severe weather is essential to readying the community for Missouri’s tornado season.

“Missouri’s tornado season occurs from April to June and tends to peak in May,” said Don Busbice Jr., U.S. Army Garrison Fort Leonard Wood safety director.

Although tornadoes often happen in the springtime, they are a year-round threat in Missouri, according to Busbice, who described an EF-3 tornado, approximately a quarter of a mile wide, that touched down on New Year’s Eve at Fort Leonard Wood about 14 years ago.

“It was on the ground for seven minutes and resulted in destroyed homes and the loss of half of the water treatment plant,” Busbice said.

According to ready.gov, tornadoes are violently rotating columns of air that extend from a thunderstorm to the ground. Tornadoes can destroy buildings, flip cars and create deadly flying debris, with intense winds at more than 200 miles per hour.

Busbice said a tornado can feel like “complete chaos” if you aren’t prepared and paying attention to weather watches and warnings.

Busbice also pointed out the National Weather Service in Missouri and Fort Leonard Wood have tornado sirens in place to alert citizens to observe conditions.

“Fort Leonard Wood tests the mass notification system monthly,” Busbice said.

According to the weather service, there are three key alerts to watch out for — a tornado watch, a tornado warning and a tornado emergency.

Tornado Watch: Be prepared. Tornadoes are possible in and near the watch area. Review and discuss your emergency plans, take inventory of your supplies and check your safe room. Be ready to act quickly if a warning is issued or you suspect a tornado is approaching. The watch area is typically large, covering numerous counties or even states.

Tornado Warning: Take action. A tornado has been sighted or indicated by weather radar. There is imminent danger to life and property. Warnings are issued by your local forecast office. Warnings typically encompass a much smaller area that may be impacted by a tornado identified by a forecaster on radar or by a trained spotter.

Tornado Emergency: Seek shelter immediately. A tornado emergency is the NWS’s highest alert level. It is issued when a violent tornado has touched down in the watch area. There is a severe threat to human life and property, with catastrophic damage confirmed. Immediately seek refuge in the safest location possible. Call friends and family who are within the watch area to ensure they are aware of the situation. Once safe, be sure to monitor your local forecast for the latest updates.

In the event of a tornado warning, Busbice said, people should “enable your tornado response plan.”

According to the weather service, acting quickly is key to staying safe and minimizing impacts.

At your house: If you are in a tornado warning, go to your basement, safe room or an interior room away from windows. Don’t forget pets if time allows.

At your workplace or school: Follow your tornado drill and proceed to your tornado shelter location quickly and calmly. Stay away from windows and do not go to large open rooms such as cafeterias, gymnasiums or auditoriums.

Outside: Seek shelter inside a sturdy building immediately if a tornado is approaching. Sheds and storage facilities are not safe. Neither is a mobile home or tent. If you have time, get to a safe building.

In a vehicle: Being in a vehicle during a tornado is not safe. The best course of action is to drive to the closest shelter. If you are unable to make it to a safe shelter, either get down in your car and cover your head or abandon your car and seek shelter in a low-lying area such as a ditch or ravine.

According to Terry Moore, supervisory range planner with the Directorate of Plans, Training, Mobilization and Security, the installation has more than 700 tornado safety shelters for service members to seek shelter in while training on Fort Leonard Wood’s ranges.

“Each shelter can house up to 14 people,” Moore said. “It is good to know they are there when we need them.”

Matthew Mertz, Fort Leonard Wood’s installation emergency manager, said accountability after the weather event is just as important as the preparation.

“Accountability allows supervisors to ensure their employees are safe from immediate danger,” Mertz said.

This goes for family members as well — according to the National Weather Service’s tornado safety website, people should contact loved ones to let them know, “you’re okay, so they can help spread the word.”