What is the safest place in my home if a tornado hits?

With the spring severe weather season approaching its time to go over your family’s tornado strategy. Would you know what to do if a tornado hit your home while you were tucked in bed or sitting down to dinner?

While many may assume tornadoes happen only in certain places such as Tornado Alley, the truth is that they’ve been documented in every state and country barring Antarctica, with the U.S. topping the list on tornado counts with around 100 reported per year. And unlike most other weather phenomena, they are nearly impossible to predict.

So how do you increase your odds of surviving a twister unscathed? The first rule of thumb: If you’re home when a tornado arrives, stay there. According to the CDC, shelter is your best protection from getting pummeled by debris, or swept up yourself. But just because you’re home doesn’t mean you’re in the clear—particularly since much of the tornado safety advice we’ve been taught is inaccurate.

For instance, forget about the old notion of opening windows to equalize pressure. It doesn’t work! In fact, opening them just lets the tornado in to wreak more havoc. And windows will shatter no matter what if the gusts are strong enough. So just stay away from them entirely.

The safest room in your home is your basement, if you have one—if you don’t, head to the lowest floor possible and sequester yourself in a small interior room without windows, such as a closet, bathroom, hallway, or under the stairs. And in the event that your building is in danger of collapse, take note of what’s on the floors above you, and avoid spots where heavy objects such as beds, pianos, and dressers are situated.

As added protection from falling debris, cover yourself with a mattress, blanket, or coat; use a bike helmet if one is handy.

And once the tornado is over? Exit your home as soon as possible. Stay out of any heavily damaged houses or buildings; they could collapse at any time. While tornado damage is devastating, at the very least you can rejoice that your home kept you safe this far.