Helmets for Tornado Safety
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 08:34AM If you don't have a helmet as a part of your tornado-safety preparation plan...get one.
Researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham say it's a vital addition to your plan.
Hard hats, skateboard helmets, bike helmets. It doesn't matter.
"Head injuries are a major cause of tornado-related deaths in the United States," Scott Crawford, a research assistant at the Injury Control Research Center said. "Alabama is the nationwide leader in tornado-related deaths with 412 fatalities recorded since 1980."
The study points to previous research that shows most tornado-associated deaths and injuries happen with things become airborne.
It's recommended to keep a structurally sound helmet in an accessible location. It's important to keep in mind that the helmet's original purpose is to minimize anatomical damage sustained as a result of high-velocity impacts.
"The ideal tornado helmet would be a full-sized racing-style motorcycle helmet with a full-face shield, as it provides complete head and face protections and is designed to minimize neck injury," Crawford said. "But any helmet is better than no helmet at all."
Currently, the UAB ICRC is partnering with the Alabama Head Injury Foundation. They are developing a public-awareness campaign supporting the use of helmets.
SOURCE: www.CBS42.com
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