Originally Posted By: Jwwann
Originally Posted By: Okie Bob
Originally Posted By: Jwwann
http://foxnewsinsider.com/2013/05/21/what-does-tornado-feel-inside-storm-shelter
http://thelead.blogs.cnn.com/2013/05/22/tornado-survivors-crowded-into-underground-shelters/
http://www.cnn.com/video/standard.html?/...ado-shelter.cnn
I could not imagin crawling out of shelter and seeing everything gone.


I grew up in Norman, Oklahoma. I went to Adams Elementary School. Each class had access to below the floor level. My school was built in the 50's. I believe most schools in Oklahoma have some type of below ground access. Most of the kids that died at the elementary school drowned in the basement as Moore also received flooding rains during the tornado event. The basement filled with water and the access was piled with debris. My shelter sits on the side of a hill and has 2-4 inches of clearance from the ground. Not picking on you, but that last CNN video set me off...... The meteorologists in OKC were warning people to leave in their vehicles if they didn't have a below ground shelter and were in the path of this storm. They very seldom tell you to hop in your car and haul azz! These above ground "safe rooms" will not withstand an EF-4 or EF-5 tornado! It's bolted to the slab foundation. The May 3rd of 1999 Moore and Oklahoma City tornado not only cleaned the slab, it took the slab too!!!!! You become an airborne missile! Might as well have a NASA symbol on the side of it! While you're flying through the air, you're slamming into the sides of that coffin until you land, probably miles away from where your house was. No thank you. Sure, a tornado may pass directly over my shelter and rip the door off the hinges, sucking everyone out, but I'll take my chances.

Bob you have the same type of shelter as me don't you. I think we are safer then those garage shelters. But like spark said you have to go outside. They did register my shelter with FEMA against my will. I don't like registering anything though. It says in the document they can come inspect my shelter after any event and of course check that we are not trapped inside. This is mine.
[img]http://i1199.photobucket.com/albums/aa47...49DD7FBACE5.mp4[/img]


Mine doesn't have the hand handle on the side........and my door is painted black. Other than that, they're the same. I guess they added the handle after mine was built. I've had mine a couple years now. I have to go down and spray for spiders as mine fills up with Black Widows each year. The only access I can see for them is around the door as the wind turbine and air vent are screened. I'm thinking maybe some tape on weatherstripping, like around doors, might help keep the "beasties" out of there. The spiders don't bother me, but the Mrs. may refuse to enter and ride out the storm if'n she sees "critters" in the "fraidy hole"..... We purchased a hand-crank radio and rechargeable lanterns too. I really did my homework on this thing. I made sure that it was planted to the southwest of the house and that nothing was parked or built behind it. I'm also adding a two ton jack and beam just in case a mature oak lands on the door. Thanks for sharing your video..... One of the survivors of the Moore tornado has one just like ours. His wind turbine and air vent were destroyed, but those can be replaced easily and cheaply enough.



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