My situation in the burbs w/ a slab on grade foundation - get to the center of your house and pray is getting old
My backyard faces West the direction most of the high winds come from. When it gets bad, and it has for us I don't want to run outside w/ kids under each arm into the bad weather. That is why I am more interested in the garage bolt down type of shelter.
That was my thought. I think I would much rather have an above ground shelter that can be seen, than a below ground shelter that could get covered and overlooked.It's all about trade offs.....
With the below garage type, there is not a second form of egress, and the building might be on top of you.
With any below ground unit water may be a problem.
With any above ground unit, it won't offer as much protection.
Exactly. It's all fine and dandy doing practice drills when it's sunny and 72 out, but what about when it's pouring rain, dark, and you have nothing but your socks on.If we had to get dressed, put shoes on, etc. to go outside, I doubt we'd be going out there very often.
I also feel your shelter should have enough space for food, water, extra clothing, and maybe a few extra people.
These are all great points! And, I might add, points that I never really considered, until the Memorial day tornadoes in 2004. Had the tornado that hit my house been any stronger than it was, I would most likely be dead. I had seen to it my wife and kids were down stairs, but I was gathering stuff I thought we might need, and did not make it to the basement until the tornado had done its damage and gone. I now have everything, and then some some, in my cellar, or bagged up and ready to grab at a moments notice. Fridays storms were worse than 2004, but I was prepared. That's a good feeling.I'm looking for one of those underground shelters.
My kids HATE me during storm season and this is why: I've seen the F5 that blew thru Oklahoma on May 3rd several years ago (think it was '99?), took my brother's home, it plowed up the sod in his neighborhood and deposited his neighbor's conversion van several blocks away.
I've also had to hike into my son's sitters neighborhood after leaving work and an F3 tornado beat me to him. I knew they were safe underground but looking for him in heels just sucked. I now carry hiking boots in the car on days the storms are supposed to hit. My whole family goes over "the plan" for if a storm hits. When tornadoes hit you can't use cell phones, land lines are iffy (but won't work if the phone is cordless) so you gotta know where your family is and where they are headed. My house gets the storm make over where all the important papers, BOB, pictures, water and high calorie snacks and things go into the shelter whether we are there or not. If we are home when one is headed our way (even if it is 2am) everyone has long pants on, socks and shoes, and their jackets are handy. Think of putting your entire home in a blender and then throwing a person in the midst of that mess...walking through a neighborhood that has seen a touchdown in sock feet just won't work and if it hits your house...your shoes won't be where you left them.
I'm looking for one of those underground shelters.
My kids HATE me during storm season and this is why: I've seen the F5 that blew thru Oklahoma on May 3rd several years ago (think it was '99?), took my brother's home, it plowed up the sod in his neighborhood and deposited his neighbor's conversion van several blocks away.
I've also had to hike into my son's sitters neighborhood after leaving work and an F3 tornado beat me to him. I knew they were safe underground but looking for him in heels just sucked. I now carry hiking boots in the car on days the storms are supposed to hit. My whole family goes over "the plan" for if a storm hits. When tornadoes hit you can't use cell phones, land lines are iffy (but won't work if the phone is cordless) so you gotta know where your family is and where they are headed. My house gets the storm make over where all the important papers, BOB, pictures, water and high calorie snacks and things go into the shelter whether we are there or not. If we are home when one is headed our way (even if it is 2am) everyone has long pants on, socks and shoes, and their jackets are handy. Think of putting your entire home in a blender and then throwing a person in the midst of that mess...walking through a neighborhood that has seen a touchdown in sock feet just won't work and if it hits your house...your shoes won't be where you left them.