[fgrider]

I beleive that I read somewhere that going into and interior closet was not a good idea if it had a hatch to the attic and was wondering if anyone knew if this was true. Also this may be a stupid question but does anyone know if the AC vents being in every room would be considered an opening?
Thanks for any replys.

[graciegirl]

In Ohio there are definitely more tornado watches and warnings at this time of year. We are used to seeing them posted frequently. Does this apply to only the midsection and the south or is it a national thing? I don't think I have heard of Tornado damage in California and Oregon, or did it just not register?

How about the east coast? Or do you just get Hurricanes?

[dillywho]

Originally Posted by fgrider

I beleive that I read somewhere that going into and interior closet was not a good idea if it had a hatch to the attic and was wondering if anyone knew if this was true. Also this may be a stupid question but does anyone know if the AC vents being in every room would be considered an opening?
Thanks for any replys.

The hatch shouldn't really matter because you are actually trying to avoid rooms with windows to escape glass and other debris. As has been stated before, tornadoes create a vacuum and suck structures apart. In tornadoes, you want to be as close to the ground as you can possibly get. In fact, underground is even better (storm cellar or basement if the basement construction is such that it will not allow the house to collapse on top of you). If you cannot get underground, you want to be in an interior space to avoid windows and flying debris. When we would have tornado warnings in TX during school hours, they would usher us all into the goundfloor hallway where we would sit against the wall with our heads tucked down and our arms over them. The worst place in the school was the gym or cafeteria. Tornadoes do not respect brick, cinder block, or wood. I still have pictures of the Lubbock tornado in '70. Major devastation! One house (brick) stands out in my mind, because all that is left is the foundation and the water heater. In some cases, metal was wrapped around trees without even scratching the tree. Some of the wood houses fared far better than the brick/cinder block ones. Tornadoes are weird in that they seem to be almost selective. One house can be totally destroyed while the one next door is virtually untouched. If you remember the one here in Feb. of 2007, that was the case.

[dillywho]

Originally Posted by Army Guy

For tornados, large structures are not the safest place. They may be rated for hurricanes as others have posted, but tornados are not straight winds, they rotate, create a vortex, and s u ck! Those large roofs offer little protection in a tornado. Nothing like them, once you personally see one and the destruction, you can not EVER forget it. That town I mentioned in an earlier post, that was completely destroyed, I still ride through it every day, Ragland, AL, and at this one place, where after the tornado passed, the Salvation Army had one of their trucks set up for coffee, etc. It wa son a circular driveway, that is all that was left. Well of course now the house has been rebuilt, but everyday I still can see in my mind that truck set up there! And trees? Where in a hurricane they are just blown down/over, remember in the King Kong movies where he tears the trees apart, you know rips them off, that is what a tornado does. The stumps are there, but the rest is ripped off. Like I said, nothing like them. I have been to combat zones, etc in my career, they don't scare me like a tornado.

Army Guy

They scare the devil out of me, too. Until you have been there, up close and personal, you just cannot wrap your mind around what happens, can you? I'm much more afraid of tornadoes and lightning than hurricanes.

[BUC]

I guess one option is to Stick your head between your legs and KISS your ---
good bye. That's not funny

From a current Oklahoma resident, but to be a permanent TV resident before the end of the year, the advice to stay inside in an interior room is correct. Have blankets and pillows or a mattress to cover yourselves and protect as much as possible from flying debris. Try to wear shoes and clothing even at night. If there is a hit, you may have to wade through ruble to get out. A direct hit on even a well constructed residence may completely destroy the structure, so there is no guaranteed way to protect yourself 100% if in the direct path of a large tornado - unless you have access to a tornado shelter. Generally, a house with a good foundation is better than a mobile home, but still no guarantee. In Oklahoma, we expect them this time of year - especially in early May. We don't have a tornado shelter in our Oklahoma home, but if we were planning to stay in Oklahoma, we would definitely have one of the new bolt down steel shelters installed in our garage. Even then there have been F4 & F5 tornados in Oklahoma that have completely demolished large, well-built homes to the point that only the foundation remains. So, I don't know if a bolt down shelter would even be enough in a direct hit from an F4 or F5. You just have to do the best you can. Life's risks are many, and one cannot avoid them all - not even in a paradise like TV.

[K9-Lovers]

Originally Posted by Army Guy

I still ride through it every day, Ragland, AL,
Army Guy

Army Guy -- we just moved from Ohatchee to TV a few weeks ago. We were in the part of Ohatchee right at the Southside line, near the Neely Henry dam, and the road that leads to Ragland. We only lived in AL for 3 years, so missed the tornado.

Before that, we were on the east coast / chesapeake bay in Virginia and have had experience with hurricanes. Tornados are much scarier not only because of the damage they cause, but because you have no forwarning like you do with a hurricane.

[Boomer]

Tornadoes hit Cincinnati once in a while.

One night, many years ago, one hit while Mr. Boomer was out of town. It did not hit our house, but it was relatively close.

My dog warned me it was coming. (Remember how Lassie would always let them know about dangerous stuff.)

It was getting to be about time to go to bed. I had not had the television or radio on and had not heard any warnings at all.

I turned out the lights, went upstairs, and was getting ready to get some sleep. But my Brittany Spaniel could not settle down. (Her bed was on the floor next to our bed.) She just kept pacing and pacing and even a little panting. It was not the kind of thing that she did when she needed to go out. This was a different kind of pacing.

For some reason, I turned on the television in the bedroom where I saw our local weather guy with his big map and he was saying, "Go to cover! NOW!"

We went to the basement and we stayed there for a long time.

So if your dog is trying to tell you something, and it sounds like she is trying to say, "Timmy's in the well," or something similar, please pay attention and do what your dog thinks you need to do.

Boomer

[NJblue]

We don't have a tornado shelter in our Oklahoma home, but if we were planning to stay in Oklahoma, we would definitely have one of the new bolt down steel shelters installed in our garage. Even then there have been F4 & F5 tornados in Oklahoma that have completely demolished large, well-built homes to the point that only the foundation remains. So, I don't know if a bolt down shelter would even be enough in a direct hit from an F4 or F5.

I have seen these types of shelters marketed in the TV area for those interested.

Does anyone know the relative size of tornadoes that hit Florida? It was my impression that they generally do not get to be the monster tornadoes that afflict other parts of the country. Is this correct?

I am really hesitant about making any more posts about tornados. After my post of yesterday, we were just barly missed this morning around 4:30am by a few yards to our north here in Tulsa. Lots of structural damage to many homes and buildings, trees down and power outages, but, as far as I know now, no injuries. It lasted abut 5-10 minutes. The meteorologists say it was strong strait winds of 90+ mph and a small tornado. The near miss left our home undamaged, only a few tree branches down. Hopefully, posting on the subject is not a jinx. Although Oklahoma is a good place to live, we will not miss the springtime storms.

[ricthemic]

Just wondering... how about a poured concrete with re-bar five X five x six foot room (walls,ceiling, heavy duty steel door with a very small steel two position damper to allow for air changes if you are in there too long but from what I hear tornadoes go by pretty fast as opposed to hurricanes).
Could be installed in the garage could be used for storage (light stuff that could be chucked out quickly). I would also consider converting my walk in closet. I don't think we are talking about that much money considering the alternative. Probably cheaper than a new bird cage.

[oot]

The weather channel had some good information on shelters and there were a couple of more links within the article. http://www.weather.com/activities/ho..._shelters.html T

They also had a segment in their "weatherproof" series where they tested a shelter from F-5 storm shelters. That one seemed to work quite nicely during their test, and I know there are many other types as well.

I just wonder if they will let you install one if you decide to build a home, or if they would let you put one in an existing home (most likely in the garage?)....