[Barefoot]

And I thought the weather in Florida was just perfect.

My weather radio is working again. The radio woke me up at 5:30 AM to announce a tornado watch (not a warning, a watch).

We're expecting high winds. The people with Christmas decorations outside should probably make sure they're well secured.

[Cassie325]

I heard it too....kept hitting the alarm clock snooze button....until the loud voice woke me up!

[cabo35]

Same here....received the tornado watch over the Midland radio early this morning....5:42 a.m..... I think.

[CJ]

Haven't moved there yet...will be in January. I have read this thread to see snakes in lanai (yuk!) but now..tornado's??? I lived in Michigan and we had basements to hide in, here it is all first floor. Where does one go when you hear a siren (do they have them, or is it only in radio?)????? If there is a really bad one, how do you survive? Didn't think of this when we were buying.

[tucson]

We were hit in Feb. 2007 by a tornado that went thru TV and there was ALOT of homes totaled here including mine. I've been here 4yrs and there's been that one PLUS 4 warnings (including todays) in 4 yrs. When there is a tornado here I've been told to lie in between 2 walls that have no windows,(we in the past used the small hall near the guest bdrm & bath and closed the door to the bdrm. (beware of flying glass from windows) Good Luck to all!

[Belle]

I lived in a trailer in tornado alley for a few years. We were told to get in the bathtub. Go to the center of the house away from all windows. At TV, I would go to my walk in closet. When driving out on the road, find a ditch to lie in. Do not go under a bridge.

[Peachie]

Originally Posted by Barefoot

And I thought the weather in Florida was just perfect.

My weather radio is working again. The radio woke me up at 5:30 AM to announce a tornado watch (not a warning, a watch).

We're expecting high winds. The people with Christmas decorations outside should probably make sure they're well secured.

I find this thread very interesting, Bare, since we live in the Upper Midwest and have a VERY healthy respect for tornados. I saw, within the last week or two, a villa advertised for sale in TV's which had a tornado shelter in the garage floor. I thought what the heck is that..., so I did some googling and came up with this link.

http://www.stormsheltersofnorthwestflorida.com/id7.html

Now I want Mr. Peachie to rip out our garage floor and have one installed, (poor guy), but I want the best protection available from those beasts.

[Belle]

Thanks for the info. I, also, have a high respect for tornadoes. If you get one installed, please let me know how you made out.

[Peachie]

The listing in Villages Real Estate featuring the shelter is #205808 and is in Sunset Pointe. I think they have a good reason to be wary after the tornado that went through the area.

[ConeyIsBabe]

OMG..... as a Hurricane Andrew survivor (8/92) I have great respect for Florida's Storms.

If you have a tornado shelter and hide inside it..... and a tornado hits the house..... wouldn't the debris cover the shelter entrance and trap the inhibitants ??

[Barefoot]

Originally Posted by Peachie

I find this thread very interesting, Bare, since we live in the Upper Midwest and have a VERY healthy respect for tornados. I saw, within the last week or two, a villa advertised for sale in TV's which had a tornado shelter in the garage floor. Now I want Mr. Peachie to rip out our garage floor and have one installed, (poor guy), but I want the best protection available from those beasts.

A house in TV with a tornado shelter in the garage floor, ... how interesting. I didn't know that was possible.

We started looking for a house in TV in February 2007. The Villages Real Estate Agent told us to come back the following day to look at more houses. When we returned the next day, we saw all the devastation. The agent informed us that some of the houses he wanted to show us had been demolished.

Still, that didn't deter us from buying a home in TV. Although we made sure it was block construction.

When there is a tornado watch, I just head for the master bedroom walk-in closet. It is really large and has lots of room for my dogs, cat, cat crate, pillows, blankets, food, flashlight, books, bottled water, you get the idea.

The first watch I hauled everything into the closet and waited breathlessly for something to happen. A friend who has a weather radio promised to call if the watch changed into a warning. Nothing happened, thank goodness. Then we went out and bought a weather radio and had it programmed by the local fire department.

The second watch I put everything in the closet and stayed in bed, but nervously. Now I've gotten used to tornado watches. Today at 6 AM I put outside patio furniture in the garage and took a few precautions. But tornado watches seem to be a fact of life in Florida and I've gotten somewhat used to them.

[barb1191]

CIB...That's the first thought that came to mind when looking at these storm shelters. Don't think it's such a good idea and would rather choose the walk-in closet for safety.

barb

[Peachie]

Originally Posted by barb1191

CIB...That's the first thought that came to mind when looking at these storm shelters. Don't think it's such a good idea and would rather choose the walk-in closet for safety.

barb

After the devastation of a tornado, there is an immediate scouring of the area for survivors by emergency workers. I would imagine one would advise one's friends of the shelter and ask that they advise workers to check the safety shelter. Since witnessing the devastation of a tornado, I realize that all the debris is not heaped over one shelter, it is scattered over miles and miles. (A cellphone is a good thing to take with to the shelter...)

[SteveFromNY]

So if you get the shelter, better get the large one! You will be a POPULAR person when that radio goes off!

I wouldn't worry about being found in the shelter - if your house did collapse and bury the shelter with debris, remember you'd be in the debris if you were in an interior closet. I'd rather chance being alive in the shelter even for a day or so.

Now something else to consider buying. If the door is narrow enough to fit between the car's wheels, it could be installed in the garage and double as one of those pits you see in garages sometimes to change oil!

[barb1191]

Originally Posted by Peachie

After the devastation of a tornado, there is an immediate scouring of the area for survivors by emergency workers. I would imagine one would advise one's friends of the shelter and ask that they advise workers to check the safety shelter. Since witnessing the devastation of a tornado, I realize that all the debris is not heaped over one shelter, it is scattered over miles and miles. (A cellphone is a good thing to take with to the shelter...)

Point taken, however, I was thinking not small debris but very large debris, i.e., a fallen tree, a car, refrigerator, etc that would prevent the door from opening. To each his own, yes?

barb