[Xaribe]

I have been lurking a bit on the board, and have been to TV several times visting. I did wonder if anything special was done to the houses to ward off tornado damage. Hurricanes I can generally can work around, but not tornadoes. Can the bathrooms be used as safe rooms.

many thanks

[redwitch]

Tornadoes are few and far between here. A lot of warnings, but they usually come to naught. If one does come, either go to your closet or bathroom. If the bathroom, sit in the tub with a comforter or blanket over you. I find the closet to be more comfortable, especially the walk-in one. I do have my "emergency" corner of the closet always stocked and ready just in case (blanket, pillow, flashlight, book, radio, a couple of snacks and drinks).

I've had the "privilege" of experiencing several natural disasters -- earthquakes, tornadoes, typhoons (Far East version of a hurricane) and mudslides. I hated the typhoons the most since they lasted the longest -- days of howling, destructive winds and rain is not my idea of fun. I do remember my first tornado. We had been in Oklahoma three days when sirens started screaming. No one in the family had a clue what they meant so we all continued with our activities. All of a sudden, there was a tremendous noise much like a train coming through the house. I didn't know my parents could move so fast as they grabbed us kids and more or less threw us down the cellar stairs. Fortunately, no damage other than a few bruises and the tornado missed our home but not one 4 houses down. They are frightening but over very quickly. The clean up, however, can be very devastating.

But, to answer your question, there is nothing special done to homes built here. You can have a shelter built, but I'm not convinced it is worth the expense. Of course, if my home is the unlucky one to get hit, I'm sure I'd regret not having one.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by Xaribe

I have been lurking a bit on the board, and have been to TV several times visting. I did wonder if anything special was done to the houses to ward off tornado damage. Hurricanes I can generally can work around, but not tornadoes. Can the bathrooms be used as safe rooms.

many thanks

A Camellia is the perfect house. It has a large walk in closet with all interior walls.

Sometimes we stand in there and think of our basement in Ohio. We have installed a hook for a rosary.

[JenAjd]

Depends on the house you buy too. We have one of the cottage series and the bathrooms are on the outside. Walkin closet has an attic access hole cut in the ceiling and have read that closet maybe isn't the best place as if the roof blows the door on the hole will blow too. The laundryroom is in the middle but doesn't seem like a very safe place to me. So we probably are "sitting ducks" in ours. As Red says...lots of watches but most never come to anything. Too bad there isn't some kind of storm room isn't just built into every house in FL

[Russ_Boston]

Originally Posted by JenAjd

Too bad there isn't some kind of storm room isn't just built into every house in FL

There would simply be no need for this in every home. Yes tornadoes do happen in FLA (see similar thread with details and pictures) but no justification for the expense considering the likelihood of such an event. Plus the fact that no TVers were killed or even seriously injured in the 2007 groundhog tornado points to the 'relative' safety of the homes as built.