Actual facts needed about storm shelters being sucked out of the ground/doors failing

[OkieGentleman]

There is an article in today's Daily Oklahoman about storm shelters and their survivability. They spoke favorably about above the ground units.

 

[DanB]

in 32 years last night was the first time I got into a shelter knowing something was heading my way. Money well spent. Ours is the style that Dennis posted in post 1. Installed by Biggs August 12. The door has the main latch that you open and close it by. on the inside of the door it has two pins that lock into place using spring pressure and cannot be vibrated loose. There are three hinges on the swing side of the door. I would like to see pins on that side as well just to protect against hing failure with age.

I say hinge failure as that is the issue with the shelter at my sister in law's house. They have an eyebolt on the door and have a sizeable ratchet strap on the door to keep it shut. The hinges rusted and failed. The age of the shelter is unknown. Our shelter has greese zerks on each hinge. Hopefully this could prolong the life of the door.

Our problems last night: humidity, lack of circulation, keeping the toddler happy, lighting. I'll be adding the cheap led lights to the ceiling or walls of the shelter. We had the lantern style flashlights that kept getting bumped or pointed at someone's face(Thank you Son). Once you closed the door cell reception went. Wireless could not be picked up from the house either. AM/FM radio was our only update method. With 10 people we couldn't move around that much and it got muggy quick. I need to get a battery powered fan to move some air within the shelter. Standard push pull vents are on top to provide fresh air. Nothing I can do about the humidity or toddler. Facts of life.

 

[cody6766]

Nothing I can do about the humidity or toddler.

Duct tape will help with one of those...I'll let you figure out which

 

[freewookie]

Good video by channel 2 in Tulsa.

http://www.kjrh.com//dpp/news/local...h-safe-rooms-are-safest-above-or-below-ground

 

[Dale00]

Good video by channel 2 in Tulsa.

http://www.kjrh.com//dpp/news/local...h-safe-rooms-are-safest-above-or-below-ground

From the article:

Myth #3: Nothing above ground can withstand an EF-4 or EF-5 tornado.

Fact: It is entirely possible to harden and stiffen a room to withstand extreme winds, i.e. a small room, steel or concrete, or timber box equipped with a door that has been tested for pressure resistance and debris impact resistance. The National Storm Shelter Association/ICC 500 standard and FEMA guidelines provide details on how to fabricate shelters or construct safe rooms that provide near absolute life protection, even in an EF-4 or EF-5.

Bottom line: Expert forensic engineering examination of above-ground shelter and safe room performance during the 2011 Tuscaloosa and Joplin outbreaks as well as the May 20, 2013 Moore, Oklahoma tornadoes documented that properly constructed shelters and safe rooms consistently survive super tornadoes. "In my 15 years of doing storm damage research and storm shelter research, we have never documented any deaths or injuries in above ground tested safe-rooms or failures of tested safe-rooms. This includes the storms of Joplin 2011 and Moore 2013," Larry Tanner, Texas Tech University Department of Construction Engineering and Engineering Technology.

Read more: http://www.kjrh.com//dpp/news/local...re-safest-above-or-below-ground#ixzz2WgqXAceh

 

[fustigate]

I've been helping with some clean up and one of the things that surprised me is the peripheral damage isn't that bad. (I mean the houses that didn't get run over by the tornado, but that were very close to the path.) Don't get me wrong, these houses are totaled and I would not want to be in one, but they're also mostly still standing. Someone inside could have survived in this on-the-edge-of-the-storm houses.

I worked on one probably built in the '60s that was in really bad shape, but it was still standing (well...leaning) even after getting hit again by the storm Friday, May 31st.
Another house was built in the '90s or '00s. The roof was gone, but it was still in pretty decent shape, structurally.
A family could have survived in a bathroom or closet (perhaps some scratches from debris).

Now, I'm certainly not saying "Oh, just play the odds and don't spend all that money on a shelter." But I'm also not saying, "IF YOU'RE NOT BELOW GROUND, YOU'RE GOING TO DIE!!"

Since the original post asked for a photo, below is all I have. It's the only above ground shelter I've seen. Please note that the house was cleared away later; the tornado did not scrape the slab. I don't know about the door (which faced south)... Based on the siding, this exterior room seems like it might have been an addition to the house, which is an interesting idea.
This was near the previously-mentioned house built in the '60s. This neighborhood was off of Eastern and SE 4th (behind the Moore Public Schools admin building/the old hospital).

 

[freewookie]

But I'm also not saying, "IF YOU'RE NOT BELOW GROUND, YOU'RE GOING TO DIE!!"

View attachment 30446

Not according to Mike Morgan...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 2

 

[dennishoddy]

Keep it coming!

Everybody need to follow this.

 

[pen25]

i did see on a news broadcast of one guy saying his shelter door came off. it showed pics of an underground type shelter with no door. the kind yuo see where they mound dirt around the sides as it sticks up a few feet. im thinking to be extra secure something like a webbing type net can be secured across the doorway after its secured to make sure your not pulled out. even taking the steps and latching it up if it is hinged might work.