A lot of people in Oklahoma are scared of tornadoes, and for good reason. The power and force can level houses from their slab in just seconds. One quick thought though, where does all that debri go? It doesn’t just disappear. What happens if I am inside my storm shelter and items thrown from the tornado have fallen on top of it? Will I be trapped inside?? The thought of being trapped inside of a storm shelter for an extended period of time is sometimes a more scary thought then the tornado itself. Can this type of thing really happen? What are the chances I would ever be trapped inside of my storm shelter? First thing you always need to remember is that almost anything is possible during a tornado. All you can do is make sure your family is as prepared as possible for whenever severe weather strikes. Although it is possible for debri to smash into the lids of your shelter, limiting you from being able to open it, the chances of this happening are very small. Even though the chances are small, we wanted to give you a list of things you can do to help prevent ever being trapped inside of your storm shelter.
You need a storm shelter in oklahoma
1. Keep your complimentary come along jack inside your storm shelter
At F5 Storm Shelters , we supply every storm shelter we install with a 2 ton come along jack. You can use this to help pull the front lid open in case there are heavy objects covering the top of the lids, or an object has hit the lids, denting the min, limiting you from being able to manually open the lid. This should be inside your shelter at all times. If you have trouble using it, there should be an instruction pamphlet inside the box the jack comes in. You can also pull up different videos on Youtube. Make sure you know how to use the jack before you actually have to use the jack. Sounds obvious, but alot of people just put the thing in the shelter and never look at it again until seeking shelter sometime in the future.
2. Let friends and family know you have a storm shelter and where it’s located
The more people that know where you are the better. If there is a tornado in your area, chances are some of your friends or family are going to know you live close by. In the event of being trapped inside the storm shelter, the more people that know where you are the better. Make sure your neighbors know you have a shelter as well and if they don’t have their own storm shelter, be kind and let them know where they can buy one ; )
3. Keep your car parked on top of the shelter
The underground garage storm shelters are designed so that you can park a car on top of them and still have enough room to be able to get inside them without having to back the car out of the garage. The primary reason this important is because it limits you from having to move your car during the tornado. Also, if a tornado doesn’t hit your exact location, it could still hail and who wants to pay a $500 or $1000 deductible for no reason? With the car being parked over the storm shelter, this helps acts as a shield. All the debri that would fall on top of the storm shelter will instead fall on top of the car and fall off the sides. This should allow you room to get out of your shelter in the event of a direct hit.
4. Register your storm shelter!
Most people that get a storm shelter installed at their property have to file for a permit with their city. After the shelter is installed, you should be able to call a number listed on the permit to register your storm shelter. This makes sure that in case of a direct hit, first responders will know where you are and will be checking in with you to make sure you are ok. If you live outside of city limits or in a place that doesn’t require a permit for a storm shelter installation, you can call your closest fire department. Usually they can register the shelter for you at no charge.
Don’t let claustrophobia or the fear of being trapped limit you from having a storm shelter. Tornado shelters have saved thousands of lives and are a necessity for anybody living in Oklahoma. Although Tornadoes are very destructive and unpredictable, it is very unlikely that you will ever be trapped inside of one. If you have any questions about this topic, don’t hesitate to give us a call. WE would love to help you feel more at ease.
F5 Storm Shelters OKC 16524 N. Pennsylvania Ave. Edmond, Ok 73012 (405) 824-7209
Tulsa 10846 S. Memorial Dr. Tulsa, Ok 74133 (918) 970-4770
Stay Alive, Call F5!