S/O Storms-can we chat about storm shelters/cellars?

[fruitofthewomb]

We live in tornado prone area (although I have never seen one or been in one). Our current house came with a storm cellar. My grandma had one growing up but I haven't used one since I was pretty small. It's quite a distance from the house & has pretty steep stairs. Last year was our first year here & we used it twice-once when we were under tornado warning (there was an actual tornado on the ground & they called out a street that is about a mile away so we ran out there). Another time was due to miscommunication with DH. He texted 'tornado on the ground' which I thought meant I needed to go but it was actually at his work.

 

It is small & of course dark. The time I was alone I forgot a light & had to use phone. Both times we got completely soaked & were freezing. One of the times there was a mouse & her babies with us. Always spiders & bugs. So we bought 5 gal buckets with gamma seal lids to keep flashlights & blankets in. Plus we can sit on them. That's as far as we have gotten for our storm prep.

 

We will probably only use it if we are under warning. So don't plan to spend hours down there.

 

So if you have similar set up how do you stock it, maintain it, use it, etc?

 

We have 5 kids under 9 by the way. And our neighbors come over. So it ends up being 4 adults & 6 kids.

[fruitofthewomb]

Oh & what do you call it? We say cellar but that sounds very rural south & I am not sure everyone uses that term?

[Arcadia]

I had a bomb shelter where I was from and now I am in earthquake prone territory. I would add in an emergency radio, 4hr hand warmers and some dry rations/snacks.

I grew up with power outages and it was nice to have the radio to hear the updates and comfort food to munch on.

I would put a spare change of clothes or towels or bathrobes too since you were soaked both times.

[Tanaqui]

I was reading an article once about the most recent war in Gaza. Apparently, the Israeli philosophy towards bomb shelters is that they should be used frequently for fun things so that children are used to them and don't get scared at going in if they have to. My guess is that the same applies for storm shelters - and at any rate, if you DO use it frequently, maybe as the kid's hideout, you won't have as many spiders and mice and cobwebs to deal with!

 

If you got soaked the last few times, I would definitely include a change of clothes. Did you get soaked because it was so far from the house, or because it's drippy inside? If the latter, maybe a tarp or something if you don't want to spend the money to fix the place up right now?

 

I'd store a radio in there as well, and if it's not crank-powered, some extra batteries. Maybe a crank-powered cell phone charger if you think you might be stuck there a long time? I don't know how long tornado warnings last for. Maybe some candy or something, because it's always nice to have candy when you're hiding in a cellar, don't you think?

[Slartibartfast]

I am not sure how tornado prone your area is but I would look into getting it updated and the steps fixed. If it is a real emergency you don't want anyone falling down the stairs. I would get some lanterns  and a radio.

[fruitofthewomb]

A radio is on the list. Candy is great idea!

 

Slartibartfast-Last year we were only under warning one time. But we are under watches about every week in spring. Warning means there is rotation in sky or on radar. Watch means conditions are favorable. The one warning last year was for a huge storm system that killed several people in our state. Towns nearby have been devastated/wiped out in my lifetime. So it isn't frequent but enough to be scary.

 

Hubby plans to paint the inside. Not sure that you can really fix the steps-it's such a small space (maybe 10x8) & so deep (probably 6 ft) that they kinda have to be that way. But maybe DH can make a rail or something. My grandmas was not that deep & I always liked it down there. She had cots, blankets, & shelves with snacks. But she would get in hers every time it stormed (even if tornadoes weren't likely) & stay in it til it was sunny again. Still does. And hers is just a few steps from her house.

 

Tanaqui-that is great point about having kids used to it. They were absolutely terrified last year. We had never even gotten in a closet before we moved (this area has more tornadic activity than our old house). We got wet bc it was pouring rain & we had to run out to the cellar. And the door is on an angle so when you open it the rain gets inside. It doesn't leak at all. We don't like for them to play in it bc the angle of the door makes it easy to fall inside & it's a pretty good way down. And the door is VERY heavy. just didn't seem safe. But maybe if we paint & fix it up to be less 'prison isolation' like then we could supervise some play time.

 

Oh-and to answer your question-warnings don't usually last long but they can come frequently on a stormy night.

 

We thought about the touch lights for down there. I got an awesome LED lantern for camping that I plan to keep close tonight. Maybe I should get an extra.

 

DH hates the thing & said he would rather Risk the tornado than spend 5 min soaking wet with spiders.

[prairiewindmomma]

Another thing to consider is that even with only going during an actual storm on the ground near you event---you could still be out there for hours.

 

Some storm lines can be hundreds of miles long and spawn multiple tornadoes. The last two years have been mild here but we have had several years where we were under continuous warning for 3-4hrs. It stinks.

 

Also, one mile away is too dang close. Our town has been hit by tornadoes 4 times in my lifetime. Most of the damage our house has sustained came from winds in the same storm system but not from a direct tornado hit. Getting pelted by hail and cold rain is one thing, taking roof shingles or a tree branch to the head is another.

[skimomma]

I grew up in a tornado-prone area so spend my fair share of time in the basement waiting out warnings.  We had an actual basement.  It was not comfy but a few steps above what you are talking about.  We had a few card-based games that we only played during warnings.  It took our minds off of the scariness and was a novelty as we did not play those games any other time.  I still think "tornado" every time dd suggests a game of Crazy 8s.  Stash a few in the bucket for lantern-light fun.

 

If you have littles that are too young for games, my mom had something for littles too.  She would either wrap a long piece of scotch tape around our fingers for us to pick off or Elmer's glue.  Sounds weird but again was calming and kept us occupied.

[Tanaqui]

And the door is on an angle so when you open it the rain gets inside. It doesn't leak at all. We don't like for them to play in it bc the angle of the door makes it easy to fall inside & it's a pretty good way down. And the door is VERY heavy. just didn't seem safe. But maybe if we paint & fix it up to be less 'prison isolation' like then we could supervise some play time.

 

No, if you can't fix the stairs I can see that you wouldn't want them running in and out all the time. Children are like little goats, until one of them falls and breaks an ankle.

 

But about the rain coming all the way in, maybe you could put a simple awning up over it? It wouldn't be perfect (and you'd have a dumb awning in the middle of your lawn), but at least the rain wouldn't get in as you did. But don't run with that idea if it's not feasible, I have *no idea* and am just thinking aloud.

 

At any rate, if they come frequently at night, sounds to me like you could use some air mattresses or cushions or hammocks even (trying to pace out a 10x8 space in my head, and I may be making it bigger than it is!) and a deck of cards, maybe a couple of books to read aloud - something of the "episodic" genre, so you don't mind going a long time between installments.

 

If it's so far from the house and so cramped it might be worth it to just build a new one closer to your home, and bigger - but again, I don't know how feasible that *really* is. If it's not even a little possible, ignore me.

[prairiewindmomma]

Sorry--posting from phone:

 

As far as actual preps go:

1. Fix the steps

2. Sweep it out weekly march-october

3. Get some inexpensive press on lights near the entrance. A dropped flashlight by an older kid while you are following up with the youngers can create a traffic jam at a crucial point.

4. Weather radio

5. Keep a tub of bicycle helmets and sturdy shoes near the door in your house. Charge a kid with carrying that out. If the door gets ripped off the shelter, you want some protection on noggins.

6. Whistles--and make sure people come looking for you if you don't turn up post-storm. A tree blown across a shelter door could be a problem.

7. Potty (they make snap on seats for bucket), snacks, water, and baby wipes/diapers are essentials.

8. Practice the evacuation drill. Your kids need to be able to do it without you---we have had inconvenient storms during a ten minute errand where olders were left at home.

9. Teach your kids to read the sky. We have had serious damage when the sirens havent gone off.

[Lanny]

The "experts" (they are at Texas Tech University in Lubbock) have found that people tend not to use that type of shelter, unless it is under the attached garage of the house, if my memory is accurate.  That you have a storm cellar is wonderful and it could easily save your life and the lives of those you love.

 

You should clean it up and stock it with water, a radio with fresh batteries and a light (flashlight, etc.).  There is a kind of above ground shelter they are selling now that did very well when the horrible series of tornadoes struck the Oklahoma City area a couple of years ago.

 

If I were building a new home, I would have a storm shelter installed under the garage, with the entrance to it from inside the garage.

 

If your area goes under a Tornado WARNING then you should immediately leave your home and enter the storm shelter.

 

 

[magic]

We keep our emergency supplies in a large truck box- it is black and grey and designed to fit in a truck bed to endure all sorts of weather.  It is stocked with a roll of black sheeting and duct tape (in case a window blows out or there is a leak somewhere and it provides a dry surface to sit on), paper, pens, pencils, deck of cards, and travel games to keep everyone occupied, gallon jugs of water, water purification tablets (as a precaution in case we do not have enough water and need to find alternative sources), a crank radio, glow sticks, flash lights with extra batteries, hand warmers, metallic emergency blankets, suckers and other hard candy, jerky, canned fruit and juice with can opener, packets of tuna, peanut butter crackers, and other food items (I change these out every couple of months), roll of paper towels, package of baby wipes, disposable utensils and plates, toilet paper, throw away cups (I use the individually sealed ones from hotels), and additional comfort items depending on the season.  It is amazing how much you can fit in a truck box and I really like to be prepared.  When my kids were little, I would keep their favorite sugar cereal and poptarts in the box so they would get a special treat during bad storms.  I would also suggest an inflatable pillow and some towels or blankets in case some one needs to rest.

[Lanny]

<snip>Warning means there is rotation in sky or on radar. Watch means conditions are favorable. <snip>

 

 

I did not read all of this post but that sentence really has me very uneasy for your family.   I lived in North Central Texas for 28 years and I was a Weather Spotter.       I haven't lived there for 20 years, but my belief, April 2015, is that a WARNING means there is a tornado on the ground.

 

PLEASE look for accurate information, on the web sites of the National Weather Service and that of Tech (ttu.edu and probably somewhere in the Civil Engineering area)

 

It is URGENT that you understand the differences between a Watch and a Warning.

[prairiewindmomma]

They've changed the language somewhat with the increased sophistication in radar.  If they are seeing a hook formation on radar, regardless of what they see in the clouds or on the ground, they issue a warning.  Here's a wiki on the latest classifications:

http://w1.weather.gov/glossary/index.php?letter=t That makes sense--so often tornadoes can be rain wrapped and otherwise difficult to spot.

[Slartibartfast]

A radio is on the list. Candy is great idea!

 

Slartibartfast-Last year we were only under warning one time. But we are under watches about every week in spring. Warning means there is rotation in sky or on radar. Watch means conditions are favorable. The one warning last year was for a huge storm system that killed several people in our state. Towns nearby have been devastated/wiped out in my lifetime. So it isn't frequent but enough to be scary.

 

 

I am from Moore, OK so I tend to be more in favor of having the shelter prepared rather than not. My parent's house stood for 40 years before a tornado hit it. The one that ended up hitting it was an F5. One of my friends who lived in their neighborhood only had a little closet left that had been under a stairway. She and her children were in that closet. I don't think I could ever move back into the area without having a shelter on the property. 

 

Supposedly they are expecting this year to be a bad one for tornadoes. 

[Slartibartfast]

The "experts" (they are at Texas Tech University in Lubbock) have found that people tend not to use that type of shelter, unless it is under the attached garage of the house, if my memory is accurate.  That you have a storm cellar is wonderful and it could easily save your life and the lives of those you love.

 

You should clean it up and stock it with water, a radio with fresh batteries and a light (flashlight, etc.).  There is a kind of above ground shelter they are selling now that did very well when the horrible series of tornadoes struck the Oklahoma City area a couple of years ago.

 

If I were building a new home, I would have a storm shelter installed under the garage, with the entrance to it from inside the garage.

 

If your area goes under a Tornado WARNING then you should immediately leave your home and enter the storm shelter.

 

I think more people are using those types of shelters with some of the more serious storms of late. The issue is having enough warning to get to the shelter if it is that far away, usually they have enough time but there was a tornado in March and people really didn't get enough warning.

 

The OKC area didn't used to have a lot of shelters at all but now they are becoming more common.  Some people do have in ground shelters while others have gone with the safe rooms. Safe rooms tend to be easier to build in established homes. More and more of my friends and family back home have been adding shelters and there have been tax incentives for them.

 

My sister has a shelter that is inside her garage like you are describing. She now owns the house that used to be my parent's that was hit by the tornado. 

 

The safe rooms (above ground rooms with reinforced concrete) do work well and some schools in my hometown are being built with entire hallways that are saferooms.

[prairiewindmomma]

Most new construction here has safe rooms. Some people have been retrofitting.

[Slartibartfast]

Most new construction here has safe rooms. Some people have been retrofitting.

 

My sister said it just took half a day to install the one under her garage. It is a metal box, they cut a hole in the garage floor, dig out a hole and plop the room in then they cement it in.

 

Some people have videos from inside shelters similar to hers while huge tornado plowed over it and they worked well. She keeps a hardhat, a flashlight, cliff bars, water in hers. I wouldn't have thought about a hardhat but she got the hat while they were cleaning out the house before it was fixed.

 

I would get a little electric lantern that will brighten the room so y'all can read or color or whatever and not just use flashlights.

[fruitofthewomb]

I am from Moore, OK so I tend to be more in favor of having the shelter prepared rather than not. My parent's house stood for 40 years before a tornado hit it. The one that ended up hitting it was an F5. One of my friends who lived in their neighborhood only had a little closet left that had been under a stairway. She and her children were in that closet. I don't think I could ever move back into the area without having a shelter on the property.

 

Supposedly they are expecting this year to be a bad one for tornadoes.

Ah! Then you are well versed in tornado preparedness! My apologies! I live in Arkansas. Not quite the hotbed that OK is but we have seen our fair share. I have always lived right on edge of Ozarks but recently moved closer to the flatland.

[fruitofthewomb]

Most new construction here has safe rooms. Some people have been retrofitting.

I have heard that safe rooms above ground aren't as safe as those underground. Not sure if that's true. If we were to build we would do the room under garage.

[Okra]

If this is an old shelter, I would think the most important thing you need to do is get it registered with the city.  That way if there is debris on top, they will check every registered storm shelter.

 

I'm sorry yours is yucky.  I guess that is because it is old.  We actually have a really nice above-ground shelter.  For those looking into tornado shelters, we love our above ground shelter.  Our above ground safe-room/ shelter is FEMA certified to withstand an EF-5 tornado.  So, they are the same as an underground one.

[fruitofthewomb]

I did not read all of this post but that sentence really has me very uneasy for your family. I lived in North Central Texas for 28 years and I was a Weather Spotter. I haven't lived there for 20 years, but my belief, April 2015, is that a WARNING means there is a tornado on the ground.

 

PLEASE look for accurate information, on the web sites of the National Weather Service and that of Tech (ttu.edu and probably somewhere in the Civil Engineering area)

 

It is URGENT that you understand the differences between a Watch and a Warning.

I am pretty sure I am correct about the watch vs warning. We have an awesome weather guy & he talks about it all the time. It's rotation or a certified spotter confirmed funnel or tornado on the ground. And they usually pass that along via airways-which it is. My BIL is law enforcement so he keeps us well informed also. But I will double check.

[fruitofthewomb]

If this is an old shelter, I would think the most important thing you need to do is get it registered with the city. That way if there is debris on top, they will check every registered storm shelter.

 

I'm sorry yours is yucky. I guess that is because it is old. We actually have a really nice above-ground shelter. For those looking into tornado shelters, we love our above ground shelter. Our above ground safe-room/ shelter is FEMA certified to withstand an EF-5 tornado. So, they are the same as an underground one.

That's good to know about above ground shelters!

 

I haven't heard of registering but it's a small town & everyone knows we have it. Guess I still need to check on that.

[fruitofthewomb]

Another thing to consider is that even with only going during an actual storm on the ground near you event---you could still be out there for hours.

 

Some storm lines can be hundreds of miles long and spawn multiple tornadoes. The last two years have been mild here but we have had several years where we were under continuous warning for 3-4hrs. It stinks.

 

Also, one mile away is too dang close. Our town has been hit by tornadoes 4 times in my lifetime. Most of the damage our house has sustained came from winds in the same storm system but not from a direct tornado hit. Getting pelted by hail and cold rain is one thing, taking roof shingles or a tree branch to the head is another.

I got to thinking about my statement that tornado was on ground 1 mile away-not true. I got a little confused. On air they said possible tornado & gave street name a mile away. BIL (police) called afterward & said that it wasn't on ground-just funnel cloud. But it was pretty scary & we high tailed it out to the cellar. I told DH never again-that as soon as they issued warning for our area we were going.

[fruitofthewomb]

No, if you can't fix the stairs I can see that you wouldn't want them running in and out all the time. Children are like little goats, until one of them falls and breaks an ankle.

 

But about the rain coming all the way in, maybe you could put a simple awning up over it? It wouldn't be perfect (and you'd have a dumb awning in the middle of your lawn), but at least the rain wouldn't get in as you did. But don't run with that idea if it's not feasible, I have *no idea* and am just thinking aloud.

 

At any rate, if they come frequently at night, sounds to me like you could use some air mattresses or cushions or hammocks even (trying to pace out a 10x8 space in my head, and I may be making it bigger than it is!) and a deck of cards, maybe a couple of books to read aloud - something of the "episodic" genre, so you don't mind going a long time between installments.

 

If it's so far from the house and so cramped it might be worth it to just build a new one closer to your home, and bigger - but again, I don't know how feasible that *really* is. If it's not even a little possible, ignore me.

I have seen a few cellars with a porch like awning over them. I don't know how much that would really help in a major storm where it's blowing around. Something to consider though.

[fruitofthewomb]

We keep our emergency supplies in a large truck box- it is black and grey and designed to fit in a truck bed to endure all sorts of weather. It is stocked with a roll of black sheeting and duct tape (in case a window blows out or there is a leak somewhere and it provides a dry surface to sit on), paper, pens, pencils, deck of cards, and travel games to keep everyone occupied, gallon jugs of water, water purification tablets (as a precaution in case we do not have enough water and need to find alternative sources), a crank radio, glow sticks, flash lights with extra batteries, hand warmers, metallic emergency blankets, suckers and other hard candy, jerky, canned fruit and juice with can opener, packets of tuna, peanut butter crackers, and other food items (I change these out every couple of months), roll of paper towels, package of baby wipes, disposable utensils and plates, toilet paper, throw away cups (I use the individually sealed ones from hotels), and additional comfort items depending on the season. It is amazing how much you can fit in a truck box and I really like to be prepared. When my kids were little, I would keep their favorite sugar cereal and poptarts in the box so they would get a special treat during bad storms. I would also suggest an inflatable pillow and some towels or blankets in case some one needs to rest.

Thanks! The truck box idea is fantastic! Gotta tell DH about that!

[fruitofthewomb]

Sorry--posting from phone:

 

As far as actual preps go:

1. Fix the steps

2. Sweep it out weekly march-october

3. Get some inexpensive press on lights near the entrance. A dropped flashlight by an older kid while you are following up with the youngers can create a traffic jam at a crucial point.

4. Weather radio

5. Keep a tub of bicycle helmets and sturdy shoes near the door in your house. Charge a kid with carrying that out. If the door gets ripped off the shelter, you want some protection on noggins.

6. Whistles--and make sure people come looking for you if you don't turn up post-storm. A tree blown across a shelter door could be a problem.

7. Potty (they make snap on seats for bucket), snacks, water, and baby wipes/diapers are essentials.

8. Practice the evacuation drill. Your kids need to be able to do it without you---we have had inconvenient storms during a ten minute errand where olders were left at home.

9. Teach your kids to read the sky. We have had serious damage when the sirens havent gone off.

Thanks-Great list! Sounds like you have some experience! We definitely need to drill. And I do need to open door & sweep it weekly. That would do a world of good I think.

 

DH & I are both quite terrified of spiders. That's why we both have such a hard time going down in it to do maintenance. There aren't a lot down there but there are always a few.

[Lucy the Valiant]

Definitely something fun for the kids to do. Even a new Lego set or something "fresh" that they can work on.

 

We are big fans of the light sticks - they last 12 hours or so, and have the advantage (especially for children) of no batteries and no open flame. Our children can read by them.

 

Also, for warmth, the little hand-heaters (chemical) can really come in handy; they're easy to store and last a long time.

[Mergath]

We get tornadoes here in MN, but not enough for most people to install storm shelters.  If I had one, however, I would absolutely decorate it like Bag End and stock it with copies of The Hobbit.  

[Lucy the Valiant]

And a P.S. regarding the drills - if you occasionally make it fun, it can help kids feel less afraid. We have a special bell that we ring when we want ALL KIDS TO COME RIGHT NOW. I periodically ring it and then hand out candy and send them back to their play. It's handy.

[fruitofthewomb]

Definitely something fun for the kids to do. Even a new Lego set or something "fresh" that they can work on.

 

We are big fans of the light sticks - they last 12 hours or so, and have the advantage (especially for children) of no batteries and no open flame. Our children can read by them.

 

Also, for warmth, the little hand-heaters (chemical) can really come in handy; they're easy to store and last a long time.

Glow sticks! Of course! Great ideas. It's amazing how cold it is down in that thing esp when you are soaking wet!

[fruitofthewomb]

We get tornadoes here in MN, but not enough for most people to install storm shelters. If I had one, however, I would absolutely decorate is like Bag End and stock it with copies of The Hobbit.

Ah! Why didn't I think of that?!

 

I am mobile bound so I can't do any cool emoticons. But if I could I would pick the rolling laughing smiley or the guy beating te ground while laughing. Use your imagination.

[fruitofthewomb]

And a P.S. regarding the drills - if you occasionally make it fun, it can help kids feel less afraid. We have a special bell that we ring when we want ALL KIDS TO COME RIGHT NOW. I periodically ring it and then hand out candy and send them back to their play. It's handy.

You all are geniuses! I swear-never would have entered my mind to do that!

[Lucy the Valiant]

You all are geniuses! I swear-never would have entered my mind to do that!

 

Ha, not geniuses; experienced. There is a WORLD of difference between a hunker-down with trained, calm, helpful children and crabby, disoriented, miserable children.

 

Some things you learn fast. :)

[Tanaqui]

I wouldn't have thought about a hardhat but she got the hat while they were cleaning out the house before it was fixed.

 

Seems to me that a hardhat with a headlamp would be most convenient - it's protective AND functional.

 

[Lanny]

We have a rechargeable thing that puts out a lot of light. I'm not sure how long until it discharges completely. My wife and DD bought it here in Colombia and I believe it was approximately USD $60 or 70 including tax. It weighs several pounds. Something like that would be nice to have, in addition to traditional flashlights. It is approximately 2 feet long and 1 foot wide.  

[MomtoCandJ]

We are thinking of doing an underground shelter. We don't live in an active tornado area but they do pop up every now and then. We live in a mobile home surrounded by trees.