About Tornado Shelters

The Facts

• A tornado shelter is an underground shelter used to protect humans and animals from the destructive habits of a tornado. Because a tornado's wind base lies slightly above the ground, anything under the surface level of the ground is considered a safe tornado shelter. Finding a safe tornado shelter is the safest way to ride out the storm.

Geography

• Tornadoes are most common in the southern, northern and midsections of the United States. They can occur in almost every other location on the planet except Antarctica. Tornadoes develop when the temperature changes and the air pressure becomes unstable and a thunderstorm begins to form. Tornado shelters are prevalent in almost every home in the midsection or central portion of the United States, as some of the largest and deadliest tornadoes are reported and documented in this area.

Features

• Tornado shelters typically have no windows or open doors. A ditch or deep hole can be utilized as a tornado shelter if one is in a rural area where there are no buildings. Typically a door leading to the outdoors is it least 6 feet from the ground or from the shelter area itself. There is usually a door that latches from the inside in the event a strong tornado does rip through the area, the door can be locked to prevent debris from landing inside the shelter. Tornado shelters feature a stairwell that leads to the shelter. It is important to keep clear of the stairwell in the event of a tornado. Tornadoes can pull debris and even humans up through shelters if they are close enough to the surface area. Water, food, a battery powered radio and other emergency supplies should be kept on hand at all times in the tornado shelter.

Type

• There are several types of tornado shelters. The most popular tornado shelter is in the basement of a home under the stairs leading to the basement, or in a room that has no windows. An outside tornado shelter that is separate from the home typically is a hole dug over 6 to 8 feet into the ground, and has a door and latch to protect from outside debris. Indoor wind rooms or panic rooms are steel enforced rooms that are several inches thick and are water and wind proof; some can withstand winds up to 300 miles per hour, as well as several hundred pounds of pressure.

Time Frame

• The time frame to get into a shelter is minimal when someone is in the path of a tornado. Tornadoes arrive from the southwest but can touchdown at anytime so they are very unpredictable. If a tornado warning has been issued nearby, seeking shelter in time is of the essence. If a tornado passes over the shelter, the wind storm can last anywhere from 5 to 30 minutes. Remain in the shelter until the all clear has been issued by the weather service.

Benefits

• Owning a tornado shelter gives someone peace of mind that he is safe in the event of a tornado or other destructive wind storm. Tornado shelters provide enough room for 1 to 5 people to safely take cover. Tornado shelters also provide a location to keep children safe after the tornado strikes so adults can go out and assess the damage.