topic Re: Safe Room Question in Community Chat

Safe Room Question

happycat — Mon, 28 Apr 2014 21:40:44 GMT

I live in Arkansas, and we had at least one horrible tornado last night, about 40 miles from where I live. At last count, I believe 15 were killed, 2 of those children, horrible situation. On the news today, they told of a woman in a safe room, and said that the wall of it collapsed and that she was crushed to death. Another guy was just interviewed, and he said he and his family stayed in their safe room during the last tornado warning, but last night, they left and took shelter somewhere else, and he said it was a good thing because the safe room was gone.

Have any of you heard of this? I always thought safe rooms were safe.

Re: Safe Room Question

Jannabelle — Mon, 28 Apr 2014 21:44:38 GMT

That is so sad, the woman thought she was safe....one thing I have heard is a good thing to do for kids and adults too for that matter, is to put on a bicycle helmet.

Re: Safe Room Question

terrier3 — Mon, 28 Apr 2014 21:49:35 GMT

Unless you are in an underground bunker...I don't think even safe rooms are 100% safe, unfortunately.

It must be scary living with tornadoes!

I'll take blizzards any day over tornadoes or hurricanes.

Re: Safe Room Question

LaterGator — Mon, 28 Apr 2014 22:04:48 GMT

Hi happycat. We also live in Arkansas but 90 miles away from where the tornados hit. We are fortunate in that we have a basement with a concrete room built in. It not only is concrete but it is underground so we do feel somewhat safe. Still, I don't think anyone is complete safe in a storm like that. I do agree that it would be a good idea to have some kind of a helmet or a mattress over yourself during the tornado no matter where you are. I feel so bad for the woman who was killed in her safe room. The last I heard is that 16 people were killed.

Is there a TV station collecting money for the victims of the storms in Arkansas that you know of? I thought I heard one early this morning but I can't be sure. We want the money to go directly to the victims.

It was tuff trying to sleep last night. I think I slept with one eye open and my ears alert for the sirens. Please stay safe.

Re: Safe Room Question

happycat — Mon, 28 Apr 2014 22:40:53 GMT

On 4/28/2014 LaterGator said:
Hi happycat. We also live in Arkansas but 90 miles away from where the tornados hit. We are fortunate in that we have a basement with a concrete room built in. It not only is concrete but it is underground so we do feel somewhat safe. Still, I don't think anyone is complete safe in a storm like that. I do agree that it would be a good idea to have some kind of a helmet or a mattress over yourself during the tornado no matter where you are. I feel so bad for the woman who was killed in her safe room. The last I heard is that 16 people were killed.

Is there a TV station collecting money for the victims of the storms in Arkansas that you know of? I thought I heard one early this morning but I can't be sure. We want the money to go directly to the victims.

It was tuff trying to sleep last night. I think I slept with one eye open and my ears alert for the sirens. Please stay safe.

Hi LaterGator, you are very lucky to have a basement, with a concrete room. We do not have one, and my dh was wanting to put in a safe room, of course we don't have a good place for one anyway, he was wanting to put it in the garage, but after this he says we need to build a cellar. (I think we just need to move.)

I believe channel 7 is having their Spirit of 7 drive to collect money for the victims. Some of the other stations may be doing something as well, I'm not sure.

My dd had to go to Little Rock today for training for her job, and what usually takes us an hour and 15 minutes took her over 3 hours today. They said on the news a few minutes ago that the drive between Conway and Little rock was taking at least 2 hours, it should take 20 or 25 minutes. Just Crazy.

You know, it is just so scary. I have lived in Ark nearly my whole life, and while we have had tornadoes, they have not been this devastating. It seems like they are getting worse. And there are so many tornado warnings, where nothing happens, that I don't take them as seriously as I should.

In one family, a father and two daughters were killed. It is just hard to even imagine.

Re: Safe Room Question

Preds — Mon, 28 Apr 2014 22:47:31 GMT

Above ground safe houses are not safe. Underground safe houses will not save you in a flood prone area. If a storm is headed your way, please use the safety lessons you have been told for years. Center of the house away from windows. In the bathtub with blankets on top of you. Closets that aren't on an outside wall. There is only so much you can do and if you know in advance, please get out of the area.

Re: Safe Room Question

happycat — Mon, 28 Apr 2014 23:12:45 GMT

On 4/28/2014 terrier3 said:
Unless you are in an underground bunker...I don't think even safe rooms are 100% safe, unfortunately.

It must be scary living with tornadoes!

I'll take blizzards any day over tornadoes or hurricanes.

Yeah, you know when the tornado hit Joplin Mo a few years ago, they said that is you were not underground, your chances of survival were not very high. I've never been in a blizzard, thank God.

Re: Safe Room Question

happycat — Mon, 28 Apr 2014 23:17:25 GMT

On 4/28/2014 Jannabelle said:
That is so sad, the woman thought she was safe....one thing I have heard is a good thing to do for kids and adults too for that matter, is to put on a bicycle helmet.

It is sad, and to understand, I always thought the same thing.... that you would be safe in one. They said a while ago that this thing lasted 10 to 15 seconds. Unbelievable. The bicycle helmet is a very good idea.

Re: Safe Room Question

sidsmom — Tue, 29 Apr 2014 00:20:28 GMT

I would think a water safety vest would be good to wear, if available. Any protection...also closed toe shoes.

Re: Safe Room Question

scotttie — Tue, 29 Apr 2014 00:25:08 GMT

On 4/28/2014 LaterGator said:
Hi happycat. We also live in Arkansas but 90 miles away from where the tornados hit. We are fortunate in that we have a basement with a concrete room built in. It not only is concrete but it is underground so we do feel somewhat safe. Still, I don't think anyone is complete safe in a storm like that. I do agree that it would be a good idea to have some kind of a helmet or a mattress over yourself during the tornado no matter where you are. I feel so bad for the woman who was killed in her safe room. The last I heard is that 16 people were killed.

Is there a TV station collecting money for the victims of the storms in Arkansas that you know of? I thought I heard one early this morning but I can't be sure. We want the money to go directly to the victims.

It was tuff trying to sleep last night. I think I slept with one eye open and my ears alert for the sirens. Please stay safe.

Oh my oh my. I feel for you people down there. I have a stepbrother in Arkansas and I found out today he is okay.

I haven't heard about any fundraisers. Like the one for Oklahoma? I hope they do one.

Do you have a weather radio? That's what we have because those middle of the night storms are the ones for most potential for casualties.

Re: Safe Room Question

scotttie — Tue, 29 Apr 2014 00:26:51 GMT

On 4/28/2014 Preds said:
Above ground safe houses are not safe. Underground safe houses will not save you in a flood prone area. If a storm is headed your way, please use the safety lessons you have been told for years. Center of the house away from windows. In the bathtub with blankets on top of you. Closets that aren't on an outside wall. There is only so much you can do and if you know in advance, please get out of the area.

Preds, we always go in the basement during a tornado. I think that is a lot safer than the center of the house?

Re: Safe Room Question

Preds — Tue, 29 Apr 2014 00:29:52 GMT

Scottie ... if you have a basement, it may be. Southern homes may not have a basement. We've never had a basement. Center of the house is our best bet.

Re: Safe Room Question

scotttie — Tue, 29 Apr 2014 00:30:58 GMT

On 4/28/2014 Preds said:
Scottie ... if you have a basement, it may be. Southern homes may not have a basement. We've never had a basement. Center of the house is our best bet.

Oh. Okay. Yes, we have a basement.

Re: Safe Room Question

esmerelda — Tue, 29 Apr 2014 02:10:04 GMT

Based only on the movie Panic Room (think that's the name, Jodie Foster), IMO safe rooms (aka panic rooms) are safe from people (think home invasion)...not weather.

Re: Safe Room Question

scotttie — Tue, 29 Apr 2014 02:15:38 GMT

On 4/28/2014 esmerelda said:
Based only on the movie Panic Room (think that's the name, Jodie Foster), IMO safe rooms (aka panic rooms) are safe from people (think home invasion)...not weather.

That's a different kind of room, esme. There are panic rooms (think Jodie) and there are safe rooms that are built to protect from tornadoes.

Re: Safe Room Question

Disneylandfan — Tue, 29 Apr 2014 03:27:01 GMT

Maybe it wasn't a very good safe room. I've seen stories about safe rooms where they showed wood beams hurling at the room at the velocity a tornado would create and it didn't even make a dent in the room. So maybe some are made better than others. Sad story.

Re: Safe Room Question

ennui1 — Tue, 29 Apr 2014 06:47:05 GMT

On 4/28/2014 happycat said:
I always thought safe rooms were safe.

Mother Nature is a real beeyotch.

Re: Safe Room Question

esmeraldagooch — Tue, 29 Apr 2014 10:31:21 GMT

happycat, The safe rooms we saw being constructed in new homes we viewed in Alabama were in walkout basements. Regular basements were not built in that area because of ground water. The construction of the rooms were in far back corners of the basement where the two walls were poured cement and the two other walls were created with cement blocks and a metal door. I too wondered if they could take a direct hit. Guess they don't.

Re: Safe Room Question

esmerelda — Tue, 29 Apr 2014 21:52:14 GMT

On 4/28/2014 scotttie said:
On 4/28/2014 esmerelda said:
Based only on the movie Panic Room (think that's the name, Jodie Foster), IMO safe rooms (aka panic rooms) are safe from people (think home invasion)...not weather.

That's a different kind of room, esme. There are panic rooms (think Jodie) and there are safe rooms that are built to protect from tornadoes.

Thanks, scottie.

Re: Safe Room Question

straykatz — Tue, 29 Apr 2014 22:24:03 GMT

I've seen pictures of safe rooms that were simply bolted into a corner in a garage....that didn't look safe to me....my idea of a safest safe room would be one positioned in the center of the house like a closet ....but I can see how people would not want one of those metal boxes inside their house taking up space....I guess if I was building a new house I would pay the extra to have one built into the plans....with that said....while safe rooms are cheaper I think the underground ones are safer....but....buyers beware...there are people out htere selling these things and many are not up to code or installed properly.

I heard on the news today that all of us here in N. Texas who applied for the grant to help cover the cost to put in a storm shelter are SOL because at the rate the grant money is alloted it would take 25 yrs to get to everyone who applied last year.

We do not have basements here in N. Texas....our homes are built on concrete slabs.