Pray for the families in Moore Oklahoma

[beanman]

Just saw on twitter from Reed Timmer (the stormchaser guy) that 24 children have been confirmed killed.

They confirmed 7 kids were found dead (drowned) and they're trying to get to another 20-30 but there's not much hope they'll be found alive. We've had some bad tornado's, but this....this is hard to comprehend.

KFOR is saying now, some of the kids who have been unaccounted for, may have actually been accounted for at a different location. keep your fingers crossed that's the case

Let's hope that's right. I heard on one of the networks that most people in Oklahoma don't have basements? Is that true? If so, why? Groundwater too high or something? I have some friends that just relocated to Alabama and they have one of these in their garage.

http://www.stormdefenseshelters.com/tornadopics.asp

 

[ADS]

Just saw on twitter from Reed Timmer (the stormchaser guy) that 24 children have been confirmed killed.

They confirmed 7 kids were found dead (drowned) and they're trying to get to another 20-30 but there's not much hope they'll be found alive. We've had some bad tornado's, but this....this is hard to comprehend.

KFOR is saying now, some of the kids who have been unaccounted for, may have actually been accounted for at a different location. keep your fingers crossed that's the case

Let's hope that's right. I heard on one of the networks that most people in Oklahoma don't have basements? Is that true? If so, why? Groundwater too high or something? I have some friends that just relocated to Alabama and they have one of these in their garage.

http://www.stormdefe...tornadopics.asp

It has something to do with the layer of clay under the surface.

 

[Hooked on Huskers]

Oklahoma don't have basements?

combination of ground water, poor city planning, huge boulders, and clay soil. Clay effected by shrinking, expanding or shifting soil...... depends on rain and/or temperature. And poor planning...... sewer and water lines was an average of only two or three feet deep.

 

[beanman]

Oklahoma don't have basements?

combination of ground water, poor city planning, huge boulders, and clay soil. Clay effected by shrinking, expanding or shifting soil...... depends on rain and/or temperature. And poor planning...... sewer and water lines was an average of only two or three feet deep.

They make above ground shelters. They make community shelters. It would be nice if the government would assist with stuff like this since it isn't cheap. I've even thought about installing something even with a pretty deep basement, and I live in MN where we don't have much for strong tornadoes. It's a shame that people wind up being sitting ducks like this. Even with a basement, in an F4 you're still screwed.

 

[BIGREDIOWAN]

Just saw on twitter from Reed Timmer (the stormchaser guy) that 24 children have been confirmed killed.

They confirmed 7 kids were found dead (drowned) and they're trying to get to another 20-30 but there's not much hope they'll be found alive. We've had some bad tornado's, but this....this is hard to comprehend.

KFOR is saying now, some of the kids who have been unaccounted for, may have actually been accounted for at a different location. keep your fingers crossed that's the case

Let's hope that's right. I heard on one of the networks that most people in Oklahoma don't have basements? Is that true? If so, why? Groundwater too high or something? I have some friends that just relocated to Alabama and they have one of these in their garage.

http://www.stormdefe...tornadopics.asp

I looked at putting one of those in our garage even though we have a basement. Our basement is a walk-out so I'm constantly worried about the glass and debris that's going to come from the backside of my house towards my wife and boys. I ended up building a reenforced area underneath the stairs in my basement to protect them from debris and hopefully smaller tornadoes. I don't think it would help with a F4 or a F5, but below that I think it would help. two sheets of 3/4 plywood on each side, reenforced the studs underneath with cross members, put a solid core door on it that can be locked from the inside, used 3 inch screws as well. Have food, water, weather radio, blankets, pillows, candles, flashlights, small cooking stove inside just in case. It's ventilated as well to allow fresh air in and for okay circulation if needed. I have a breaker bar and axe to help get out from the inside if we end up getting trapped and the last thing I want to put in is a medical kit for emergencies. My friends think I'm crazy, but f*&k my friends, I care about my family and that's it. It's my job as their husband and father to make sure they are safe and I'll be damned if I'm not going to do that. I'm not preparing for a nuclear war for crying out loud, I'm preparing for a natural disaster that has killed and destroyed lives before and will continue to do so for a very long time.

 

[Count 'Bility]

Oklahoma don't have basements?

combination of ground water, poor city planning, huge boulders, and clay soil. Clay effected by shrinking, expanding or shifting soil...... depends on rain and/or temperature. And poor planning...... sewer and water lines was an average of only two or three feet deep.

They make above ground shelters. They make community shelters. It would be nice if the government would assist with stuff like this since it isn't cheap. I've even thought about installing something even with a pretty deep basement, and I live in MN where we don't have much for strong tornadoes. It's a shame that people wind up being sitting ducks like this. Even with a basement, in an F4 you're still screwed.

This is true. My parents when they built their house in '05 put in an actually storm shelter in the basement designed for such thing. Even a basement doesnt help with a storm of this caliber.

 

[HuskerfaninOkieland]

Oklahoma don't have basements?

combination of ground water, poor city planning, huge boulders, and clay soil. Clay effected by shrinking, expanding or shifting soil...... depends on rain and/or temperature. And poor planning...... sewer and water lines was an average of only two or three feet deep.

They make above ground shelters. They make community shelters. It would be nice if the government would assist with stuff like this since it isn't cheap. I've even thought about installing something even with a pretty deep basement, and I live in MN where we don't have much for strong tornadoes. It's a shame that people wind up being sitting ducks like this. Even with a basement, in an F4 you're still screwed.

A lot of the community shelters (nursing homes, churches, schools, etc) want to lose that title. They claim there are huge liability issues involved if they allow anyone in. Plus experts warn against trying to drive to a community shelter during a tornado because people can lose sight of where it's at, traffic can quickly become congested causing traffic jams, and what happens if folks arrive at a community shelter to only find it full. Even safe rooms are no safe bet if faced with a tornado the size of what happened today. This was in every sense of the word, a tornado emergency where only below ground is the safest place to be.

The best course of action is a tornado shelter either in your garage or in the yard somewhere. Years past, the city/state would offer grants for people who want to install a shelter in their home. I suspect the state is going to come up with some more money for this program again.

 

[Hooked on Huskers]

Many houses equipped with shelters. Small steel room, kinda like dumpster, buried in the garage floor.

 

[beanman]

I went out storm chasing out of my Superior Place apartment in 2001 when I heard there was a tornado warning and got to see this F4 first-hand. I watched the funnel come down, got to see it grow and grow. Seeing it in person freaked me the hell out and seeing the damage path the day after made me realize just how powerful these things are. I haven't taken it as far as BRI above, but I am as prepared as I can be at home without investing a bunch of money. One thing I do know is I would much rather be in my car where I can outrun the storm than sitting in my basement hoping it's not my time. Not feasible in a big city, but for where I've lived it's been my #1 option and is even easier nowadays with radar on your phone.



Even if the forecasters are on top of this stuff(which they were today), 90% of people are sitting ducks and have no good options for safety. If we have snow days in Minnesota for a 1/2" of snow, why don't they consider the same for days like this where there is a real threat? It's not like schools are safe. Neither is the workplace. At work when there's been tornado warnings, I just frickin' leave because I'm not going to squat in a bathroom waiting for the walls to collapse on top of me.

 

[HuskerfaninOkieland]

http://www.stormdefe...tornadopics.asp

Those types of shelters are fast becoming popular because people don't like the "concrete slab" in their backyard or their HOA won't allow the concrete shelters in their backyards. There are pro's and con's to both but that particular shelter is definitely better than not having anything at all.

 

[HuskerfaninOkieland]

Even if the forecasters are on top of this stuff(which they were today), 90% of people are sitting ducks and have no good options for safety. If we have snow days in Minnesota for a 1/2" of snow, why don't they consider the same for days like this where there is a real threat? It's not like schools are safe. Neither is the workplace. At work when there's been tornado warnings, I just frickin' leave because I'm not going to squat in a bathroom waiting for the walls to collapse on top of me.

Today was one of the rare days (first time to my knowledge) where schools let out early, employees could leave early, etc. A guy who works for me had to go pick his son up at 1 today because they shut down the school. My son was let out of school early because of the pending weather. Our commander told us to leave early and my wife was able to leave early. Okies are very weather aware when it comes to this stuff. Often times, we have ample time to track these storms and get out of the way. Today was not one of those days. This particular storm went from absolute nothing to an EF5 tornado in about an hour (I suspect less than an hour). We've known for a few days now there was a high risk of severe weather. But this storm caught a lot of people off guard because of how fast it formed.

 

[beanman]

Oklahoma don't have basements?

combination of ground water, poor city planning, huge boulders, and clay soil. Clay effected by shrinking, expanding or shifting soil...... depends on rain and/or temperature. And poor planning...... sewer and water lines was an average of only two or three feet deep.

They make above ground shelters. They make community shelters. It would be nice if the government would assist with stuff like this since it isn't cheap. I've even thought about installing something even with a pretty deep basement, and I live in MN where we don't have much for strong tornadoes. It's a shame that people wind up being sitting ducks like this. Even with a basement, in an F4 you're still screwed.

A lot of the community shelters (nursing homes, churches, schools, etc) want to lose that title. They claim there are huge liability issues involved if they allow anyone in. Plus experts warn against trying to drive to a community shelter during a tornado because people can lose sight of where it's at, traffic can quickly become congested causing traffic jams, and what happens if folks arrive at a community shelter to only find it full. Even safe rooms are no safe bet if faced with a tornado the size of what happened today. This was in every sense of the word, a tornado emergency where only below ground is the safest place to be.

The best course of action is a tornado shelter either in your garage or in the yard somewhere. Years past, the city/state would offer grants for people who want to install a shelter in their home. I suspect the state is going to come up with some more money for this program again.

I agree to an extent, but what options to some people have? Better than nothing I guess. I've seen interviews with people who had safe rooms that survived F4 tornadoes while the rest of their home was gone. There are limitations, but at least they'll generally keep you safe from the debris. They are tested extensively.

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=can-you-really-hide-from

 

[beanman]

Even if the forecasters are on top of this stuff(which they were today), 90% of people are sitting ducks and have no good options for safety. If we have snow days in Minnesota for a 1/2" of snow, why don't they consider the same for days like this where there is a real threat? It's not like schools are safe. Neither is the workplace. At work when there's been tornado warnings, I just frickin' leave because I'm not going to squat in a bathroom waiting for the walls to collapse on top of me.

Today was one of the rare days (first time to my knowledge) where schools let out early, employees could leave early, etc. A guy who works for me had to go pick his son up at 1 today because they shut down the school. My son was let out of school early because of the pending weather. Our commander told us to leave early and my wife was able to leave early. Okies are very weather aware when it comes to this stuff. Often times, we have ample time to track these storms and get out of the way. Today was not one of those days. This particular storm went from absolute nothing to an EF5 tornado in about an hour (I suspect less than an hour). We've known for a few days now there was a high risk of severe weather. But this storm caught a lot of people off guard because of how fast it formed.

I didn't realize it developed that quickly. The whole situation sucks and I just wish that somehow the death toll could have been avoided. It just breaks my heart when kids get killed.

 

[HuskerfaninOkieland]

Even if the forecasters are on top of this stuff(which they were today), 90% of people are sitting ducks and have no good options for safety. If we have snow days in Minnesota for a 1/2" of snow, why don't they consider the same for days like this where there is a real threat? It's not like schools are safe. Neither is the workplace. At work when there's been tornado warnings, I just frickin' leave because I'm not going to squat in a bathroom waiting for the walls to collapse on top of me.

Today was one of the rare days (first time to my knowledge) where schools let out early, employees could leave early, etc. A guy who works for me had to go pick his son up at 1 today because they shut down the school. My son was let out of school early because of the pending weather. Our commander told us to leave early and my wife was able to leave early. Okies are very weather aware when it comes to this stuff. Often times, we have ample time to track these storms and get out of the way. Today was not one of those days. This particular storm went from absolute nothing to an EF5 tornado in about an hour (I suspect less than an hour). We've known for a few days now there was a high risk of severe weather. But this storm caught a lot of people off guard because of how fast it formed.

I didn't realize it developed that quickly. The whole situation sucks and I just wish that somehow the death toll could have been avoided. It just breaks my heart when kids get killed.

Absolutely. I had to quit watching the local coverage. It was just way to depressing and upsetting.

 

[MLB 51]

Even if the forecasters are on top of this stuff(which they were today), 90% of people are sitting ducks and have no good options for safety. If we have snow days in Minnesota for a 1/2" of snow, why don't they consider the same for days like this where there is a real threat? It's not like schools are safe. Neither is the workplace. At work when there's been tornado warnings, I just frickin' leave because I'm not going to squat in a bathroom waiting for the walls to collapse on top of me.

Today was one of the rare days (first time to my knowledge) where schools let out early, employees could leave early, etc. A guy who works for me had to go pick his son up at 1 today because they shut down the school. My son was let out of school early because of the pending weather. Our commander told us to leave early and my wife was able to leave early. Okies are very weather aware when it comes to this stuff. Often times, we have ample time to track these storms and get out of the way. Today was not one of those days. This particular storm went from absolute nothing to an EF5 tornado in about an hour (I suspect less than an hour). We've known for a few days now there was a high risk of severe weather. But this storm caught a lot of people off guard because of how fast it formed.

This is pretty much the same scenario as Joplin, Mo. People in stores and going about their daily lives when that one hit.