WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Based in the heart of tornado alley, in Owasso, Oklahoma, FamilySAFE Shelters know all about the suddenness and the extreme damage that tornadoes can wreak on our property, communities, and livelihoods. If you live in a region where tornadoes are regular occurrences, make sure you, your family, and your business are safe when the wind starts to pick up and the fence starts to rattle. FamilySAFE offers storm shelters that have been tested to withstand EF5 tornado conditions. We can help you choose which of our shelters is best for you, and also help by installing a custom-built tornado shelter in both new and existing residential and commercial structures. With over 20,000 FamilySAFE shelters installed since 1998, we are proud to offer protection and peace of mind for people all the way from Tulsa and Joplin to Kansas City and Dallas. Contact us today for a free consultation!
Benefits of a Storm Shelter
Types of a Storm Shelters
Supplies You Need
Get Your Storm Shelter
Take Shelter!
Have you ever considered what actually happens when a tornado draws near or strikes your home? Some of the things that happen include:
- Glass shatters and is dispersed in places of your building that you wouldn’t believe it’d be able to reach.
- The ceiling flexes in and out, causing light fixtures and tiles to fall in, even if the roof itself doesn’t end up collapsing or blowing away.
- If the roof is gone, the rest of the building is likely soon to follow.
- A tornado sounds like a freight train when it’s drawing near; when it’s upon you, it sounds like roaring howls from hell, a sound more horrible than anything you’ve probably ever heard before.
From a distance or on TV, it’s easy to see tornadoes as an interesting natural phenomenon, with programs about chasing storms to get good footage and accurate measurements. At a distance, observing a tornado is like a paleontologist uncovering dinosaur bones. However, when one is dealing with a live tornado, interest quickly becomes replaced by a more appropriate emotion: fear, just as if that paleontologist were to encounter a live T-Rex instead of just its ancient remains. The big difference between a tornado and a T-Rex is that a tornado doesn’t have a limited appetite; a tornado doesn’t get full. Tornados are far more destructive than anything that occurred in Jurassic Park.
On TV, tornadoes may be presented somewhat romantically, but in reality, they are no adventure. They are a direct threat to you and your family’s life, and, if you don’t adequately prepare for them, you risk becoming another sad statistic. When it comes to dealing with a tornado, a moment’s hesitation can be the difference between life and death. So make sure you have a storm shelter installed in your home before you are forced into the terrible situation of being caught in a tornado. Call us today to get your free quote on your new shelter. Your and your family’s well-being is too important to wait.
What You Need to Know Before You Buy a Storm Shelter
Benefits of a Storm Shelter
When a tornado is approaching your home, it’s important that you have a way to ensure that you and your family can retreat to safety. Going to your basement can help if you don’t have a better option, but really, if you live in a region with high risks of tornadoes, getting a tornado shelter is just as practical as getting a water barrel to collect rain in a high precipitation region. Getting a storm shelter or safe room comes with many benefits!
Easily accessible — Having a storm shelter on your property eliminates the risk of trying to travel to reach a safe place when a storm is coming.
Family-oriented — You can get a storm shelter to meet your family’s specific needs. For example, you can include wheelchair access, extra space, and so on.
Protection for valuables — When a tornado strikes, it can take with it all your valuables as well. From jewelry to photo albums of people you love, you can keep the things that matter most to you in your storm shelter so that you will still have them even if the rest of your home is destroyed.
Emergency provision storage — Make sure you leave plenty of space in your storm shelter for things like extra food, clothes, first aid items, and important documents. This will ensure that you can be well-prepared for surviving the storm, as well as getting your life back together afterward.
If you don’t already have a storm shelter, we hope you consider investing in one, especially if you live in a high-risk region for tornadoes like Oklahoma. Even if you end up never needing to use it, having one on-site will provide you and your family peace of mind, as well as a space to securely store items that you need to keep safe. Reach out to FamilySAFE Shelters to speak with a member of our staff.
Should You Get an Above-Ground Shelter, Underground Shelter, or Safe Room?
Every FamilySAFE storm shelter is engineered, tested, and certified and will be installed ONLY by our HILTI-trained and certified FamilySAFE installers. We are the most experienced above-ground shelter company in the US. We are proud of the fact that we have had over a dozen FamilySAFE tornado safe rooms and shelters that are able to survive direct hits from EF4s and EF5 tornadoes and have never even been dented.
Our storm shelters and safe rooms are made from high-grade steel and are designed to withstand even the harshest of storms. We specialize in above-ground storm shelters, as they come with a few advantages over underground shelters, including:
Above-ground tornado shelters can be placed inside your home, making them faster to get to than most underground shelters.
What Supplies to Take Into Your Storm Shelter
A storm shelter gives you the protection you need in case of severe storms and tornadoes. With 1,200 tornadoes touching down on average in the USA each year, it’s worthwhile being prepared, especially if you live in a location where tornadoes are common, such as here in Owasso, Oklahoma. Besides simply having an above-ground storm shelter, it’s also crucial to stock the structure with the right survival items.
Whether a disaster comes in the form of a tornado, earthquake, flood, or fire, the key to survival is to be prepared, and that includes having an emergency kit already in place. Here are some of the most important things to have ready in your FamilySAFE storm shelter or safe room:
Food & Water
All tornado shelters should be stocked with at least a five-day supply of non-perishable foods and bottled water. Consider the size of your family when buying these supplies. You should aim to have about one gallon of water per person per day, and it should be stored in sealed, unbreakable containers. Check twice a year to ensure that everything is edible/drinkable still.
Radio
A battery-powered radio will help you get crucial information about a storm’s projection and provide you with weather reports so you are informed on how long to remain in your storm shelter.
Flashlights
Power outages are not uncommon during storms. Keep multiple flashlights in your storm shelter, including hand-cranked ones, so you are never left in the dark.
Backup Power & Batteries
Make sure you have the energy you need to power essential electronics such as your radio, flashlight, and cell phone in case you are in a storm shelter for an extended period of time.
First Aid Kit
Storms and other natural disasters can lead to cuts and injuries to your family. Keep a first aid kit in your storm shelter so you can provide emergency care. If anyone in your family requires prescription medicines, it may be a good idea to keep extra medicine in the storm shelter as well. If members of your family use things such as inhalers and EpiPens, keep spare ones of those in there as well. If your family has a baby or toddler, be sure to keep some diapers, wet wipes, and other essential care items in there too.
Other Supplies to Consider
- Blankets & sleeping bags
- Change of clothing
- Rain gear
- Extra pair of glasses
- Cash and credit cards
- Deck of playing cards
- A list of phone numbers for doctors, neighbors, relatives, utility companies, etc.
- Food and gear for pets
Keep your storm shelter well-stocked as an important safety measure. Be prepared for a wide variety of “what if” scenarios to ensure that your family is as prepared as possible when a disaster occurs.
Protect What Matters Most
So, do you need a storm shelter? It depends where you live in the country. If you live in states such as Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Iowa, and the surrounding states, it is most likely an investment you should make. While basements can be safer than other places during storms, they can still be extremely vulnerable and dangerous in situations where the rest of your home is coming to pieces due to a tornado.
What type of shelter is best for you? FamilySAFE Shelters has solutions for people in all different sorts of situations and budgets, including the:
- Above Ground MAX Tornado Shelter
- FamilySAFE Bolt-Together Safe Room
- Custom-Made Above-Ground Tornado Shelters
- Military & Commercial Shelters
- And more
For a free storm shelter quote, contact FamilySAFE Shelters today!
Contact us for a FREE storm shelter quote today!
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