Is Your Storm Shelter Ready for the Next Round of Severe Storms?
Are you Ready for Tornado Season?
It's that time of year again when the weatherman tells us to get ready "just in case" a tornado touches down during a severe storm.
Are you ready for tornado season? Is your storm shelter ready?
Don't procrastinate in getting your storm shelter ready until you see the funnel cloud in the sky.
Make an inventory of what you need to do.
Spend a few hours sweeping and cleaning so that it will be pleasant when you get down there.
You don't want any "surprises."
What Else and Who Else is Down There in Your Tornado Shelter?
- Dust?
- Cob webs?
- Mildewed pillows?
- Rusty batteries?
- Damp matches?
- Wood-rotted shelving?
- Canned goods in Mason jars from 1973?
- Damp matches?
- Mummified frogs?
- Snakes?
Do You Have Everything You Need in Your "Fraidy Hole?"
Each year you may want to consider putting the following items in your storm shelter:
- Fresh pillows, sheets and blankets on the bed
- A bed -- or two
- Folding lawn chairs
- New batteries for flashlights and radios
- Two or three working flashlights
- A portable "weather" radio tuned to the National Weather Service or to your favorite local radio station that gives frequent updates when severe weather occurs
- A portable television -- so you don't have to keep running upstairs to check the radar to see where the storms are tracking
- A kerosene lantern
- Extra lamp oil
- A box of wooden matches
- A couple of packs of cards
- Some games
- Dog beds
- Fresh water
- A car jack for pushing open the shelter door if a tree or some other large object falls on it
- A heavy chain that attaches securely to both the door and a bolt in the floor of the shelter -- remember that first scene in Twister?
A powerful tornado acts like a giant vacuum cleaner. I have heard of them literally sucking the plumbing out of the ground. It's a good idea to take precautions.
Install an Underground Tornado Shelter and Keep it Ready.
Also, don't put a lock on your storm cellar.
It's neighborly to allow others to come and join you or to use your shelter even when you are out of town.
You want to allow anyone driving down the road to be able to take cover if they need shelter.
Consider yourself as one entertaining angels unawares.
Be Ready to Get Downstairs Fast
When severe weather strikes, it often happens quickly.
Don't hesitate to run down there quickly.
Teach your children and your pets how to get into the shelter quickly.
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Take a look at these listings of homes, farms, and ranches in and around Tulsa, Oklahoma which have storm cellars:
Find homes with Storm Cellars throughout Northeast Oklahoma.
Find homes in midtown Tulsa with storm cellars.
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Call Debbie Solano at 918-724-8201 to set up a search for a home with a basement.
I can send listings of homes with basements to you. My automatic search allowing you to search the MLS without calling me does not yet work to pull homes with basements, so you will have to call me to get the listings.
This article was originally published on OKLandAndRanches.com
Shortlink: http://oklandandranches.com/?p=1022
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Copyright© 2013 by Debbie Solano -- ALL RIGHTS RESERVED -- It's Time to Inspect Your Storm Shelter and Get Ready for Tornado Season
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