Camping - Tornado Siren - Where to take cover

[swduns]

We full time in 40’ Tiffin Phaeton DP
We home base in St Louis MO area
In spring or fall there can be tornado sirens
The RV park buildings are wood stick built
Not much safer than RV
There’s no fire station or other public building nearby particularly after hours
We’ve debated what to do ... to date we’ve just taken our chances
Our new plan is to take the TOAD to either the nearby casino parking garage or the city parking garage
It wouldn’t be fun to wait out bad weather in a parking garage but better than being hit by an F5 in an RV
SO OUR IDEA IS TO GO TO A PARKING GARAGE DURING A TORNADO IF NO OTHER APPROPRIATE STRUCTURE IS AVAILABLE
Anybody come up with any better alternatives?

[Scott 3]

Following...

[sirpurrcival]

All I can say is that there are youtube videos out there with RV'ers in bad storm conditions doing similar. Finding any kind of brick or concrete structure to take shelter in be it a rest stop washroom, an underground parking lot or in one case, I saw a pile of folks stop under a concrete overpass.

[gatorb8]

some campgrounds have designated shelter, ask

[Bobby F]

In tornado season, I'm out in the boonies, so no garage structures or bridges to seek out.

Having lived through two of the monsters directly and several more close by, I take them very seriously. Wherever I'm situated, I make sure I learn fairly quickly where the deep ditches and culverts are. Those are my go-to places when the sky turns green.

[01knight]

Typically when calling for a reservation or at least at check-in where tornado weather may exist, I ask the office if they have a tornado shelter. Most of the RV parks in Tornado Alley seem to have one.

It may be a cement bathroom area or even a huge half buried large steel culvert with doors I hope. Upon securing the information, I later take a walk to the shelter from our camper noting land marks as it won't be the same trek in dark, rainy and windy conditions. I arrange the flash light, dog leash, weather radio, water bottle, and a quick-don pile of clothing near the door. Finally I remind the wife to wake me up if things go south.

( Yes, I was a boy scout and later a state trooper; so thanks to swing shift and unpredictable hours I learned to sleep through noisy kids, loud TV and tornado sirens.)

In the event we were caught unprepared I would go into the toad, start it to activate the radio and safety features and perhaps flee. Otherwise, with seat belts secured and perhaps a pillow over the face, I think the odds of surviving might be fair. Hope we/you never find out.

in the mean time, be thankful and enjoy the blessings Gods intends for us all.

[jacwjames]

Originally Posted by swduns

SO OUR IDEA IS TO GO TO A PARKING GARAGE DURING A TORNADO IF NO OTHER APPROPRIATE STRUCTURE IS AVAILABLE
Anybody come up with any better alternatives?

This sounds like the best option. I'd suggest having an emergency bag with water/food/First Aid Kit packed and ready to go.



In 2015 we took a trip out west and stopped in Oklahoma City. We stayed and RV park that had been flattened by a Tornado the year before and they were rebuilding. This time they were building a shelter. So thinking about this ahead of time is worthwhile and having a plan is even better.

[AveryF]

We stopped at several private campgrounds in Kansas on our trip to Colorado this past August and was impressed that each of them had tornado shelters on the premises. Not only that, but the receptionists in both of them specifically made it a point to inform us of EXACTLY where to go and what to do in case of a tornado warning. Very, very impressed!

[Spdracr39]

Just remember driving in a severe storm is much more dangerous than waiting it out. The key is to keep an eye on the weather and do what you are going to do before the storm arrives. Once it is there stay put.

[Triangle Drifter]

When severe weather is forecasted we make sure that the ditch bag is ready to grab & go.

We also make sure that we have a plan before we go. The trailer is prepped as best as possible long before the severe weather arrives.

[twogypsies]

You do not want to use a parking garage or use an underpass on the highway. They create a wind tunnel effect & you don't need more wind and debris blowing around. You need to use a basement or a strong concrete block building.

When traveling in those areas the first thing we'd do is to ask at the campground where the tornado shelter would be. Most often it's a concrete block bathroom. We've been in Alabama often during tornado warnings. The state park rangers always came around when there were warnings & we were told to get in the bathroom.... men, women, children, pets, chairs, cards, water, snacks... and don't forget a weather radio. Spent some time all in the same bathroom having a party!

https://www.groundzeroshelters.com/w...der-overpasses

http://blog.pekininsurance.com/indiv...s-for-everyone

[PKI]

Grew up in Kansas. Lived in Tulsa and Norman OK for several years. Kind of tornado central with each city being at opposite ends of an area that might be though of as a tornado alley.

For years, the advice was to shelter under an overpass and get right up under the girders as protection. There was even video of folks doing exactly that as a tornado passed overhead. It has been in recent years that overpasses have been established to be poor locations to shelter. Unless you are harnessed between the girders, the belief is that you can be sucked out and carried away by the high velocity wind or hit by debris.

What has been consistent advice is to use a ditch/depression to shelter if you are caught in the open. Many folks report that they have survived tornadoes with this tactic.

Most folks shelter in their basements in the SouthWest corner. However, while living in Norman, there was a Tornado that tracked NorthWest to SouthEast. That's opposite the normal path for a tornado, which is SouthWest to NorthEast. You might file that away for future use when considering a shelter location.

Worked for a company in Tulsa that had an engineer who designed a tornado shelter. It was a normal garage with a slab floor. The floor had anchor points to secure a vehicle to the floor so it could not be torn away in a tornado. To my knowledge, the concept was never tested, but it's an idea.

My cousin was severely injured while looking for her dog. She was in a reasonably substantial truck purpose built to deliver veternary supplies. The tornado rolled it up like a ball. So be careful in believing a vehicle can protect you. It may and it may not. The best protection appears to be an underground shelter.

IMHO, the best protection from a tornado is to be where it is not. Structures on the opposite side of the street have survived tornadoes while everything on the other side of the street was leveled. It does not take much distance to be safe, but it does take distance or shelter from the storm. Knowing where a storm is located and moving in a direction at a right angle to the storm's path of travel can put your RV out of harms way in a veery short period of time. However, in the dark of night, the correct direction is difficult to establish.

Time is often short when storms occur. IMHO, there is not always enough time to put distance between you and the storm unless your action is before the storm closes on your area. But it is likely there will be enough time to take shelter in the immediate area. Prior planning prevents poor performance.

Note - spending a night in a small shelter with folks from outside your Social Bubble might not be the best tactic during Covid season. Those shelters are often not large spaces.

[atreis]

Most state parks I've been to have cement block or precast concrete bath houses that are designated tornado shelters. A ditch away from trees (and RVs) is also an option.

Not being around when the tornado comes is always the best option, but tornados are not like hurricanes which can be predicted well in advance. One usually doesn't have time to be elsewhere with a tornado.

[MSHappyCampers]

When we stop in a new location I ask about local tornado shelters. I usually ask the local folks, but also call 911, telling them immediately that my call is NOT an emergency, asking them about local shelters.