Question about safety in tornadoes.?
Okay, first I’ll say that I know the rule is: "If at all possible, abandon mobile homes and go lie flat in a ditch." Please listen to the situation, though, and understand where I am coming from and why I worry.
I live in a section of MO that thankfully does not get hit by many tornadoes (1 in the past 30 years from what I’ve heard). We have nasty storms rolling our way today, and although they will most likely die down at the edge of our county as they usually do, I still worry of the chance of a tornado. I live in a mobile home and have 4 children and no storm shelter, basement, or crawl space. If there is an impending tornado, it would be WAY too difficult to haul 4 children 5 years and under outside to a ditch. Where would the safest place inside my home be to take cover? We do not have any completely interior rooms except the hallway, and seeing as it is a double wide, if the home split apart in the storm, we would be fully open to anything from outside.
My husband works nights/early mornings, which is when most storms hit here, and since he drives our van to work, I’d have to drop him off at work, drive an hour and a half, then drive back out to pick him up in the early morning hours in order to get the kids and myself to a safe place where we can ride out the storm and they can have places to sleep. That said, driving off to a "safer place" is not an option.
Chris, two things…
#1 – Don’t assume that all people who live in "trailers" (mobile homes) live in "trailer parks" as well. I actually live in the country in a mobile home on my own acreage.
#2 – Pay attention to the question before you answer it. I have explained my situation, and as anyone with half a brain can understand, it is IMPOSSIBLE for me to get in a ditch because that would require taking 2 of my children at a time, and I am NOT willing to abandon any of my children in their time of need.
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4 comments
Chiefs Chick on May 11, 2010 at 4:36 am
Mobile homes can be torn apart by a simple F1 tornado. As a matter of a fact, sometimes we don’t even know there’s a tornado unless it tears up a mobile home.
The mobile home is an especially vulnerable target for tornadic winds. A typical mobile home not tied down by guy wires can be rolled over by strong thunderstorm winds of 60-70 mph. In the higher winds of a tornado, mobile homes (tied down or not) may be completely disintegrated and the inhabitants literally flung to the winds. In recent years, nearly half of all tornado deaths have occurred in mobile homes.
If you absolutely cannot get out of your mobile home lie down in the lowest-level interior hallway away from glass. Dive under a bed or pull a mattress on top of you as last resort.
For the safety of you and your children, get out of a mobile home during tornadic activity.
Chris on May 11, 2010 at 4:36 am
does your trailer park have a shelter? Any buildings at all? If those are not available, you’re just going to HAVE to get in a ditch.
barbara on May 12, 2010 at 9:31 pm
i feel for you..i too live in a mobile home and i have two small child under 5..and we have storms coming tonight and there is no shelter center here in my trailer park..i am nervous for tonight as well. i have been asking ppl the same question what should i do… good luck to you and hope those storms do stop before the get to you.
April on May 12, 2010 at 11:05 pm
Hi,
There is something you might want to consider, though it can be a bit expensive. However, this is an option since you own your own land. You can purchase an underground storm shelter and install it near your home. I saw a great show about above-ground shelters too, and was amazed at how they took on 300 mph winds with absolutely no damage. It’s worth looking into since your children are so young. I have three little ones under six, so I know where you are coming from.