Taking Shelter from the Storm (MU Extension)

To learn how to build a "Safe Room" click this link: http://extension.missouri.edu/douglas/storm_shelter_packet.pdf Eric Evans is on a campaign to educate Missouri families about the necessity of a storm shelter or safe room in every home. The University of Missouri Extension emergency management specialist would relish the day when home builders routinely designed storm shelters in new houses. Instead, many homes are built on slab foundations, without a basement or a designated reinforced safe room. Why not build something that resists flying debris, tornadic activity and tornadic storms? In the Midwest, it just makes sense, Evans said. According to MU Extension climatologists, Missouri averages 28 tornadoes annually. Evans uses a Federal Emergency Management Agency display model of a single-family six-by-eight-foot storm shelter as an example of a simple but effective structure. He takes it to fairs and conferences for public display. The walls are reinforced with two-by-fours and made of multiple pieces of plywood and sheet metal. Such a shelter could be built by a homeowner with basic carpentry skills for roughly $2,000. Were talking anywhere from about $1,500 to $2,500 depending on what you are trying to do. If you are building into brand new construction, its easier to do that, but you can retrofit homes for $2,000 to $3,000 with relative ease, and were talking about a good size room, Evans said. Dirk Burhans asked for a safe room to be built into his new home that is currently under construction. He was concerned that he might be worrying too much, but his designer assured him that a safe room was not going overboard and was actually recommended in this part of the country. Its a windy area up here, its pretty exposed on the hill top and a lot of storms, tornadoes come through this part of the county, I just thought it would be a good idea to have something like that, Burhans said. I believe that the safe room in conjunction with slab housing kind of alleviates some of the concern that home-owners have for the safety issues regarding storms, said Rod Glidewell, Glidewell Construction Company. There is no price tag on peace of mind, added Evans. He said anyone who has been through a severe storm understands the terrifying experience. Knowing you can be safe from these devastating storms really is worth the money, Evans said. Evans also wants to see laws passed requiring mobile home park owners to provide community storm shelters. Such structures, reinforced to withstand flying debris, could double as laundry or community rooms. For information on safe room demonstrations through MU Extension, contact Eric Evans at (573) 884-8984.