3 Tips for Managing Your Storm Shelter During Fall

Fall can often become the second tornado season in parts of the U.S., including Oklahoma. The state can see dozens of tornadoes between fall and early winter when things tend to die down till spring rolls around.

It’s imperative that homeowners continue their shelter maintenance during the fall months because this can help guarantee your safety and protection against unpredictable weather events. Keep the following maintenance tips and advice in mind during this season:

1.     If you have an outdoor shelter, keep your yard clear

Keep your front and back yard clear, getting rid of fallen leaves, shrubbery, and other debris, dirt, and foliage that could be in the way. This helps prevent dirt and dust from entering your shelter, too, allowing you to safely hideout and access it when there is an emergency.

While it may seem irrelevant or unnecessary to keep your yard clean, when you’re struggling with visibility, running in a hurry, and moving as a group, anything in your path can be a hindrance. Tornadoes can also cause these things to be carried with full force, including dirt, rocks, gardening tools, etc.

2.     Clean out the shelter and move unnecessary objects

Apart from cleaning the exteriors, you should also maintain the interiors of your shelter, whether it’s an underground bunker, a garage shelter, or any other type of storm safe room. A lot of people use their shelters as storage spaces during the off-season, which is alright so long as you’re careful.

Wipe down the insides to get rid of dirt, dust, buildup, and remove any unnecessary objects that you may have been storing there. Keep only essentials like first aid kids, food supplies, and anything else that you may require. Your tornado shelter should be ready for use in case of any emergency, free of germs, bacteria, and dirt.

3.     Replenish your emergency supply kits

Your emergency kit should include all essential items, including medication and supplies, but it should also include food, water, backup batteries, among other things. If it’s been a while since you last used your kits, replenish, restock, and replace all the items in your kit with fresher supplies. Get rid of expired or bad supplies, and update prescriptions if you’ve added them.

Fall also happens to be one of the best times for shelter installation. So if you don’t have a safe room or concrete shelter for your home in OKC, contact us for a free quote.