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Lightning strike near a city

Safe Havens in the Whirlwind: Innovative Approaches to Stormproof Rooms

As the frequency and intensity of storms continue to rise, the need for safe havens that can withstand the destructive forces of nature has become increasingly crucial. Traditional safe rooms have provided shelter in the face of storms, but innovative approaches are emerging to enhance their effectiveness. In this blog, we will explore some cutting-edge techniques and technologies that are revolutionizing many types of safe rooms, providing even greater protection for individuals and communities.

Modular Safe Rooms

Modular safe rooms are a groundbreaking innovation that offers flexibility and convenience. These rooms are constructed off-site and then transported and installed in homes or community shelters. The modular design allows for customization and scalability, making it easier to meet specific safety requirements. These pre-fabricated structures are constructed using advanced materials such as reinforced concrete or steel, providing excellent protection against high winds, flying debris, and structural damage.

Impact-Resistant Glass

One of the key vulnerabilities of safe rooms has been their limited visibility, which can create a sense of isolation during storms. However, advancements in impact-resistant glass technology are changing the game. Laminated or reinforced glass, capable of withstanding strong impacts, can now be used in safe room windows. This allows occupants to maintain visual contact with the outside world while staying protected. Enhanced visibility not only reduces feelings of isolation but also enables better situational awareness during emergencies.

Advanced Structural Engineering

Terrifying lightning strikes

With advancements in structural engineering, new approaches are being implemented to enhance the strength and resilience of safe rooms. Techniques such as the use of fiber-reinforced polymers (FRPs), carbon fiber composites, and innovative load-bearing systems are being employed to reinforce walls, floors, and ceilings. These materials offer superior strength-to-weight ratios and increased flexibility, allowing safe rooms to better withstand extreme forces. Advanced structural designs also take into account factors such as pressure differentials and storm surge, ensuring maximum resistance against all elements of a storm.

Integrated Communication and Monitoring Systems

Innovative storm shelters are now being equipped with integrated communication and monitoring systems to enhance safety and coordination during storms. These systems include two-way communication devices, such as intercoms or wireless communication systems, enabling occupants to stay connected with emergency personnel or family members in other parts of the house. Additionally, sensors and monitoring equipment can provide real-time data on factors like air quality, temperature, and structural integrity, allowing for better decision-making during emergencies.

In the face of increasingly severe storms, innovative approaches to stormproof rooms are crucial for providing optimal protection and peace of mind. If you want a safe room installed at your residence in Oklahoma City or Norman, get in touch with the storm shelter experts of Oklahoma Shelters today. We provide timely customization and installation of underground bunkers and garage shelters to ensure your peace of mind during a storm.


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A tornado in an open field

Why Is Spring Popular For Tornadoes?

Spring is a warm season that is perfect for flowers to bloom. What most people do not know is that it is also perfect for storm formation. Thunderstorms and tornadoes are historically known to occur during the spring. Similarly, cyclones are famous in the Gulf of Mexico, where dry air collides with cooler air.

This blog discusses how tornadoes are formed in spring and how you can remain safe during extreme weather with the help of storm shelters.

How Tornadoes Are Formed

Tornadoes result from cooler air colliding with more humid, warm air. As the dense air takes over its warmer counterpart, a thunderstorm is formed. This is how many different types of storms form in general.

A mesocycle then sucks in more warm air as the thunderstorm starts gaining momentum. The moist air around the mesocyclone has water droplets that form the funnel cloud, also known as the physical manifestation of a tornado storm.

Let’s look at a few tornado characteristics.

Characteristics of a tornado

  • As a tornado hits the ground, it may only last a few seconds before it vanishes. It only takes a few seconds to cause irreparable damage.
  • A twister, a much speedy tornado, is usually about 660 feet wide and has a speed of 30 mph, and travels for only about six miles before it dies out.
  • Massive tornadoes, which are much rare, travel at an astonishing 300 miles per hour and are responsible for millions of dollarsin property destruction every year.

Where Are Tornadoes Common?

In the United States, tornadoes are famously found in the Great Plains, which is the centre point of the country. This is because the atmosphere here is ideal for the formation of such thunderstorms. The area is also popularly referred to as the Tornado Alley, where storms are formed when cold air traveling south comes in contact with warm air that meets at the Gulf of Mexico.

Tornadoes are not time-bound and can form throughout the year, but the favorable conditions of the spring season make them popular around May and June.

A thunderstorm forming over an open field

 

Preventative Measure During A Tornado

  • If you live in an area that experiences tornadoes, it is best to invest in an underground storm shelter for your safety. Here are a few ways to protect yourself and your loved ones during a tornado:
  • Find a cozy spot to hide in. The basement, a room without windows, or the lowest area in your house are ideal.
  • Keep protective gear over yourself to avoid harm or injury, such as a table or a working bench.

The best way to keep yourself safe during a tornado is to get yourself a storm shelter with enough room for your family. If your area is known to be populated by tornadoes during the spring, it might be a good idea to prepare beforehand.

Oklahoma Shelters may be the right choice for you and your family if you are looking for storm shelters. We provide in-ground shelters, above ground storm shelters, and even Underground bunkers in OKC for our customers in Oklahoma. You can contact us for more information or a free quote shelter.


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A tornada near a village

A Checklist for Preparing Your Home for a Storm in Norman

With an annual average of about 67 twisters, Oklahoma is the third most tornado-prone state in the country. While April, May, and June are peak months for tornadoes in Oklahoma, twisters can strike at any time of the year.

Tornadoes and other severe weather conditions are on the rise due to climate change, and their frequency and destructive potential will only increase in the future. Tornadoes can cause significant damage, so it’s important for Norman residents to take precautions.

Read on for advice on how to prepare your home for a storm:

Ensure Your Windows And Doors Are Impact Resistant

Strong winds, which may reach speeds of 250 mph, are capable of picking up even massive things and hurling them toward surrounding buildings. Impact-resistant windows and doors are a good investment for anyone living in areas prone to storms since they protect from flying debris.

Ensure Your Gutters And Drains Are Unclogged

It’s important to have a functioning gutter or drain where all the rainfall from storms can be drained to. If your gutters and drains get blocked, water will make its way into your home. Those who live in hurricane-prone locations, in particular, should make it a habit to clean their gutters and drains regularly.

Invest in Storm Safe Shelters in Norman

If you live in a hurricane or tornado-prone location such as Norman or anywhere in Oklahoma, you may want to get a concrete storm shelter to use as a safe haven during the storm. Residents require secure areas to take refuge in, away from the path of flying debris caused by winds of up to 250 miles per hour.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recommends that all tornado shelters be constructed to at least an F4 standard. Families may prepare for hurricanes with the help of hurricane-warning systems, but they have just minutes to seek cover from oncoming tornadoes because of the lack of notice.

In underground bunkers or storm shelters, homeowners and their families in Oklahoma can take refuge from the state’s frequent and powerful tornadoes and hurricanes. Moreover, whether you want to remain in your home or sell it in the future, you’ll benefit from the added value that an in-ground or above-ground storm shelter may provide to your property.

A woman standing near a house detroyed by a tornado.

Tornado Shelters And Storm Safe Shelters in Norman That Exceed FEMA Standards

Oklahoma Shelters has been constructing storm shelters in the Oklahoma area for over seven years. Our concrete storm shelters, underground garage storm shelters, underground bunkers, and safe rooms all surpass the requirements set out by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

If you’re looking for a storm shelter expert in Oklahoma City, call us immediately for a free consultation.


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A man in pink shirt taking a deep breath

How to Keep Calm during a Storm

Storms can be very taxing and can take a toll on your mental health, especially when you experience too many of them. In the US, citizens witness 100,000 storms annually, and this is why a huge number of them are keen to invest in safe room shelters. Continue reading this piece to learn what you can do to keep calm during a storm.

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Invest in Safe Rooms

Reasons To Invest In a Safe Room

Despite all the technologies,winds are unpredictable, and you might have to seek shelter at a moment’s notice.

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People standing next to a custom-made storm shelter.

Essentials and Valuables To Keep Inside A Safe Room

A safe room is a safe place where you can retreat during a natural disaster or other emergencies. In the event of an earthquake or tornado, the safest place to be is in the center of your home, away from glass, on a lower level, and away from any external walls, especially windows. If a safe room is going to be used as a shelter in the event of a disaster, it’s important to make sure that this room is stocked with the right supplies. A safe room isn’t intended for long-term living; it’s meant to provide temporary protection until help arrives. If you’re planning on using your safe room for more than 24 hours, consider adding basic provisions as well as storing your most valuable possessions.

Food

There should be enough food and water stored in the safe room so that everyone in your family can stay there for up to 72 hours without having to leave for more supplies. Water purification tablets are also helpful in case city water becomes contaminated after an emergency occurs.

First Aid Kit

This should contain bandages, scissors, antiseptic wipes, and other items needed to treat wounds. It’s also a good idea to have extra medicine such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen available. There should also be a fire extinguisher.

Information Tool

You’ll need a battery-powered radio or television with cable or satellite service so you can listen to updates on what’s happening outside.

Flashlight and Batteries

You’ll also need a flashlight, batteries, and candles. A flashlight will allow you to see once the lights go out because of an electrical outage or other disaster situation. Batteries should also be stored in case your flashlight runs out of power before you’re done using it.

Shelter from the Elements

Blankets, sleeping bags, and pillows will keep everybody warm during cold nights and rainy days when you’re holed up inside a safe room during an emergency.

Storing Valuables

You need to store your cash as well as precious metals and coins in the safe room. If you are a crypto investor, then you might have to store your hard wallets as well. You can also store firearms if they are legal as well as anything that holds sentimental value to you. You should also store your essential documents like your marriage and birth certificates.

View of a storm shelter.

Storm Shelters in Oklahoma City, OK

A good quality shelter will keep you safe from most natural disasters like hurricanes, tornadoes, and earthquakes. At Oklahoma Shelters, we help people protect their families as well as their essential documents and other valuables. We provide FEMA-approved storm shelters, safe rooms, and underground bunkers that are affordable and don’t compromise on quality.

Contact us today for a free quote.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


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It's very important to make sure your shelter is well maintained and taken care of during the fall.

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A safe room.

Why Teachers in OKC Need to Know Tornado Safety Basics

Unfortunately, past incidents, including the tragic tornado in Moore, in 2013, reminds us that schools are some of the most vulnerable places when it comes to tornadoes. Not only are they poorly equipped to handle the situation, often, teachers and administrators are also underprepared and unaware, making it even harder to protect children.

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Tornado shelters and bunkers like these can be installed in workplaces.

3 Investments to Help Your Staff Feel Safer During the Tornado Season

Business owners are all too familiar with the need to incentivize and improve their employees’ experience of working with them. It’s vital that you make intelligent decisions and choose the most appropriate measures to help your employees feel safer at work.

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An underground bunker such as this can be installed at your workplace with ease.

3 Reasons Norman Residents Need Storm Shelters for Their Businesses

Living in Norman, OK, you’re probably all too familiar with the frequency of tornadoes and severe weather. But beyond just personal protection, as a business owner, there are several considerations you should be making to safeguard employee wellness and security.

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Storm Shelters

Underground Slope Top Shelter

Concrete Shelter

Underground Garage Shelter

Garage Shelter

Installing Steel Safe Room

Steel Safe Room

Underground Bunker

Underground Bunker

 

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