Tornados terrify me to death. The weather report often says there is a tornado “warning”, meaning a tornado is imminant. I live in a Mobile Home and there is no time to run to a place for cover. I don’t really have a safe place to go for shelter. I just must dive for cover. My trailer is perpendicular to a bank at the back of my home.
My question: Would it be better to dive under the bed, go to the small shed which sits upon a cement floor, or lay down at the bottom of that hill where I am less likely to get hit with the trailer or shed?
In general, it is better to not put yourself outside in the open during a tornado. While there is some non-zero chance of being struck by a tornado while being inside a tornado rod (aka mobile home), the chances of being struck by flying debris while outside are much, much higher. Similarly, unless the shed is constructed of barn beams and anchored to the concrete, the house is still going to provide a bit more protection from debris (and be somewhat more resistant to wind damage) than the shed.
If you’re in a mobile home development, is there any way that the inhabitants or managers can provide a central storm shelter?
Otherwise, if you are out on your own property, just saving up to build a house, can you spend some time/money to build an old-fashioned storm cellar into the side of the hill?
Are you saying that there is a “bank”, like in embankment, behind your tornado magnet, er… I mean trailer home? And you are wondering if the best idea is to take cover at the base of that “bank” or hill? Well, having grown up in Tornado Alley (central Kansas), I remember being told to lie down in a depression in the ground if caught in the open when a twister approaches. If indoors, a centrally-located room or space such as a bathroom or closet provides the best protection. However, a Mobile Home (I used to wire Marlett coaches at the Great Bend factory, by the way) or small light-construction outbuildings like your shed do not afford much protection against the high winds associated with tornados. As an aside - a long time ago, I lived in a suburb of Memphis, Tennessee, when a tornado ripped through the area; the only extensive damage I can recall is the havoc that the twister caused at a mobile home park. Should we regard this as some kind of Cosmic Clue?
Okay, in the future, if you have a tornado WARNING, turn off the computer and seek shelter immediately.
It’s a little late now, but in the future the safest place to be is the lowest area. Don’t stay in a mobile home or a car or anything that isn’t attached firmly to the ground. If you have lawn mowers and shovels and stuff in your shed you have a real chance of getting hurt by debris. So I’d go to the bottom of the hill and find something low to grab onto.
Of course, now that you are presumably safe, call your friendly fire department and request that they assist you in developing a tornado safety plan. You may want to invest in a simple underground shelter if you live in a tornado-friendly area. While you are at it, ask their assistance in developing a fire safety plan because your odds of dying in a fire in a mobile home are much greater than your odds of dying in a tornado.
However, if by “bank” you mean something like the Snow Belt Savings & Loan, run in and hide your own self in the vault! Be sure to check the time lock, though…
I, too, live in a mobile home. And I live in tornado-prone central Illinois. Springfield, TBE.
This issue came up with rather alarming urgency last night, as tornados were touching down all over Sangamon County. An uncomfirmed report stated that a tornado touched town in the city of Springfield, within a few blocks of where a deadly tornado in 1960-something touched down. But I digress.
Anyway, the plan Mrs. HeyHomie and I have in place is this: put the cats in the pet carrier and haul ass to my brother’s house (he has a basement) about a mile and half away. And hope for the best.
BTW, I have this theory that if a tornado is approaching and where you are isn’t safe (like, say, a mobile home), then you should drive nortwest. I say this because storm systems (and thus, tornados) move generally south/southwest to west/northwest. By driving northwest, you are moving out of its path AND it won’t e chasing you.
This Tornado safety site mentions that mobile home communities are supposed to have a shelter included, although when I was working landscape in my youth, grading such parks, I don’t recall seeing anything like that.
It has a section on mobile home safety that includes two links to discussions (back to back on the same web page) of Closet, Car, or Ditch? The Mobile Home Dilemma During a Tornado (in which everyone agrees that I am wrong about staying in the mobile home, although they do not all quite agree what one should do).
I still think your best bet is to build a shelter into the hillside, rather than gambling on a low spot in the ground or other ad hoc solution.
The American Red Cross pamphlet ARC 4465 is the Red Cross official instructions for “manufactured home” dwellers.
The N.O.A.A. and F.E.M.A. also agree that you need to get out of your mobile home.
if there is a tornado warning and its light enough outside to actually see said tornado coming towards your house, you would have to be the most retarded person alive to just sit there and hide in your house. if you walk outside and go “oh crap” and see it a mile away, you should get in your car and drive in the opposite direction, obviously dont do anything stupid like pretending you are some kind of race car driver, just get out of its way.
with that said, if i ever walk outside and see a tornado in the distance, im going to follow my own advice and GO THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION…
My “tornado magnet” is in a Mobile Home park. I don’t know if they have a shelter here or not, but I know this is stupid, I just would have to take my dog.
How about putting a trap door in the floor of the trailer somewhere and building something tornado-proof there? The trailer park would never know.
Or I could park my car just behind my house at the bottom of that bank (earth bank, not money bank) and stay in there. Of course, I would probably get caught parking on the lawn.
I could drive North and West. That is a possibility, if it really works. hmmmm
If I laid at the bottom of the hill and had to hold onto something, the only thing there, behind the shed, is my propane tank.
I think I need to find out about the tornado shelter here and stick my 2 dogs, 3lbs and 5lbs in a suitcase.
Actually, you should make haste in the opposite direction, 180 degrees from the path of the tornado. Since they usually move W-NW, your course of action would be to make like a bat out of Hell to the S-SE.
I lived in Springfield, Il, for two years in the 60’s and never even had a tornado watch. Springfield is not ususally in the tornado alley, which is further south. It appears that this year is an exception.