TORNADO WARNINGS

jmcquown said:

Pete C. said:

jmcquown said:

John Kane wrote:
> On May 10, 9:02 pm, "wff_ng_7" <[email hidden]> wrote:
>> "jmcquown" <[email hidden]> wrote:
>>> North Mississippi and West TN. Duck and cover!
>>
>> You've got to "duck and cover" properly. I was taught in elementary
>> school.
>>
>> Anyone old enough to remember this instructional film?
>>
>>

>>
>> --
>> wff_ng_7 (at) verizon (dot) net
>
> I may be old enough but wrong country. I do remember the song for
> some reason.
> I think it was probably for bombs though, I do remember a drill one
> day on how to hide under the school desk if an atomic bomb went off.
> John Kane, Kingston ON Canada

Yes, and what a joke that was! Like a wooden school desk is really
going to help if someone drops an atomic bomb in the vacinity.

Just in case anyone else has tornadic (is that a word?) type
weather, here's a hint. If your bathroom is in the middle of the
house (sans windows, in other words) the bathtub is the safest place
to ride out a twister. Why? Pipes in the walls. Take a flashlight,
a blanket, a pillow or two and a cell phone if you have one. It's
also a good idea to have a weather radio which will keep you
apprised of the warning conditions and when the all clear is
sounded... after all, how else are you going to know when it's safe
to get out of the bathtub?! LOL

Partly true, the bathtub is the safest place absent a proper
reinforced storm room, but it has nothing to do with pipes in the
walls. A tornado launched 2x4 missile will blast through the pipes
just as easily as it will blast through brick (see Texas Tech storm
lab site for videos). If you have a fiberglass tub it also won't
provide much protection.

What you want is a steel or cast iron tub, and you want to pull a
mattress over you. This keeps you as low as you can get sans basement,
provides padding to help shield you from falling debris and provides a
little side protection, but mostly it prevents you from being crushed
when the walls and/or roof fall in.

Pete C.

I've been through a couple tornados and the bathtub worked (for what it's
worth). There are no basements in the southern U.S.; the water table is too
high. It's like trying to hide from a hurricane on the coast or an
earthquake in California. Doesn't work so well 😉 (Although I do live on
the New Madrid fault and have been through an earthquake here - we are due
for another one.)

So you go to the inside room with the most stuff around to protect you. Oh,
and take some snacks - cheese crackers and water, although you can use water
from the toilet tank as drinking water if necessary.

No basement here either unfortunately. I will be building a tornado
bunker soon and it will be underground. The water table won't be an
issue since I'll be putting it in a location on a slight hill, enough
that I can provide a drain sloped to a pond.

RJ said:

One positive view of the tornado aftermath;

People getting together to clean up, and "fend for themselves".

What a refreshing contrast to New Orleand where folks are still
sitting on their duffs, whining; "Where's the gummint"

<rj>

Please don't get me started. There was a Memphis church that put together
funds from donations and bought a house for a "family" of alleged Katrina
victims. Gave it to them, free and clear. Turns out not only were they not
married, didn't have kids but they hadn't lost anything from a hurricane.
Scam artists extraordinaire. They turned around and sold the house for
about $10,000 (pure profit for them) then high tailed it before the members
of the church could come after them for recovery.

Jill