Above Ground Shelters, Pics wanted

[tranger2]

Like everyone else, this has caused me to think hard about a shelter. I've read the conversations about above vs. below ground. I believe below ground easily is the safest, but, I am interested in above ground. If anyone sees any pics or websites that show the effects of this storm on above ground units, please post them here.

At Bear Safes, they have pics of a safe still standing when the house was demolished (during the Piedmont tornado, I think). That's what I'm looking for. Also, would like to see ones where they were ripped up.

I know if a EF5 has a direct hit or if a car is blowing by, it would defeat an above ground safe. Would still like to see pics of examples if anyone sees any. Thanks.

 

[FullAuto]

I had some great pics of one from the Piedmont tornado that was squeezed like a pop can. It was in a house across the street from a claim I was working. My customer had just moved to Oklahoma 2 months prior and his inlaws had bought them a below ground shelter that was installed the week prior. But they were on my work computer that was later damaged and replaced. I lost lots of cool pics of damage.

 

[doctorjj]

I really don't think a car flying by would defeat my above ground. It's gonna take more than that to destroy 12" of reinforced concrete.

 

[racing1g]

I really don't think a car flying by would defeat my above ground. It's gonna take more than that to destroy 12" of reinforced concrete.

An F5 would sure as hell give it a go, my above ground is 8" with a vault door and I have no illusions of it being sufficient if an F5 tosses a tractor-trailer at it.

 

[yukonjack]

This was a metal above ground shelter that withstood the May 24th 2011 tornado in Piedmont. That tornado was also rated as an EF-5. This particular shelter was located out at Falcon Lake on Waterloo Rd. Below it is a concrete safe room that was also in Piedmont. It was in one of the houses on Piedmont Road about 1/2 south of NW 220th. I went by every house within Piedmont city limits and I did not see any safe rooms that had failed as the poster above stated. I've got more pics and will get them once I get back to OKC.

 

[doctorjj]

You guys are giving to much credit to these storms. Don't get me wrong, they are ridiculously powerful but even if they toss a tractor trailer at it, what do you suppose the maximum speed it would be going at in a 250mph wind? The semi isn't going to be moving 250mph. It will be moving 80 mph max? I'm not afraid of a tractor trailer hitting 12" of reinforced concrete at 80mph. I've see semi's hit concrete retaining walls and dividers. Reinforced concrete is strong.

 

[blckthree]

I too would like to see some pictures of successes and failures of above ground units.

Mike

 

[racing1g]

You guys are giving to much credit to these storms. Don't get me wrong, they are ridiculously powerful but even if they toss a tractor trailer at it, what do you suppose the maximum speed it would be going at in a 250mph wind? The semi isn't going to be moving 250mph. It will be moving 80 mph max? I'm not afraid of a tractor trailer hitting 12" of reinforced concrete at 80mph. I've see semi's hit concrete retaining walls and dividers. Reinforced concrete is strong.

You do have a point after watching This. It just doesn't seem nearly as safe as the below ground shelter at my old house.

 

[GlocknRoll]

Check out OZ Safe Rooms

 

[FullAuto]

I failure I was talking about, although it was the "Piedmont" tornado, I believe it was located in Guthrie. They were all big houses (>3k sqft) on probably at least 1 acre lots. I'm not super familiar with the area as I'm more of an east side of the metro guy and that was just overtime for me but I spent a couple of days in Guthrie doing tornado losses and I think one day in Mustang/Yukon area working hail from that storm. And it was a steel unit, not concrete.