‘A Tale of Two Homes’ – Tornado: One Family’s Personal Account of How Safe Rooms Save Lives

Posted on by
Reply

The Harrison Family leave their safe room following the 4/27/11 Alabama tornadoes.Today, we launched the latest in our successful educational Tale of Two Homes video series: A Tale of Two Homes – Tornado.  The video tells the remarkable story of the Harrison family of Athens, AL, who survived an EF-4 tornado that completely destroyed their home and most others in their neighborhood.  The Harrison’s and their two children emerged unscathed from their tornado safe room shortly after the tornado passed.  As a result, they have chosen to share their story of survival to further spread the message — safe rooms save lives.

A Father’s Decision to Build a Safe Room Saves His Family

Kevin and Sarabeth Harrison are convinced that they and their two young children are alive today thanks to the safe room they consciously decided to build into the corner of their garage.  Made of reinforced concrete block, the family took refuge as a tornado devastated their neighborhood and surrounding areas – killing 250 people in its path.  The Harrisons are still shocked to recall how 30 seconds of roaring winds forever altered the lives and landscape of their community.  “The tornado ran right on top of us,” Kevin Harrison said.

Tornado safe rooms save lives. The Harrison family’s experience is a perfect example. Their decision to take their safety into their own hands and build a safe room undoubtedly protected them from serious injury and possible death when the tornado hit Athens April 27, 2011.  Their willingness to share their story to encourage other families to build safe rooms makes them true heroes of the disaster safety movement

Give an Ordinary Room an Extraordinary Purpose

A safe room can provide ultimate life safety protection from the dangerous forces of severe winds and tornadoes.  Homeowners can build or retrofit the interior spaces of  their homes to safe-room standards or choose to purchase pre-fabricated safe rooms designed to withstand tornado-force winds.  Closets, bathrooms, laundry rooms and outdoor rooms like garden sheds and pool houses can be enhanced to serve as safe rooms.

A properly built safe room not only protects families from high-wind events, it also creates a multi-use space in the home that adds to its value.  Tornado safe rooms increase the sale price of a home by 3.5 percent or an average of $4,200.  For example, anyone who installs a tornado safe room in their home is able to recoup almost all of their investment when they sell. The price of a safe room can start around $3,500 to $4,000 depending on its size and built-in amenities. A $5,000 tornado safe room will provide an 84 percent return on investment.

Visit www.flash.org to see “A Tale of Two Homes — Tornado.”

Have You Been StormStruck Yet?

Posted on by
Reply

Want to blow your house down and rebuild it to safely withstand severe windstorms? There’s an app for that.  StormStruck, our new app, available in the Apple App Store for the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch, users create an intense windstorm with a simple swipe of a finger and observe in realistic 3D animation the kind of damage it can do to an average home. Users then choose from a variety of upgrades that protect the home and enable it withstand high winds. They then learn that everything from garage doors to roof connectors can change the fate of the home and increase its chance of survival.

Download today!

Going Tapeless at the National Hurricane Conference

Posted on by
Reply

Here are just a few of the folks who stopped by to Go Tapeless with us at the National Hurricane Conference!  Send us your “tapeless” photo at info@greathurricaneblowout.org to be added to the gallery.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Go Tapeless This Hurricane Season

Posted on by
1

Go Tapeless logoA survey commissioned by the Federal Alliance for Safe Homes (FLASH®) and conducted online by Harris Interactive during the period of January 25-27, 2012 found that nearly seven out of 10 homeowners still think that windows and glass doors should be taped in preparation for a hurricane. Masking tape, duct tape, window film and specially marketed “hurricane tape” are insufficient and potentially dangerous substitutions for tested and approved hurricane shutters, impact-resistant windows or properly installed temporary, emergency plywood shutters.

FLASH is determined to bust the dangerous window taping myth and is encouraging Americans to Go Tapeless this hurricane season as a part of its hurricane preparedness initiative, the Great Hurricane Blowout (Blowout). 

Ideal family and home protection follows when all windows and openings (entry doors, garage doors, gable end vents, etc.) are covered with tested and approved impact-resistant coverings or constructed of impact-resistant materials. Even installing plywood shutters can be a reliable temporary option in an emergency. But make no mistake – taping is not adequate to provide hurricane protection.

Today’s marketplace is full of tested and approved methods and products to protect families and homes from hurricanes. Yet just last year, Hurricane Irene provided stark evidence that too many homeowners are clinging to a belief that masking tape on glass is a good preparedness activity. The only thing worse than no hurricane protection is the wrong hurricane protection, and that is why we are launching Go Tapeless all across America today.

This new element of the Blowout, a first-of-its-kind hurricane preparedness campaign launched by FLASH in 2010, will educate families about the risks of taping up in advance of a storm and provide the necessary resources to help them prepare. By joining the Blowout, families can learn about the best methods to protect their homes and families. They can also pledge to join the ranks of “Tapeless” Americans this hurricane season.

Families can visit www.greathurricaneblowout.org to learn – before the first storm arrives – how preparedness will allow them to “breathe easy” knowing that they are ready for hurricane season. Presented by FLASH and sponsored by Kohler Power Systems and State Farm®, the Blowout encourages the use of proven hurricane mitigation tools to make homes strong and families safe. Beginning June 1, families can enter to win a Kohler standby home generator.  Families can visit the Blowout on Facebook (facebook.com/ghblowout) and Twitter (@ghblowout) for ongoing contests, prizes and up-to-the-moment news.

“Give an Ordinary Room an Extraordinary Purpose” to Protect from Deadly Night-Falling Tornadoes

Posted on by
Reply

The severe weather outbreak this past week reminds us that southeastern states have a deadly track record of night-falling tornadoes.  Recent studies indicate nocturnal tornadoes make up more than 41 percent of all tornado events in the region, and are they’re two-and-a-half times as deadly as tornadoes that occur during the daytime.

During the evening hours, visibility is lower, warning times alerting residents of the need to take shelter are reduced, and residents are more likely to be in vulnerable structures like private residences and mobile homes, without a designated safe haven.

With the tornado season just beginning, it’s important for families to think about their options for protecting themselves from a tornado. Having a nearby, safe space where a family can ride out a tornado can mean the difference between life and death. We use our closets and bathrooms every day, but one that is also designed to serve as a high-wind safe room is not just useful, it can literally save your life if disaster strikes.

That’s why FLASH is urging families, builders and emergency responders to visit www.highwindsaferooms.org, and“Give an Ordinary Room an Extraordinary Purpose” by building or retrofitting bathrooms, closets, wine cellars or other rooms with a tornado safe room. The website also provides a cost calculator, animation, and links to important safety and structural details.

For families currently rebuilding after a storm or are in the planning stages of a new build or renovation project of an appropriate room such as an interior bathroom or walk-in closet, it is a perfect time to consider the installation of a tornado safe room. Tornado safe rooms, or shelters, built using the International Code Council/National Storm Shelter Association 500 standard or FEMA 320/361 guidance, can provide the ultimate life safety protection from severe winds.

To watch a video on the proper construction and installation of a safe room, click here and then click “Tornadoes.”

Study Says Tornado Safe Room Adds Value to Your Home

Posted on by
1

There are a number of things homeowners can do to add value to their homes like updating their kitchens and installing good quality windows. But few provide the return on investment that homeowners receive by installing a tornado safe room, according to a study by Dr. Kevin Simmons, Professor of Economics at Austin College, a Federal Alliance for Safe Homes (FLASH)® partner.

As preeminent tornado scientists gather this week in Norman, OK for the 2012 Severe Weather Workshop, Dr. Simmons, who studies natural disaster mitigation, says he
found that as a mitigation device, tornado safe rooms rank high with consumers — increasing the sale price of a home by 3.5 percent or an average of $4,200.

Dr. Simmons’ study was conducted in central Oklahoma, located in the heart of “Tornado Alley” where disproportionately high frequencies of tornadoes occur.

This finding is significant in that it means that anyone who installs a tornado safe room in their home is able to recoup almost all of their investment when they sell.

The average cost to build a safe room is $4,000 to $5000 depending on its size and built-in amenities. A $5,000 tornado safe room will provide an 84 percent return on investment.

The only home improvement that yields a higher recoup value is replacing a front-entry door with a steel door for which you’ll recoup 98 percent of your investment.”

Homeowners seeking information about building a safe room in their homes should visit www.highwindsaferooms.org. There, they’ll find the FLASH program, Give an Ordinary Room an Extraordinary Purpose, with instructions for building or retrofitting bathrooms, closets, wine cellars or other rooms with a tornado safe room. They’ll also find a cost calculator, animation and links to important safety and structural details.

According to FLASH, tornado safe rooms built using the International Code Council/National Storm Shelter Association 500 standard or FEMA 320/361 guidance can provide the ultimate life safety protection from severe winds.

If you are in the planning stages of a new build or renovation project of a room such as an interior bathroom or walk-in closet, it’s the perfect time to consider installing a tornado safe room. There are also a number of pre-built safe rooms that can be easily installed into a home.

To watch a video on the proper construction and installation of a safe room, click hereor call the toll-free FLASH consumer helpline at (877) 221-SAFE (7233) for free information and assistance.

Tips for Preventing Frozen Pipes

Posted on by
4

On average, an approximate quarter-million homes and offices have at least one room damaged by a frozen pipe per year. In order to ensure your home stays safe and your pipes don’t freeze, remember these three easy steps:

#1: FOAM

#2: DOME

#3: DRIP

FOAM: Insulate pipes exposed to the elements or cold drafts. For as little as $1 per 6’ of insulation, you can stop pipes from freezing and save energy. By keeping your water warmer, you reduce the amount of energy needed to heat water in the cold, winter months.

DOME: Place an insulating dome or other coverings on outdoor faucets and spigots to reduce the likelihood of water pipes freezing, expanding and causing a costly leak.

DRIP: Allow a slow drip from your faucets to reduce the buildup of pressure in the pipes. Even if the pipes freeze, the released pressure in the water system will reduce the likelihood of a rupture. If you are going out of town and suspect the temperature will drop, turn off the water and open all of the taps to drain the water system. This way pipes won’t freeze and you won’t return home to a mess.

Your local home improvement store will have all of the tools and expertise you will need to complete these steps. FOAM, DOME, DRIP your way to a safe winter season free of costly home repairs!

These and other winter preparedness tips are available from the FLASH Great Winter Weather Party, a fun, new family-friendly website and social media campaign, presented by FLASH, aimed at better preparing families and their homes for winter weather hazards. Visit www.greatwinterweatherparty.org for more information.