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and yes they really do sound like a freight train engine.
Why we do what we do.
This past weekend there were approximately 118 tornados that ripped across the Midwest
And this is the account of my experience of 2 of them. Listen to my words and learn from my experiences.
Sunday March 12th, 2006
Conditions were clear until we passed Columbia Missouri then a light rain turned in to a strong hail and heavy rain. (The first indicator of a Tornadic storm cell is hail the larger the hail the stronger the system.) I knew that we needed to get to shelter and fast. So we turned off the XM radio and turned on a local talk radio station and sure enough there was a tornado on the ground @ Wooldridge moving at 60 miles an hour to the east everyone down wind is to take shelter immediately. So hearing that I knew that Wooldridge is approximately 15 - 20 miles away. After the gas station turned us away (we pulled under the awning to escape the hail. I remembered that there was a Fire Station. 1/8th mile further down the road so I figured that there would be the next best place to take shelter (Since we got turned away from the midway little G gas station, if you are ever in Columbia or just outside there of don’t give them your business as they turned away a family with a small child that was looking for shelter)
So I turn in to the fire station where a firefighter was holding the door open while the wife got the kid out of the car and placed a pillow over his head ( to protect from hail ) so we sheltered there until the all clear tone came across the fire radio’s. (one thing I thought as odd there were a lot of people trying to take shelter in a truck stop and a gas station however there was only 1 other family at the firehouse besides us. You would figure the safest place would be in a new building full of emergency equipment. )
On the way home we stopped by our rental house to check on our tenants to make sure they are safe first and that the house is safe second. (What can I say I rent to my friends got to take care of my own their experience will be discussed later because their experiences will offer a good comparison of what to do and what not to do in the event of an emergency)
Last night after dinner and bath (for the little guy) I decided that it would be a good idea to start cleaning out the storm/root cellar. When I went out side after carrying 2 tubs of water filled mason jars, I got a really bad feeling (always trust your gut) went in the house and turned on the TV just as they announced the Tornado Warning for our county. (It was not even raining yet but it would be and worse) So I grabbed my Birds and placed their cages in a closet put the dogs and cat in a bathroom grabbed the BOB SW radio and 2million spotlight, while my wife grabbed the boy and our 2 friends and we all hit the shelter. After 5 minutes in shelter we started hearing the banging of hail (would later prove to be baseball sized) on the plywood outer door (door to the stairs to the shelter) we had the radio on and were listening to developments of the storm.
Ok having a well stocked BOB definitely has its place we were able to entertain a 7 yr old with light sticks and flashlights, Stay informed to the weather by listening to our Grundig crank charged AM/FM/SW radio with flashlight. And if needed I had 2 full first aid kits food, water, and blankets.
This is what happens when you don’t have supplies at the ready. Our friends went to their neighbor’s house that had lost power since they lost power they were huddled in the dark in the basement wondering what was happening. Since they didn’t have a radio or flashlight the experience was terrifying to them the first time. The second time they sheltered with us and all was fine and dandy because they were with someone that took the effort to prepare.
The pics are not my houses or buildings they were in the path of the one that hit last night at about 10 pm
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