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Mobile homes in Tornado Alley


Last Update: 4/27/2007 1:50 pm
Email your weather questions to Dan
From. Kathy Williams:  We live in a mobile home and worry about how safe we are during tornado.  Do you think we are safe?

     Mobile homes are wonderful places to live, unless there is a tornado warning issued for your area.  When a warning is issued, you should take cover in a more substantial structure.  Some mobile home parks have club houses, laundry rooms, and offices.
All of these structures offer more protection.  Residents should meet and discuss what the best plan would be to protect everyone. 
      Consider purchasing an underground storm shelter for your family.  Another alternative is to build a safe room inside a barn or shop.  FEMA offers building plans on their web site.
      If there are no structures near, take cover outside, away from the mobile homes.  Lie down in a ditch and cover your head.
     A friend e-mailed me a story from Indiana about mobile home safety.  In November of 2005, a tornado came through and killed 20 people in a mobile home park.  For this season, the owner of the Evansville mobile home park passed out emergency weather radios to residents. The manager paid $3,000 for the weather radios so folks would never be caught off guard again when tornadoes strike.
     The disaster has also inspired Indiana legislation which would require all mobile homes to be installed with weather radios.  So far the bill has passed the Indiana House and next is headed for their state Senate.  If it becomes law, look for this to spread to other states.         
    The bottom line is to stay up with the weather.  If storms occur at night while you sleep, a battery powered emergency weather radio can alert you to warnings issued.
     Our weather changes often, and you need to have a plan before storms hit.  Spring weather is here, and you need to be ready wherever you live.


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