OHIO — Ohio is one of the leading states in the nation for tornadoes so far this year, with more than 50 confirmed.
The tornadoes have destroyed homes, claimed lives and left Ohioans with a lot of worry. Meteorologists are warning this might be our new normal.
“In a warming climate, warmer air can hold more moisture thus holding more instability, you add that and that can increase the threat for tornadoes just about any time of the year,” said Eric Elwell, Spectrum News 1 Ohio chief meteorologist.
Residents looking for ways to protect themselves and their families are now turning to tornado shelters or safe rooms. Shawn Cravens, the manager of Granger Plastics in Middletown, helps manufacture them.
“More recently ,we're seeing more units being sold in Ohio,” Cravens said. “When a storm hits, does enough destruction and damage I mean, we'll see the calls and orders increase by a factor of 10 to 20 times easy.”
Granger Plastics manufactures a range of products, including their 1,400-pound underground tornado shelter. They’re one of the only companies in Ohio that makes them.
“It's a good feeling, especially, you know, because you don't hear from these customers regularly but every now and then you get one that reaches out, sends you a thank you card, sends you an email that says, you know, hey, if it wouldn't have been for your shelter, my family might not be here today,” Cravens said.
In states like Oklahoma and Kansas, tornado shelters are already popular. They are built in many different ways. Some are above ground, others below, some are made of steel and others with concrete. Cravens makes his with polyethylene plastic which he said has its benefits.
“With it being made out of plastic, it's not going to rust, corrode, leak or float out of the ground,” Cravens said. “It'll be there for thousands of years to come with, you know, little to no maintenance issues. Just every few months lubricate a hinge, spray your door latches, and it's pretty much ready to go every year.”
The shelters have been tried and tested for more than 20 years. Cravens said they have a lifetime warranty.
“So if the door gets damaged in a verifiable storm or tornado we’ll replace the door at no charge to the homeowner,” Cravens said.
Cravens recommends his customers to get inside their units if there's a tornado watch or warning. He said during a typical storm, a person or family is inside the unit for about 15 to 20 minutes. The units sit at least six people comfortably, depending on the size you order.
“We had our doors debris impact tested to meet or exceed FEMA 320 and FEMA 361 specifications and you'll see a lot of shelter companies that don't do that,” Cravens said. “We have a lot of people add lighting to the units. They add inflatable ottomans so they can sleep inside the unit if they wanted to. USB-powered devices so they can charge phones and laptops. Some have even taken like external camping boxes where they can watch TV in it, things of that nature.”
Severe weather is unpredictable, but Cravens said your safety doesn't have to be. He builds his units to help people be safe rather than sorry.
“Mother Nature does not discriminate, nor does she care how much you spent on the building, how big it is, how beautiful it is,” Cravens said. “If she wants to tear it down with a tornado, she can and she will.”
Cravens said he knows cost sometimes deters people from buying a tornado shelter. The shelters cost about $10,000 and with the increase in purchases, Cravens said they are currently on back order. But he said there are different financing options.
“A lot of credit unions will do financing,” he said. “I've seen a lot of customers do 0% on credit cards and then pay it off over 12 or 18 months.”
Ohio does have a Safe Room Rebate Program where homeowners can get a rebate of nearly $5,000 if selected. The program is only available on certain years when the Federal Emergency Management Agency funds the program. For more information visit here.