DECATUR - The recent outbreaks of violent tornados, such as the ones in Moore and El Reno, Okla., have raised many questions concerning tornado safety. And knowing what to do and where to go could make a difference in survival.
Several stories of survival have come out of both disasters. In El Reno, a family survived by taking refuge in an underground shelter they built in the floor of their garage. The cost of that shelter: $2,500. Was it worth the cost? They lived to tell their story.
Another story of survival came from an unlikely source. The Weather Channel’s Tornado Hunt 2013 team led by veteran meteorologist Mike Bettes was caught in the line of the El Reno twister. He, along with his three-man crew, were in a three vehicle convoy trying to get out of harm’s way when the EF-3 tornado made an unpredictable course change.
Bettes was in the second vehicle when the tornado lifted the SUV 30 feet into the air. It rolled their vehicle several times before dropping it in a field about 200 feet from the road. By wearing seatbelts, combined with the car’s airbags, all four chasers walked away with only a few cuts and broken bones. The remarkable story was caught on cameras, both inside the Bettes SUV and the first chase vehicle. This will enable researchers to study the tapes to understand what goes on inside a vehicle caught in a vortex.
The tragic side of the El Reno storm lies in the loss of three veteran storm chasers and tornado researchers - an event which took the weather community by surprise.
The deaths of Tim Sameras, his son Paul and colleague Carl Young serve as a reminder that sometimes the hunters become the prey. All three made the ultimate sacrifice in the name of research. So many lives were spared, thanks to the services these, and thousands of others like them, provide.
The Decatur area was spared any serious damage by the storms that developed in the wake of the May 20 EF-5 tornado in Moore. Most of the damage in the area was confined to trees and power lines. A few structures sustained minor damage.
No injuries were reported in Decatur. However, there were a few injuries and one death associated with these storms in Northwest Arkansas. The one fatality was in Springdale, where a plastic sign blew through a windshield. The 19-yearold driver was reported dead at the scene.
The question of storm safety was certainly on the minds of citizens of this community. What to do? Where to go?
Mayor Charles Linam said that, during the May 31 storms, the First Baptist Church building, which is a designated storm shelter, was filled to near capacity. Decatur City Hall, while not a registered storm shelter, had 50 people riding out the storm.
As for the Moore twister and the loss of 10 children at Plaza Towers Elementary, communities all over the U.S. are asking what can be done to keep our children safe during severe weather.
The answer possibly comes in the form of fortified storm shelters. Several communities in Arkansas and Oklahoma have such facilities, and Northside Elementary is in line to receive funds to build one of these structures.
The problem is that the town is low on the funding priority list for this project.
Larry Ben, Decatur School District superintendent, said, during a recent school board meeting, that the school system has part of the funds available for this project but is waiting for matching funds from the state. He said he expects the grants will be made available sometime in 2014.
Until then, Decatur school system will continue to follow current procedure to ensure that each student is safe.
What can citizens of Decatur and other communities do to survive a violent storm like the ones in Oklahoma? Remember tornado safely procedures. Heed the warnings from the National Weather Service, local law enforcement and emergency management personnel.
Remember, “Stop the mourning, heed the warning.”
News, Pages 4 on 06/05/2013