SHREVEPORT, LA (KSLA) -
It was exactly one year ago today that one of the deadliest and costliest tornado outbreaks of all time began, starting with 26 tornados right here in the ArkLaTex. No lives were lost in the ArkLaTex, but the storms elsewhere caused 322 deaths, and over 10 billion dollars worth of damage.
It was that very storm system that convinced Rhett McClairian, a Shreveport resident, to buy a tornado shelter for his family. He let me in to his garage shelter, which was delivered to his home already constructed, it was simply rolled in and bolted down.
The size of the tornado shelter was initially surprising. It's tiny, with dimensions of about 6 feet long by 4 feet wide, but big enough to fit a family of up to 6 in close quarters during a time of need. While the size initially caught me off guard, the strength and stability of the shelter was what left a greater impression. The tornado shelter was rated for a maximum strength, EF 5 tornado, which means it can withstand winds of over 200 miles per hour. It can also support over 100,000 pounds on top of it, so even if the house it's in falls down around and on top of it, the shelter will remain intact.
Small shelters can be purchased for around $5,000.
Copyright 2012 KSLA. All rights reserved.
All content © Copyright 2000 - 2013 WorldNow and KSLA, a Raycom Media Station.
