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When it comes to protecting people from the devastating effects of storms, having a well-designed tornado shelter is crucial. While FEMA 320 provides valuable guidance for homeowners looking to build or buy individual tornado shelters, FEMA 361 takes things a step further by offering extensive guidelines specifically for commercial and community safe rooms. The document,…

For the first time ever, we are days away from this becoming the first year in the modern record with no violent tornadoes touching down in the United States.That means no tornadoes were rated EF4 or EF5 this year. It also means the 10 tornado deaths in 2018 are competing for the record low.Why the downward…

Tornadoes seem to be growing more powerful. Scientists are learning more about their power, as well as how they form, through the latest scientific studies. And according to one of the latest theories, your eyes may be deceiving you.Tornadoes don’t really drop down from the clouds, as our eyes tell us. The opposite is true, according…

Whether you live in a high-risk tornado zone or not, it is essential that you know the risks and the signs of a tornado in order to be prepared. Follow this advice from ready.gov: Know your area’s tornado risk. In the U.S., the Midwest and the Southeast have a greater risk for tornadoes. Know the signs…

Just when the weather seems safe, everything can change. Take today, for example.This morning, the National Weather Service in Portland said funnel clouds could form in Oregon, when stormy conditions straddled the Interstate 5 corridor, stretching from south of Cottage Grove all the way north of Kelso, Wash.The NWS predicted showers with scattered thunderstorms spreading across southwest…

You were wise. You planned ahead. You purchased a storm shelter. You outfitted it with the necessities. But how do you keep the kids busy while they are waiting out the storm?If you want to keep the kiddos calm and distracted when your family has to take shelter, make sure you have a few supplies on…

By Ben Nunnally, Star Staff Writer, bnunnally@annistonstar.com Residents of the Thankful community west of Anniston have one more thing to be happy about: a new storm shelter on 14th Street at Thankful Community Park. The shelter — called a “community safe room” in FEMA’s codes — has room for about 96 occupants, according to Georgia-based manufacturer…