Blog – Enid Storm Shelters

Buyer Beware (Read the fine print)

Thu, 20 Dec 2018 19:59:00 GMT

When purchasing a storm shelter, there are several things that should be considered. Not all storm shelters are the same. Some companies offer different features, while other companies may not have any special features at all. We are proud to share the special features and quality of our shelters with our customers. Some companies install their shelters as fast as they can so they can move onto the next one, with the goal of installing as many as they can in a day. Volume sales are most important to them.

Many times, the best price does not mean the best shelter or the best company. There are ways of cutting corners to keep costs down so they can provide customers with a shelter while participating in a price war with their competition. Buyer Beware.

Check the fine print. Some companies have hidden charges, such as trip charges. If they show up and cannot install because of inclement weather or access issues for example, they may charge you. Again, check the fine print. We at Enid Storm Shelters have received many calls from people who have an old storm shelter with a rusted out door or similar problem. We have many times gone to someone’s home to look at their problem and try to help them find a solution. Sometimes the solution may include helping them contact a welder or someone who can make repairs. We never have and never will ask the customer for a fee, service charge, or trip charge.

Storm shelter companies from other states will roll into Oklahoma after a significant tornado event to set up shop for as many shelter sales as they can. When “riding the bubble is over” so to speak, they are gone and there is no one left behind to take care of service or warranty issues. By the way, this happens in any area that has sustained significant damage from a tornado, much like roofing companies that appear out of no where following a big hail storm.

Check the reputation of the company you are considering. Sometimes you can learn a lot about a storm shelter company or any company for that matter by doing a Google search for reviews and/or complaints. Ask the company for references. Our supplier and manufacturer has a long standing and impeccable reputation and Enid Storm Shelters is proud to be associated with them.

Enid Storm Shelters is a locally owned and operated business specializing in personal service and customer satisfaction. We strive to be different by offering personal, no hassle and no pressure in-home consultation with no hidden service or trip charges. We hope to earn your trust.

Mike Bennett

The post Buyer Beware (Read the fine print) appeared first on Enid Storm Shelters .

Close Calls and Near Misses with Tornadoes

Mon, 20 Aug 2018 20:00:00 GMT

As a TV Stormtracker, I have seen several communities have some very close calls with tornadoes in recent years. These communities are extremely lucky they did not take a direct hit by a tornado. Several of these tornadoes occurred after dark. The storms I’m about to talk about are storms I chased, so I can give a first-hand account of these events. The communities include, Enid, North Enid and Kremlin, OK, Jet and Medford OK, Canton and Fairview OK, Hennessey, Byron-Amorita, and Manchester, OK, and finally Hennessey and Stillwater, OK.

April 25, 2009: The infamous North Enid and Home Show tornado. I was staged at Garland and Owen K. Garriott just before 10 pm after a very long chase day in western Oklahoma. A severe thunderstorm was over Enid at that time when a tornado warning was issued with strong rotation about 4 miles southwest of Enid. I basically circled Enid from Atwood’s to Southgate to 30 ^th Street, north to Breckenridge Rd and then west into North Enid. I watched a rotating wall cloud, well illuminated by the city lights; pass right over the heart of Enid. Just before it exited, I saw power flashes straight west of me. The tornado touched down in the parking lot of the Garfield County Expo Center. It would be a stretch to call this a close call because it did do damage in North Enid, however, if this storm would have produced a tornado just 5 minutes earlier it would have created significant and extensive damage. So for Enid you could call it a close call. For North Enid, not so much a close call. Storm #2 came into the area well after midnight and produced a damaging tornado a mile or two west of Kremlin. This was a strong tornado, and had it moved into Kremlin I can’t imagine the damage.

April 30, 2012: An extremely close call for Medford, OK. I began chasing this storm in the daylight 8 miles west of Jet, OK where it produced its first of many tornadoes. The storm produced its 2 ^nd tornado just 2 miles west of Jet right in front of us on Hwy 64 as we traveled east toward Jet. The storm then produced its 3 ^rd tornado northwest of Jet, when it became somewhat rain wrapped as it moved toward Salt Plains Lake and Nescatunga, OK. We lost sight of that one and let it go as the storm was now producing a new wall cloud northeast of Jet. It became dark and we were moving north on the “Red Hill Road” south of Hwy 11. Tornado #4 was now on the ground and doing damage north and slightly west of us. As we are focusing on that tornado, a new and larger rotating wall cloud was now southwest of Medford to our east. We traveled east on Hwy 11 toward Medford and saw tornado #5 (maybe 6 or 7, it is now dark). Lightning back lit the tornado several times as it seemed to be moving into Medford. At one time we saw a very large debris cloud and our worst fears seemed to be realized. However, the tornado could not have been any closer to Medford without actually hitting the town directly. It skirted the western edge of town moving north and then turned northeast just north of town. It did do damage around Medford, but the residents avoided a direct hit.

May 24, 2011: Canton and Fairview, OK. The first of 2 tornadoes formed only a 1.5 miles west of Canton just north of Hwy 51. It moved east northeast toward the northern sides of town before turning a little more north and traveling across Canton Lake. This tornado broadened out in to a wedge about as quickly as any tornado I’ve ever seen. If that wedge had moved into Canton, it would have been devastating. As it was, it was devastating for the people who lived and were camping at the Canadian Boat Dock and camping area. That tornado, I believe stayed on the ground almost continuously until it dissipated about 4 miles west of Fairview near and just north of Cedar Springs. This same storm then produced tornado #2 just 2 miles southwest of Fairview. This tornado was an elephant trunk with a small but strong circulation on the ground. It quickly dissipated before reaching Fairview, but my fear was that it would become as strong as the Canton tornado and move into Fairview. The rotating wall cloud however, moved right over the top of Fairview and could have easily produced another one. Canton and Fairview avoided a disaster that day.

May 19, 2010: Hennessey and Stillwater, OK. This storm was a tornado producing machine. The first tornado was brief and weak, but on the ground 8 miles south of Okeene, OK. Tornado #2 touched down just 2 miles west of Hennessey and ½ mile north of Hwy 51. The tornado was on the ground for several minutes before dissipating a mile west of Hwy 81. This storm moved straight east toward Stillwater and produced another prominent tornado (#3) about a mile east of I-35 and a mile north of Hwy 51. After tornado #3, I witnessed 5 or 6 brief touchdowns between I-35 and Stillwater. It looked imminent that Stillwater would have a strong tornado move into town. But it did not happen, to the luck of people living in Stillwater.

April 14, 2012: Close calls for several communities: Cherokee, Byron-Amorita, and Manchester, OK. I witnessed a lot of tornadoes this day. The storm of the day however, produced tornado #2 south of Waynoka, Ok and at the same time tornado #3. We had 2 tornadoes on the ground for several minutes. The storm went on to produce another one south of Alva and west of Dacoma, OK. Things got more serious however southwest of Cherokee. A strong tornado was produced but traveled north narrowly missing Ingersoll. The storm then produced what appeared to be a very large and strong tornado just south southwest of the small towns of Byron and Amorita. It was getting quite dark and difficult to see, but I had a strong fear that these two communities were about to be struck by a violent tornado. I do not know how it missed them. The storm then produced another tornado 2 west of Manchester where it did heavily damage a farm house. This storm went on to produce more tornadoes in Kansas and near Wichita late into the night.

So what is the point of this writing? These are only accounts of storms I witnessed first-hand in recent years, in which I believed people in these communities were in imminent danger. Enid Storm Shelters has installed a lot of tornado shelters in the past year in north central and northwest Oklahoma. I know where every one of them is located, and I get some comfort from knowing people have a place of protection. If you do not have a storm shelter to protect your family, you should seriously consider installing one. We offer below ground shelters for the garage or yard, and above ground safe rooms for the garage, patio, or yard. We have had luck on our side the past few years, but I fear our luck will run out someday. Maybe this spring!

Mike Bennett

The post Close Calls and Near Misses with Tornadoes appeared first on Enid Storm Shelters .

Free In Home Consultation

Wed, 18 Jul 2018 20:04:00 GMT

Personal Service and In-Home Consultations makes Enid Storm Shelters different. We take pride in our level of personal service and have had remarkable success with this philosophy and have earned an accredited A+ Rating with the Better Business Bureau. We invite you to read our customer reviews on our Facebook page or on our website at www.enidstormshelters.com .

We strive to be different with personalized, no hassle, no pressure consultations where we can offer you expert advise on shelter placement, size and type with no hidden fees or trip charges.

And, because storm shelters are our ONLY business, we can focus our attention on your exact needs to avoid costly, tragic mistakes. We do not expect you to make a major purchase like this over the phone.

First, there are too many unknowns that many times requires a site visit. Some of the installation equipment is large and we need to determine if we have the needed access to the location you would like your storm shelter to be.

Second, our steel safe rooms are custom built to fit our customer’s needs. We will come to your home to take down measurements and specially build the safe room to your needs and specifications. An extremely important part of this visit is to inspect the installation site to be sure the safe room can be properly and safely anchored to substantial concrete.

Third, with our personal service and expertise we can offer advice on shelter type, size, location and other options. This is a very difficult task to accomplish over the phone and can lead to mistakes made.

All of our shelters have been successfully impact tested and approved at the Texas Tech University Wind Institute and meet or exceed all FEMA standards. Enid Storm Shelters offers a wide variety of ABOVE GROUND and BELOW GROUND storm shelters in both concrete and steel.

We invite you to call us at 580-554-1900 to schedule an appointment or contact us through our website.

Mike Bennett

The post Free In Home Consultation appeared first on Enid Storm Shelters .

QUALITY MATTERS

Thu, 12 Jul 2018 20:35:00 GMT

When purchasing a storm shelter, there are several things you need to consider. Not all shelters are created equal so to speak. A few months ago, I wrote a blog titled “Buyer Beware”. That blog covered things such as hidden charges, trip charges, out of state companies moving in after a disaster and then moving out, just to mention a few of the topics.

This blog deals more with the quality of the shelter itself and the installation. Enid Storm Shelters purchases their shelters from a company in Oklahoma that has been in business since 1954. A company who is beginning their 4 ^th generation as a family owned company. They have built and installed more than 75,000 storm shelters in Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas, Missouri, and Arkansas and a few other states. Enid Storm Shelters could not be backed by a better company and we are proud to be associated with them as they have earned our total confidence.

When you are investing money into a storm shelter you need to know that your investment is going to last, that your family is protected, and that your storm shelter is going to add value to your home. These are the things we talk about when we visit a family’s home to discuss installing a shelter. Free in- home consultations is one thing that sets us apart. We will gladly visit your home to help you decide what type and size of shelter best suits your family and property. Other companies expect you to figure this out for yourself and order your shelter over the phone.

I could write a small book on the specific features of our shelters. Not to mention, the manufacturing quality, quality of material, and quality of the manufacturing processes and installation processes of the shelters offered by Enid Storm Shelters. These are things better left explained in person during an in- home visit. Or, you can see for yourself by reviewing our website. You can also read the many positive reviews we have received on our Facebook page. We invite you to check us out at the Better Business Bureau where we have been accredited with an A+ Rating, largely due to not having any complaints filed. It is advisable to check with the Better Business Bureau on any company you are considering. It is also largely due to the company that builds our shelters. Now granted, our manufacturer is not perfect and neither are we. When a company has built and installed as many as 75,000 shelters, they are going to occasionally make a mistake. It is our experience that the mistakes are few and far between. But, when they do make one they are quick to correct and make up for that mistake. Customer satisfaction is the best and cheapest advertising in the world, and so customer satisfaction is our number one goal.

Be aware of price wars. Companies that offer huge discounts on shelters should give you pause. Why and how can they advertise their shelters so cheap? What are their warranties? And, do they have a reputation for honoring their warranties? Does the advertised price include sales tax, or mileage for shelter installs beyond their service area? What about trip charges if they show up and for some reason can’t perform the install? These are what I call “hidden charges”. Enid Storm Shelters does not give estimates. We give quotes so you know exactly what the cost is to the penny the day we install your shelter. Are you comparing apples for apple when it comes to shelter quality and size?

And last, but not least is the testing. It is very important that any shelter you are purchasing has been engineered and impact tested to withstand EF5 winds. . Part of this process is testing the door. You have a right to ask to see the engineering documents with the Engineers stamp.

Quality really does matter. And often, you get what you pay for. If you think you are getting a real bargain, it could be cause to wonder if the company is cutting corners somewhere.

Mike Bennett

The post QUALITY MATTERS appeared first on Enid Storm Shelters .

Download 4Warn Me app

Thu, 14 Jun 2018 20:01:00 GMT

In the last few days I have had conversations with several customers and became aware of something I thought would be a worthy topic.

I visited with a gentleman I will call Bob (not his real name), who told me he was at home watching TV when his town was placed in a tornado warning. It was well after dark, in the 10 o’clock hour. Bob, not having a storm shelter for his family to seek protection, decided to leave his home and attempt to drive away from the approaching tornado. He traveled north out of town on a blacktop. What he did not realize is, he was driving right into the projected path of the tornado. He was lucky enough to see it in a field just to his west during a flash of lightning. Bob stopped and turned around and thus was able to avoid it. The situation could have been much different and could have ended tragically, if not for a lucky lightning flash.

It happened to be Medford,OK on April 30, 2012. I had been chasing that storm for KFOR-TV beginning 8 miles west of Jet, OK. This storm produced several tornadoes that day before it even reached Medford. It produced a tornado again just southwest of town and stayed on the ground traveling north toward Highway 11, just barely missing the western edge of town. By the way, Bob lives on the farthest west edge of town. After it moved past the city it turned and began moving northeast and passed just to the north of Medford.

This is only one example of the stories I have heard over the years.

Getting in your car with an approaching tornado is not a good idea for several reasons, and I have written on this subject in other blogs. In short, automobiles are no match for a tornado of any size or strength. However, I am a realist and know some people are going to do it anyway. When you get in your car, it means you are leaving your TV and source of information. When you get into your storm shelter the same is true.

I have a viable option. If you own a Smartphone, Android, or I-pad, you can have the same information you receive from your television on your phone or I-pad. All you need to do is download a FREE app. The one I recommend is the 4Warn Me app available in the app store. This is a link to the 4Warn Me and KFOR App Center. http://kfor.com/weather/app-center/

With this app you will be able to watch live video streaming of all KFOR-TV newscasts and breaking weather and news events.

You can track severe storms in your neighborhood, receive severe weather alerts and view high resolution radar. You can also track earthquakes, lightning and projected storm paths. If you have an internet connection you can have TV in your car or storm shelter.

This is a free service to keep you informed of severe weather and hopefully keep you safer. Download it for free before the next storm threatens your city.

Mike Bennett

The post Download 4Warn Me app appeared first on Enid Storm Shelters .

Low Interest Storm Shelter Financing

Mon, 12 Mar 2018 20:07:00 GMT

If you have been thinking about installing a storm shelter to protect your family but feel it may not be affordable you might want to read this and re-think it. This is such an incredible opportunity and is available to everyone as long as you qualify.

I am talking about financing your storm shelter with Communication Federal Credit Union at 0.75%.

http://comfedcu.publishpath.com/Default.aspx?shortcut=75-apr-storm-shelter-loans

When you crunch the numbers it is amazing. I have done an amortization on the numbers and the results were amazing. Using an example of a $3500 storm shelter loan financed for 5 years the payments would only be $59.45 per month. If you actually paid the loan out over the 5 years you would only pay $67.13 total in interest for the entire period. And, there is no penalty for early pay off.

No one knows how long this low interest offer will last, so you shouldn’t procrastinate. If you do a loan application and receive approval you will be locked into the 0.75%, even if the shelter is installed after the offer is cancelled. All you need to do is fill out a simple application, (approval usually comes in a day or two), go to the local branch and sign the loan documents and order your shelter.

You can call Enid Storm Shelters at 580-554-1900 and we can get the loan application to you, or you can call or stop by the Communication Federal Credit Union branch to pick one up or fill it out. The Enid branch is located on the corner of Hayes and Owen K. Garriott, across the street east of Godfather’s Pizza. Their phone number is 580-233-1725.

In addition to qualifying, you have to be a member of Communication Federal Credit Union. They make it very easy to join. It only costs around $10 to join and open an account. We joined and it was very easy with no hidden costs or fees.

I say all that to say this….I hope you would call Enid Storm Shelters for your storm shelter. We can visit with you or visit your home and help you in deciding your best options in terms of what type of shelter that would best fit your needs and help you decide the best location.

Call us at 580-554-1900 and visit our website at www.enidstormshelters.com

Mike Bennett

The post Low Interest Storm Shelter Financing appeared first on Enid Storm Shelters .

Tornado Preparedness Kit

Sat, 06 Jan 2018 01:52:00 GMT

What should you take with you into your storm shelter when it comes time to seek cover from an approaching storm? I will suggest some things to keep in a storm preparedness kit, which should be close to the shelter with ease of access so you don’t have to search for it. We cannot know exactly what the circumstances might be when seeking shelter and therefore we can not know what our state of mind might be. The best way is to keep it simple. Have a duffel bag or something similar with everything in it, close to the shelter or inside the shelter.

So, what are some of the items you should have in your kit. Here are some suggestions. First of all, what is the possible scenario going to be when you come out of your shelter? What if your neighborhood has dramatically changed from a direct hit? What if you are trapped in your shelter for a period of time, and you have to wait to be rescued? You should be prepared for both situations. If your neighborhood takes a direct hit from a tornado, there most certainly will be no electricity. So, take your cell phone and car charger with you. Battery operated flashlight(s). Flashlights are used to signal for help and pinpoint your location. Have a whistle in the shelter for the same reason.

Also, what usually comes after a tornado? Heavy rain and sometimes hail. I would have some kind of helmet for everyone to protect yourself from hail. A raincoat or poncho to protect yourself from the cold rain. I would have gloves in case you have to dig your way through debris to escape. Shoes, (not flip flops) will be a necessity.

What About Pets?

Will you be taking your pets to the shelter with you? When leaving the shelter, your house and everything around might be gone. I would take leashes for all pets so you can hang onto them when you exit.

What if you’re trapped for a while and the call of nature strikes? A great suggestion made by a customer of Enid Storm Shelters is to have a 5 gallon bucket with kitty litter on hand if needed. If the house is gone, the bathroom will also be gone. Some stores have seats that are made to fit over the bucket. Thank you Rayne for this suggestion as well as the pet leash suggestion. Good ideas!!

With all this in mind, it is most important to save room in your shelter for your family. It can quickly become crowded if you take too much in the shelter with you. Only take the bare necessities.

The Tornado Preparedness List:

Cell phone and car charger

Flashlight(s) (extra batteries)

Whistle

Head protection

Rain gear/jackets

Gloves

Good shoes

Pet leashes

Nature bucket

Bottled water

First Aid items

Food

Radio (maybe walkie talkies)

The important thing is preparedness. You have done well in making the decision to install a storm shelter. Now prepare for the storm. And, very importantly, register your shelter with your local authorities so they know where to look for you.

Mike Bennett

Enid Storm Shelters

The post Tornado Preparedness Kit appeared first on Enid Storm Shelters .

Mobile Home, Apartment Buildings and Businesses (Community Shelters)

Fri, 20 Oct 2017 20:09:00 GMT

Community Shelters for Mobile Home Parks, Apartment Buildings, Businesses or Offices.

It is widely known that the most likely time of the day for tornadoes is in the afternoon and evening. The afternoon of course is when most people are at work. Do you have a storm shelter to get into if a tornado strikes while you are still at work?

It is also widely known that a mobile home is the worst place you can be during a tornado. What is not mentioned nearly enough is that a mobile home is the worst place you can be during any severe weather. The reason? A mobile home is not designed to withstand any kind of high wind. If you are in a mobile home and a tornadic storm is nearby, you could miss a direct tornado hit but still be effected by winds produced by the rear flank downdraft winds which can be upwards of 100 mph. Or, the inflow winds which can also be quite high. A mobile home is simply no match for these type of winds, especially tornadic winds. And then there are the winds produced by a severe storm that is not even tornadic. These winds are called micro-bursts, which can be winds of 60 to over 100 mph.

Recently, while storm chasing with KFOR-TV, they sent me northeast of Guthrie to survey reported damage in that area. We were somewhat astonished when we found a frame home with most of it’s roof gone. The damage was caused by a micro-burst, not a tornado. If I did not know for a fact that the storm was not tornadic, I would have thought it was tornado damage.

I remember many years ago of a tornado that struck the Nescatunga area by the Great Salt Plains Lake. There was a family I knew growing up that was at home in a mobile home when the tornado hit. It obliterated their mobile home and the kids, as memory serves me, were scattered across a field. I don’t believe they were seriously injured however. Mobile homes are a dangerous place to be.

Another dangerous place to be is in an apartment building. Especially on the 2nd floor. Anytime you see photographs of damage to an apartment building, it is at least the 2nd floor that takes the brunt.

If you live or work in any one of these places, do you have a plan, or a place to go during a severe storm or a tornadic storm? Enid Storm Shelters can help provide a shelter for you. Mention it to your landlord or employer. We would like to talk with them about many options that could be available, above ground or below ground. I have had some inquiries in the past year from a couple of mobile home park managers or owners. The off season is a good time to begin the process to insure the shelters are in place and ready to go before the next severe weather season. If you are interested in exploring the options or have any questions call us at 580-554-1900.

Mike Bennett

The post Mobile Home, Apartment Buildings and Businesses (Community Shelters) appeared first on Enid Storm Shelters .

LOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATED

Tue, 14 Feb 2017 20:05:00 GMT

Enid Storm Shelters is a locally owned and operated business specializing in personal service and customer satisfaction. Enid Storm Shelters is fully insured and bonded.

All of our shelters, above and below ground, are MADE IN OKLAHOMA and have been tested at the Texas Tech University Wind Institute and Intertek ATI in Plano, TX. All shelters meet or exceed FEMA standards.

Our supplier has been a leader in the design, manufacturing and installation of quality storm shelters since 1954. Now in the 3rd generation of operation of the family owned and operated company, their number one goal is customer satisfaction. Enid Storm Shelters is very proud and confident to be associated with a company that has now installed more than 70,000 units.

At Enid Storm Shelters, we strive to be different by offering personal, no hassle, no pressure in home consultation. All this, with no hidden service or trip charges. Myself or a member of our sales staff can visit you at your home free of charge to help you decide your best options in providing your family with safety from Oklahoma’s severe weather. Many times we offer ideas which may not have been considered by a customer such as, location and accessability, increasing property value when the location and installation is done right, shelter selection, etc…Most companies want to you to make your decisions and purchases by phone or at their location.

Enid Storm Shelters also specializes in custom fitting and custom building above ground safe rooms to fit our customers exact needs. As opposed to companies who only offer standard sizes in which the customer must mold their needs to fit the shelter. By custom building and fitting, we have the flexability of placing the door to fit customer needs, which includes the ability to hinge the door left or right. In addition to offering custom built safe rooms, we also offer garage floor shelters and concrete shelters in many sizes.

Please visit our website, www.enidstormshelters.com and read what a few of our customers have said regarding their experience with Enid Storm Shelters. Direct Link: http://www.enidstormshelters.com/Testimonials
Testimonial Video Link: http://www.enidstormshelters.com/Videos

As a stormtracker for an Oklahoma City TV station I have seen a lot of tornadoes. I have also witnessed first hand the destruction they cause. The disruption in peoples lives. But, nothing is worse than the injuries and deaths caused by tornadoes. Property is just property, but losing a family member is the ultimate price. We hope you will call on Enid Storm Shelters when you are ready to purchase and install a storm shelter to protect your family.

Mike Bennett

The post LOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATED appeared first on Enid Storm Shelters .

Shelters for Business, Mobile Home Parks, Apartments, and Organizations

Thu, 02 Feb 2017 20:37:00 GMT

Joplin, MO

Attn: Businesses, mobile home parks , apartments, churches or organizations . Do you have a place for your tenants, employees or staff to seek protection from an approaching tornado?

Enid Storm Shelters can provide storm shelters for your employees, staff or tenants. Once a storm shelter is designated for anything other than non-residential, FEMA regulations come into play. Our shelter design and installations have been engineered to conform to the ICC500 (2014) standards and FEMA P-361, Third Edition.

A great deal of the number of tornadoes occurs during the daylight and afternoon hours. The hours at which we are in the work place. So where can we go for protection? There is nothing more frightening than to be in the path of a tornado and have no place to go for protection. In my mind, it is the equivalency of being tied down to a train track with a freight train bearing down on you.

The same holds true to those who live in a mobile home. A mobile home is the worst place you can be during a tornado. A mobile home does not even require a direct hit by a tornado. The winds near a tornado are indeed enough to destroy a mobile home or any weak structure. Apartment buildings are also vulnerable. Especially the 2nd and or 3rd floors. Apartment buildings or mobile homes are no place to be with an approaching tornado.

So, is the answer to attempt to escape by getting into a car? The answer: A resounding NO! Your car is also the worst place to be. Why? A car is like a toy to a tornado. It can be picked up high in the air and then dropped. Or, it can be tossed or rolled for hundreds of feet. Tornadoes destroy cars. An attempted escape in a car can be thwarted by normal traffic or heavy traffic because other people are trying to do the same. And, what comes ahead of the tornado? Blinding rain and large hail which will only serve to slow you down and impede your escape.

So what is the most logical answer? Seek shelter in place as best you can and hope tragedy never comes? Or, have a storm shelter installed and be ready for it?

Enid Storm Shelters can provide free analysis and consultation for these type of shelters. A storm shelter is not only an investment into the lives of those who work for you, but can also have tax advantages for your company or organization.

Call Mike at 580-554-1900 or email me at mike@enidstormshelters.com

The post Shelters for Business, Mobile Home Parks, Apartments, and Organizations appeared first on Enid Storm Shelters .

PERSONAL SERVICE

Fri, 13 Jan 2017 20:31:00 GMT

What makes Enid Storm Shelters different? Our personal service makes us different.

We prefer to come to your home whenever possible when you are interested in installing a storm shelter. Many of the calls we receive from customers can go one of two ways. Such as “We are not sure what type of shelter we want, but we want one.” Or, “We know what we want, can you install it there? “ Not easy questions to answer over the phone.

We do not expect you to make a major purchase like this over the phone. First of all, there are usually too many unknowns. Some of the installation equipment is large and we need to determine if we have access to the location you would like your storm shelter to be.

Second, our safe rooms are custom built to fit our customer’s needs. We will come to your home to take down some measurements and build the safe room specifically for the customer.

Third, with our personal service and expertise we can offer advice on shelter selection, size, location, and other options. Enid Storm Shelters does not give estimates. We give quotes so you know exactly what the shelter cost will be on the day of installation, with no hidden charges.

It has happened many times when I arrive at a customer’s home, the customer had an idea of what type of shelter they wanted. Because of many different circumstances, the idea of what they were considering may or may not be possible. That is why, with personal service, we can help provide the customer with other options and sometimes the new option is more viable than the original idea.

We take pride in ourselves with the personal service we provide and have had great success with this philosophy. And, the best thing of all, the personal service is free even if you don’t make a purchase.

Enid Storm Shelters is fully insured and has become accredited with the Better Business Bureau receiving an A+Rating.

If you have been considering installing a storm shelter, we invite you to call us at 580-554-1900 or contact us through our website at www.enidstormshelters.com.

Mike Bennett

The post PERSONAL SERVICE appeared first on Enid Storm Shelters .

Peace of Mind versus A Horrible Feeling

Thu, 03 Mar 2016 20:26:00 GMT

Peace of mind comes from having a storm shelter to protect yourself and your family each and every time a tornado warning is issued for your area. The horrible feeling comes from needing a place to go and not having a place to go to. It is not a matter of if, but a matter of when and how many times a tornado warning will be issued for your area any given year.

With advanced technology today and superior coverage provided by our local news stations we sometimes have more lead time for the more powerful tornadoes. But that is not always the case. Just ask the people in Joplin, MO. Joplin was struck by an EF5 tornado on May 22, 2011. It formed just outside of town and strengthened to an EF5 in a matter of a few seconds. Those in its path did not have much time to react, and we all know of the death and destruction it caused in that community. And then we must deal with the weaker tornadoes that can form without warning. They may not be EF5’s, but it doesn’t really matter to you what the rating is if it strikes your house, does it? The weaker tornadoes can still cause significant damage and injury, even death. These can drop out of the sky at the edge of your neighborhood, the end of your street, or even in your own backyard. Injuries can come from flying glass or any object that becomes a projectile.

So, where would you go? Can you go to your neighbor’s storm shelter? If your neighbor has been kind enough to invite you to their shelter, they may have invited their other neighbors as well. A storm shelter can fill up pretty fast. Can you even imagine having to leave someone outside a shelter because you just could not fit them in?
Recently I learned from a family of 5 whom we just installed a shelter, that they had access to a neighbor’s shelter. This family consists of mom and dad and 3 small children. Just last year they were running to the shelter during a tornado warning. The shelter was about 250 feet away. They had to run under a tree on the way. High winds broke off a limb and dad was hit in the head by the limb. Apparently he was ok, but he might have not been ok either. A lot of things can happen when you have a distance to go for safety. And, I haven’t even mentioned the hail that usually precludes a tornado.

What about public shelters? First of all, most communities do not have public shelters available. But then, there are also the concerns I just mentioned and have written about in other blogs. Just to name a few, traffic, severe weather while driving or running.

Peace of mind, or a horrible feeling. Which would you rather experience?

Mike Bennett

The post Peace of Mind versus A Horrible Feeling appeared first on Enid Storm Shelters .

OKLAHOMA’S 2nd TORNADO SEASON

Mon, 20 Jul 2015 20:10:00 GMT

Fall Tornadoes in Oklahoma

Since 1950, Oklahoma has had 373 tornado touchdowns in the months of September, October, November, and December. Most of these occurred in September and October. This is why we have what we refer to as our second severe weather season. It occurs every fall, usually beginning around mid-September.

Some Fall severe weather seasons are fairly quiet, while others can be quite active. There can be some correlation between an active 2nd season and an El Nino’ or La Nina’. Almost everyone has heard of our weather patterns being influenced by the Pacific Ocean temperatures near the equator. Based on what the temperatures are, it is either an El Nino’ or a La Nina’.

At the time of this writing (July 2015), we happen to be in a strong El Nino’ pattern, which is probably why we have had one of the wettest years in history in terms of rainfall. This El Nino is predicted to continue through the winter, which could mean we have above normal precipitation this fall and winter.

So, lets get back to the subject of severe weather, tornadoes, and our 2nd season. I have prepared a chart to help illustrate the apparent correlation between the number of tornadoes and the type and strength of the weather pattern occurring at that time.

Some notable months are as follows:

September 1992 16 tornadoes

September 1997 9 tornadoes

October 1998 27 tornadoes

October 2001 19 tornadoes

November 2011 11 tornadoes

Bottom line is, all it takes is the right kind of conditions and you can experience tornadoes anytime of the year. In the spring, severe weather occurs because of a battle between winter and summer. In the fall, severe weather occurs because of a battle between summer and winter.

Are you prepared? Do you own a storm shelter? If not, now is a good time to purchase one and have it installed. In February every year, many people start thinking about it again and then finally begin to inquire about a shelter in March in hopes of being prepared for the spring tornado season. By that time, hundreds of other people have already placed their order ahead of them. Now you find yourself at the bottom of a waiting list, not sure if you will even have it installed before the season winds down.

Enid Storm Shelters still has financing available through Communication Federal Credit Union at an interest rate of only 0.75%. That is an incredibly low rate. We do not know how long this rate will be available. If you are thinking about financing your storm shelter, take advantage of this low rate before it is gone.

Our 2nd season is almost upon us. Prepare today and be ready for it. You will then be prepared for the Spring 2016 tornado season. Think about it. What peace of mind knowing your family is safe from severe weather.

Mike Bennett

The post OKLAHOMA’S 2nd TORNADO SEASON appeared first on Enid Storm Shelters .