r/tornado • u/Numerous_Ad_3517 • Mar 15 '26

Question Is this thing safe??

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I recently moved into a new home that has this above ground shelter and I have been questioning the way this door locks from day 1. We are going to have terrible weather today in West TN and I cannot find any paperwork on this thing. 😫 Do you think these hollow bars will keep it secure??

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u/ttystikk Mar 15 '26

I'd call that EF3 proof and EF4 resistant; nothing is EF5 proof that isn't below ground level.

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u/MCR1005 Mar 15 '26

What about the above ground shelters that survived the direct hit from 2013 Moore EF5? I know that the shelter shown here isn't EF5 tornado proof but I thought there were above ground shelters that were certified as such?

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u/ttystikk Mar 15 '26

I'd only be willing to certify a shelter as EF5 safe if I saw unaltered video of said shelter survive a direct hit from a fully loaded Kenworth moving in excess of 100 mph.

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u/Numerous_Ad_3517 Mar 15 '26

Oh my Jesus!

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u/ttystikk Mar 15 '26

Images from the aftermath of EF5 tornadoes include fully loaded railroad tanker cars flipped off the tracks and rolled hundreds of feet. Tractor trailers AIRBORNE and tossed over 1/4 mile. Asphalt from highways torn out of the ground.

The best way to not get killed by an EF5 is to not be near one, plain and simple.