For people who live in Arkansas, one of the greatest threats to life and property is often the weather. This area is well known for high-intensity storms that involve flooding, high winds, and hail. Having safeguards in place is essential for Arkansas property owners to protect themselves and their families from these types of events.
The Facts About Tornadoes
Of all the threats to life and property that Arkansas residents face, the tornado is undoubtedly the greatest concern. On average, there are over 1,200 tornadoes a year in the United States, and they cause an estimated loss of between $14 and $18 billion in damages. Sadly, the average loss of life annually is approximately 50 people across the country. However, in 2011, an unprecedented 553 people lost their lives from nearly 1,700 tornado events, which cost almost $50 billion in losses. The year was widely thought to be the most catastrophic in history.
The Importance of Proper Shelter
There are few ways to protect homes and buildings from tornado damage except through the use of costly high-velocity resistant building materials and designs. The biggest concern is always the protection of life for people in the path of these storms.
One of the best ways to prevent death and injury during a tornado is by hunkering down in a high-grade steel tornado safe room in Arkansas. While there are a wide variety of storm shelters that have been used for tornadoes, it is vital to know that not all storm shelters are safe.
Many buildings designated as shelters have been damaged by high-velocity category EF-4 and EF-5 tornadoes, which are known to cause widespread catastrophic damage within their paths. For people who own homes, the likelihood of survival during a catastrophic EF-4 or EF-5 tornado significantly increases when you have a well-designed tornado shelter or steel tornado safe room in Arkansas.
