Underground Storm Shelters Claremore
On May 3, 1999 an EF5 tornado struck Moore, OK that’d record wind speeds of over 300mph. After that 1999 tornado, we realized that not everybody in Oklahoma had the room to put in a septic tank protector. People had very, very limited choices with respect to protecting their families from tornadoes. At that time, underground storm shelters in Claremore were not installed in half the houses they are now.
Immediately thereafter, the first generation of this in-garage, underground storm shelters was born. This allowed for the masses to install a shelter underground, in their house for tornado protection. Homes throughout Claremore were installing these underground storm shelters to protect themselves.
This was a good idea for sheltering people and keeping them out of the weather but it had its downfalls. It stuck up 4 to 5 inches away from the garage floor, had poor ventilation, rusted out fast, and had steep, awkward ladders for entry and exit. A number of these underground storm shelters in Claremore weren’t installed properly and have actually floated up out of the ground due to buoyancy and ground water. We took note, and made history.
In 2003, the FlatSafe Tornado Shelter was invented. We engineered our underground storm shelters, to be installed in-garage to deal with the destructive forces connected with tornadoes that would offer our Claremore clients peace of mind and supply them with the maximum probability of survival in an EF5 tornado.
Through extensive research, we identified vacuum, air pressure, and debris as the most destructive forces connected with tornadoes.
- Vacuum
With possible wind speeds of 300+miles in mind, we realized that vacuum is among the most damaging forces which tornadoes create. It does not take much vacuum pressure, with regard to psi, to cause structural damage. To counter vacuum forces, FlatSafe designed a lid system which permits 360o of ventilation for rapid equalization of pressure within the shield. By boosting the pressure inside of the shelter to quickly equalize with the outside pressure, the secured lid system is held securely closed.
- Pressure
We understood that 300+mph winds can cause enormous damage to anything it slams against so we sought to lower our exposed surface area as far as possible. The patented FlatSafe lid system only sticks up 1/4″, so there’s very little surface area affected by horizontal wind speeds.
- Debris
Since FlatSafe Tornado Shelters are under ground, it is out of the way of horizontal winds and the debris thrown and circulated by it. So the only debris to be concerned about is falling debris. We understood that all debris falls at exactly the exact same speed and only mass determines its impact. Our 1/4″ plate lid is bigger than the shelter opening and is reinforced to absorb and withstand some falling debris that might land squarely on it. We designed it to provide more than adequate ventilation (breathing) even after effect.
FlatSafe Underground Storm Shelters
The FlatSafe Tornado Shelter was engineered to meet all of the regulations and criteria which were available. It was also engineered with corrosion protection options to make sure that the shelter would last as long as the house and the homeowner. FlatSafe supplied the first single-lid design and was the first low-profile, in-garage shelter given. The lid is 1/4″ thick steel plate with additional structural tubing to give extra strength. The single-piece lid is larger than the frame of the saferoom opening and sits above the frame, not down within the frame.
Our lid system is a lot stronger than the normal 2-piece lid system provided by everybody else and provides more than adequate ventilation to the occupants. FlatSafe was the first to encase shelters in ready-mix concrete to counteract buoyancy and floatation. The FlatSafe shelter design does not remove from a homeowner’s usable garage floor area.
FlatSafe below ground storm shelters allow for easy entry and exit, provides a powerful system for leaving with debris onto the lid, and leaves Claremore residence with the reassurance that they have an extremely large probability of surviving a direct hit from an EF5 tornado.
Read Real Testimonials From Tornado Survivors
Since 2003, FlatSafe has established itself as the innovator in the in-garage, low profile, under ground storm shelters business. Several FlatSafe shelters have taken a direct hit from an EF5 tornado and our clients rave about the protector performance and their option to buy. FlatSafe continues to push for new invention and continues to push for more stringent and comprehensive codes to protect the families in the vicinity of Claremore.