A FEMA Hazard Mitigation team is teaching how best to do this. They were at Lowes in Gallatin last week, and they have been available to the local public here this week at B.D. Polston & Son Builders Supply, 905 RBS Road in Lafayette, from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm, Monday, March 3 through Saturday, March 8.
FEMA representatives Ms. Rose Douglas and Mr. Frank Buzolits are providing information on how to reduce losses, lives, property, and lessen potential tornado damage.
"Based on our hurricane experience in Florida, and in other tornado struck areas, we are showing folks how to rebuild safer and stronger homes, and how to re-enforce existing homes with a "safe-room" that will survive almost any storm.
"The interest that we have had here in the middle Tennessee region, is after three strong storms in such a short period of time, we've talked to at least 1,000 people in the last week alone, and 500 to 600 have expressed an interest in some kind of a safe shelter, 'saying where can I go?'" explained Buzolits, who lives in Florida and has weathered several hurricanes himself.
"We show people the various types of shelters. We give them the best information. Some of our publications have specific designs, specs to build to FEMA standards. We are focusing on individuals houses.
"We also talk about community shelters, schools, and about neighborhoods or geographical areas where people don't have basements.
"We talk about how to get to that safe place in the community, but mainly about individuals shelter for individual families".
"We also talk about having a basic preparedness checklist: medications, important papers, flood insurance," continued Douglas, "but the main focus is on safe rooms you can get to in a hurry."
A "miniature" constructed safe room is on display at Polstons, where you can view a model constructed of multiple layers, designed with ultimate home safety in mind.
"There's no use having a safe room if you can't get to it," the FEMA man noted.
"Another question we ask is 'do you have a NOAA weather radio? If it is rumbling thunder and lightning at 3:00 am in the morning, you want and need a NOAA weather alert radio."
Literature and information is plentiful. Retrofitting areas within a house with concrete and structural steel no longer seems a far-fetched idea. Lafayette and many of its residents can now bare witness to the awesome destructive force of nature to both personal property and precious individual lives.
Many homes in this area have been constructed without foundation bolts at the base, or hurricane or storm clips on the rafters or roof trusses. The enforcement of county-wide building codes will help change this for homes constructed in the future.
But as all too many owners of substantial brick or stone homes found out on February 5; a 180 mph wind can pick a 3,000 square foot home up off its foundation and turn it 90 degrees. Or worse, tear off the roof and destroy it as easily as if it were a house of straw and mud.
Included in the FEMA information available is warnings about the lethal nature of shards of glass from broken windows, and the potential for mold in rain-soaked interiors of storm damaged homes.
And practical advice for those repairing homes in the here and now is offered by both FEMA and the Better Business Bureau.
"Know your contractor, or at least know something about him and the quality of his work."
And never, never, pay someone "out front," with any expectation that they will come back and do your repair work.
Let the buyer beware. Two sorts of people come into a storm damaged area to help do the reconstruction work: some are dolphins, others are sharks. It is up to the home owner to find out the difference before rather than after there is blood in the water.
Fees in both the city and county for building permits have been waived for storm repair and home rebuilding. But a building permit is still required, and enforcement of building codes protects the customer from un-licensed or unscrupulous contractors.
Rebuild safe. Rebuild strong. And rebuild without being ripped off in the process.
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