A surge of tornadoes that hit across the United States Thursday through Saturday resulted the deaths of at least 46 people, and it is forecasted for more severe weather today. Due to the recent tornado activity suppliers of storm shelters have seen a record number of inquiries about their products.
Granger Plastics of Middletown, which makes in-ground storm shelters, reports that it received a record breaking number of website inquires on Sunday and the phones were ringing off the hook on Monday. The company’s most popular product is a five-person shelter that cost $5,000-$6,000 plus cost of installation. Consumer reactions show that the costs do not seem to be a concern. The Granger shelters, just over 5 feet high and 5 feet across and designed to be buried underground, fit five adults or more in a real emergency. They take half a day to install.
StormSafeRooms.com in Collinsville, Oklahoma, started receiving waves of calls starting on Thursday when the tornado squall line started hitting Oklahoma. Their biggest-selling shelter is a five-person, 4-by-6-foot steel room that can be installed in a garage and costs between $4,000 and $6,000, depending on location.
Buyers should look for a seal from the National Storm Shelter Association, based at Texas Tech University in Lubbock. NSSA certifies that a shelter conforms to safety standards.
Storm shelter businesses have also been getting calls for safe rooms for companies looking to protect their employees. After losing a building last Thursday to a tornado, the Tushka, Oklahoma school district is putting out a bid for 150 person safe room.
With more storms predicted, the storm shelter business is expected to continue its increase in business.
