[A/S] "Tornado Warning"

[Terry Tyler <tylerbears@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi owners of rain coats,

Torrential rain arrived for two hours this afternoon (Sun 03/09/03)  in
Clermont, FL - along with a "tornado warning" (rotating winds 2 miles away).

We had a 15 minute warning. The Campground recommendation (I called them on
our cell phone) was to "batten down the hatches and ride it out in your RV."
Yikes. 

Twice this winter two different campgrounds have recommended an inadequate
and inappropriate course of action in the face of a "tornado warning."
Luckily, neither experience was put to the true test.

Like other RVers, we generally plan our travels to avoid tornado prone areas
during specific months. The problem is Mother Nature has a way of choosing
her own months. It doesn't make any difference if it's a "fluke."

The only way we could have successfully sought safe shelter was to have had
a specific action plan ready and waiting. To accomplish that in each
campground we visit means we must identify the "safe shelter" and actually
go to it.  We need to know exactly where it is and how to get there in ten
to fifteen minutes. There can be no time for "discussion"  or other
folderol.  Bottom line - we hear the warning, we turn on our heel and roll.

The way it looks to us is we need to revisit our earlier thinking and start
developing a plan that's both realistic and easily doable.

But first, I'd be interested in first hand accounts of how other
Airstreamers have dealt with "tornado warning" experiences.

Terry