Living with tornadoes in Central Oklahoma

[soonerguru]

Probably most Republican state legislators want to pass on the responsibility for safer schools on to the school boards who will get voters to vote on bonds to pay for the cost of making all local schools safe from tornadoes. But I wonder how easy that will be for towns that have been gradually losing population and fading away? Since nothing much was done, other than tax incentives offered for storm shelters after the 1999 & 2003 Moore tornadoes, while Democrats dominated both sides of the State Capitol, why expect Republicans to do more?

Republicans want to make state government smaller. And so by cutting income taxes and replacing them with nothing, it will act to restrict how much state government can grow, along with its ability to respond to sudden infrastructure needs. (So I hope civil engineers feel that the huge dams in the state don't need major fixing for decades longer.) Also the Republican aversion to borrowing doesn't help matters, especially while bond rates are low.

Smaller government should mean release from needless regulations based on nothing but nonsense, such as those based on alcohol. It should also mean fewer obstructions to a life based on freedom and liberty. Making government smaller shouldn't have to mean reducing its ability to respond to serious infrastructure needs as they arise.

I wonder how big of a state disaster is required before substantial withdraws are allowed to be made from the state rainy day fund?

Actually, tax incentives for storm shelters would be a welcome -- if somewhat ineffective -- approach. Just do something. We should start a watch of the builders in Moore who go in in the next couple of years to see what they're doing. If they aren't building storm shelters, they should be publicly shamed (which is actually a fairly effective approach).

The biggest problem we have is that our entire congressional delegation is so hostile to the federal government that we don't have much to build on to get federal support beyond the typical disaster response. And I'm not sure our congressional delegation -- with the exception of Tom Cole -- really gives a flip about doing anything at all.

[kevinpate]

How (and why) would one publicly shame a builder for not building something which the property owner, private or public, has chosen not to fund?

[BBatesokc]

How (and why) would one publicly shame a builder for not building something which the property owner, private or public, has chosen not to fund?

Yeah, I don't get that either. A buyer is more than welcome to pay for and have a shelter installed - either as a negotiating point during the purchase or after the fact.

I'd like to shame the builder of the home I just bought because he installed green and gold shag carpet in 1965 and ITS STILL IN ONE BEDROOM!

[kevinpate]

and ya bought the place anyway.
Must really be some house to not run off screaming from that carpet, even if it is one room. My younger days including various intermixed shades of gold and brown mega shaggy carpet. One of the happiest days of my young life was coming home from a trip to new carpet throughout the house.

[BBatesokc]

and ya bought the place anyway.
Must really be some house to not run off screaming from that carpet, even if it is one room. My younger days including various intermixed shades of gold and brown mega shaggy carpet. One of the happiest days of my young life was coming home from a trip to new carpet throughout the house.

Actually it could have been expensive burber or plush pile and I'd still be taking it out. We went sans-caprpet years ago after seeing a Discovery program on how nasty carpet is, regardless how often you clean it.

And yes, the house is awesome! Its actually Carolyn Vance's former residence (older Edmondites will most likely recognize the name as she started the meals on wheels program and was very active in the community - also the mother to John Vance of John Vance motors). Needless to say, the interior was frozen in time and has undergone a complete remodel (minus the one shag carpeted room that is currently being ignored and used for storage).

[jn1780]

Oh my god. El Reno is the tornado capital of the world run away, run away.

There you go, I got that out of the way. lol

[bluedogok]

The ski resorts there wish they had snow on the ground that long. They are lucky if they get a solid month...but I guess that just goes to show people down here also play stereotypes with weather.

Also streets are cleaned almost immediately after any snow, so there aren't any "adverse conditions" that shut down cities for days like down here. I've seen plenty of overnight snowfalls of 6+ inches be completely cleared from all major highways by the morning rush. The complicating factors only come in when wind is driving the snow or its ongoing during the rush hour.

Yes they do, just as others do about our part of the world.
But we can do something’s to help reduce the image of some of our stereotypes.

That was exactly my point, stereotypes are somewhat rooted in fact but obscured by reality. Just like most Texans seem to think Denver is cold and snowy all the time (we get that a bunch since we moved from Austin). Although I had a friend who lived in the UP, a long winter was a fact of life up there.

[ou48A]

With the right roof the thought of a modern engineered, solid, Compressed Earth Block (CEB) home is intriguing.

I would want to learn more.




An Overview of Different Construction Methods As They Pertain to Tornado Resistance

An Overview of Different Constru

To follow up on the above post this is an example of what rammed earth and PISE wall construction can look like. From what I’m understanding the cost is not a great amount more than building with sticks.



Villa Terra - mediterranean - exterior - san francisco - by Noel Cross+Architects