Travel trailer with pets during a tornado
I just moved into a travel trailer with my pets (two cats and a bunny). I have a built-in garage and there is no place to run to if there is a tornado. I was wanting to know if it would be safe to go into the garage and lay under the trailer with my pets? I am new at travel trailer living.
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If you don't have a shelter, then you want to find somewhere as safe as possible with solid walls surrounding you, at the core of your building.
Garages don't usually fulfil this role, as while you may have solid walls, the door is easily ripped off by high winds combined with the pressure differential in a tornado.
Additionally, if you are under a vehicle when this happens, especially a high sided vehicle, you are in a very dangerous place - it will move, and you could easily be crushed.
If you have a cupboard/closet under the stairs, or a small shower or bathroom with no windows in the centre of your house, that is your best plan. If not, get as close to that as possible - getting into the bath with some heavy rugs or blankets over the top is recommended as well, to protect from flying debris.
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Trailers can be literally thrown around by a tornado, even high straight winds can be a concern, under it is not a safe place.
Usually the idea is to know when they come and move out well before they hit: you, family, pets... these are the important things, the rest is replaceable so don't waste time in trying to save objects.
Keeping a bag ready with whats necessary for you+pets in an emergency (a "bug out bag") so that you can just "grab and go" can be a good idea. That bag would also be the place where you would normally store things like personal documents and important medications, so even if you use something everyday you know its either in your hand or in there.
Many RV guys consider a weather radio an essential item (in addition to that there are all the various websites and mobile apps that can help in keeping an eye on weather conditions at all times, and I'm talking about things in-depth like NOAA).
In risky areas where travel trailers are common there might be some sort of community shelters (or buildings that offer shelter to the community, heard of schools doing that for example), also look for any nearby suitable buildings where find refuge in the area (like parking garages) etc. The responsible for any organized area for trailers should be able to give you the right informations on what are your options, otherwise you could try asking the local police or fire dept.
Camping I heard plenty of people that say to keep an eye on the landscape that surrounds you, to use a ditch or similar. Id say that it cant hurt to be aware of the possibility but consider it a last resort thing.
This post was sourced from https://outdoors.stackexchange.com/a/11858. It is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
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