Designs of Storm Shelter for Schools and Essential Facilities
Does the thought of severe weather conditions make your heart skip a beat? This happens when someone talks about a tornado or hurricane. Any storm can create heavy damage around your property and harm you and your family. If you are a resident of Oklahoma, then you need to no further information regarding this; you are already a witness. Any such situation of OKC storm can take the situation from bad to worse in no time.
So, what is the best way to keep your family safe? The best solution will be to go inside storm shelters build in your house in Oklahoma City. However, you may not know that the shelters installed in schools and other essential facilities need a proper design following all the city codes and methodologies. Let us delve deep into the topic!
Why Is the Design of Storm Shelters Important?
Some years ago, the IBC or International Building Code made it necessary for places to have a storm shelter that has 250 wind speed maps with occupants of more than 50. These places can be a school or any commercial building as well. They have to follow the ICC standards for designing a storm shelter. They must build storm shelters considering the number of employees or students on a regular day. They can also create protection considering the largest indoor assembly space of the school or the essential facility.
The ICC 500 requirements are followed while building the storm shelter:
Critical support system
Structural design criteria
Impact and pressure testing
Occupant density
What Are the Factors in Deciding the Design of Storm Shelters?
Placement of the Shelter-
Storm shelter companies must consider the shelter's location before constructing it. Certain things have to be kept in mind while checking the location, like:
The proximity of the adjacent buildings
The collapse of those buildings
Debris that can fall
The IBC has made it clear that people should not have to travel more than 1,000 feet to get to the shelter. Any shelter that is placed in the school, be it attached or standing, has to abide by these rules. For the above ground storm shelters, the soil under it needs to be impact tested, which means whether the soil has the ability to withstand harsh weather condition. However, if the shelter is covered with 12 inches of soil, doesn’t need any such examination.
Some common factors that one must consider while selecting the location are:
Sanitization facilities
Impact protective system (windows and doors)
Occupant density
Operation & Management-
Nowadays, storm shelters are built in a way that provides communication systems like:
Dedicated landlines
Power lines for charging cell phones
Wireless access point
There are refrigerants where you can store your medicines and there should be convenient outlet on back-up power to help these electrical appliances run.. Apart from that, a Local Emergency Planning Committee has to be appointed to make emergency planning. Almost all storm shelters are built in a way that provides the best benefits to its user, so it is recommended to communicate with your shelter company while making the designs for the shelter.
Critical Support System-
Do you know what a support system means in storm shelter companies? It indicates the structure, components, and equipment that ensure the safety of the person who is going to be in it. If there is a loss of power, the shelter will have generators to keep the emergency lighting and water supply going. Apart from that, firstaid kits, fire extinguisher, back-up battery power are other components.
Ask Us for a Flawless Storm Shelter
If you are looking to get a storm shelter for school and essential facilities, then you should contact EF5 Tornado Shelter. We can help you install underground and above-ground shelters- whichever you like by following all the IBC rules. We are known for three things
Quick installation
Convivence
Maximum protection.
So, get going and call us at (405) 509-6888 and ask all your questions.