By Jane Glenn Cannon
The Oklahoman
NORMAN, Okla. — The city’s three emergency shelters were flooded with people when tornadoes threatened Norman on May 24, but many residents would have been safer if they had stayed home, Fire Chief James Fullingim said.
The shelters at Irving Middle School, Whittier Middle School and Cleveland Elementary School are not built to withstand EF4 or EF5 tornadoes, Fullingim said.
People also risked their lives driving to the shelters after the outdoor warning sirens were sounded, he said.
“The outdoor warning sirens are just that, a warning to people outdoors to go inside. If you haven’t already gone to a shelter by the time the sirens sound, it’s too late to drive to one,” he said.
The city’s shelters are intended for people who live in mobile homes or are caught on the road by an approaching or imminent tornado, he said. The shelters, however, are not wind-rated to withstand the power of an EF4 or EF5 tornado.
Near-panic situation
Because weather forecasters gave so much warning about possible deadly tornadoes May 24, “it led to a near-panic situation,” Fullingim said.
Thousands turned up at the three shelters, as well as at schools not designated as shelters, the YMCA, churches and buildings at the University of Oklahoma, Fullingim said.
“We don’t have exact figures, but we believe there were an estimated 10,000 to 15,000 people driving around looking for shelter. Most of those people didn’t find a place to go that was any safer than what they left behind,” he said.
Fullingim recommends that people plan in advance what they will do in the event of a tornado. Picking a safe spot in your home is better than getting in a car and driving around looking for shelter at the last minute, he said.
The fire chief talked to city council members about public misconceptions about storm shelters at a council conference last week.
He recommends that the city change the name of the three shelters from “emergency shelters” to “places of refuge, or something that more accurately describes what they are intended for,” he said.
Rules for entering shelters also need to be posted on the city’s website and at shelter locations, he said.
People arrived with pets when the shelters are really just for people, he said.
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