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School tornado shelter

C

cda

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Oct 19, 2009
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Anyone involved a school tornado shelter???


Have a strange question for someone who has.
 
Actually, I'm working on one right now that's part of a new elementary school. It's quite large because they are also calling it a "community" shelter. I wasn't involved in the design but it's well reinforced CMU (12" CMU with 2 #5 verticals per cell. Also the rebar is being joined with couplers instead of lap splices.
 
Msradell said:
Actually, I'm working on one right now that's part of a new elementary school. It's quite large because they are also calling it a "community" shelter. I wasn't involved in the design but it's well reinforced CMU (12" CMU with 2 #5 verticals per cell. Also the rebar is being joined with couplers instead of lap splices.
Click to expand...


Does it kind of have storm doors, as in once everyone is in, place is shut tight till storm is gone???
 
# ~ # ~ #

cda,

I reviewed plans for a Community Shelter some years ago.
They had sufficient MOE doors, but no mention of "locking
in place" until after the storm had passed.......Also, no plans
\ components for pressure(s) equalization inside the structure.
They had regular hollow metal door assemblies and panic
hardware on the MOE doors, but nothing else.

What are your concerns \ questions ?

# ~ # ~ #
 
  • Doors and their hardware and components must remain attached during the testing.

  • 1.So more than likely not an easy open door,,, plus needs to be kept shut once everyone is in the shelter.

  • And a school has a fire alarm system.


  • So my crazy thought is ::::
    Possible storm is coming. Everyone goes into the shelter. It sounds like once in, the shelter is locked down till the threat passes.
    So everyone is in the shelter, and the shelter is locked down, no one goes out.
    So say ten minutes into the lock down, the fire alarm goes off.
    No one can go out to check it or silence it.
    What do you do?? Go crazy after it has been sounding for five minutes plus, hope the batteries die, or other ??
    Just a thought
 
@ ~ @

In the design of the Shelter, provide a "readily accessible" interior
door to the alarm panel, so the sounding alarm can be addressed
\ silenced.

@ ~ @
 
I don't have the specifications for the doors, the drawings just say "Specially Tested Doors HWDE At Storm Shelter Partition". There Are 4 Vent Louvers in the Shelter Area. The Approximate Dimensions of the Shelter Area Is 200' x 100'.
 
Msradell said:
I don't have the specifications for the doors, the drawings just say "Specially Tested Doors HWDE At Storm Shelter Partition". There Are 4 Vent Louvers in the Shelter Area. The Approximate Dimensions of the Shelter Area Is 200' x 100'.
Click to expand...


Well once in and a possible threat is near,

Unless there is a means to silence the fire alarm

Or someone gets voted off the island, to go silence the fire alarm

It will go till the batteries die

And there will be some wound up people

Just a crazy thought that came up, we have our first shelter, so will see what happens
 
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