Safety Strategies for Tornados and High Winds

PerMies are a pretty self determined group of folks, and I don't think that too many are on the public dole. Some actually fear the Government. Yet we all pay taxes. How about demanding our money's worth!
The best time to plan is long before an emergency. Folks might want to  go to their local officials to inquire about the nearest shelter In case of an emergency.
That might spur them to locate emergency shelters, hunt for unused buildings with a basement. Even in rural communities, I know for example that in Wisconsin, we have a number of abandoned school buildings in rural areas. Disaffected businesses could also serve, if they have a sheltered area. So too abandoned buildings/ other properties. They often have a basement. Not the greatest comfort, but in a pinch, for a couple of days, it will do.
If there is not a shelter, now is the time to push your local officials to build one [or 2 or more].
Raising their consciousness will also do something else: It will tell them that at your location, there are vulnerable people. After the emergency is over, these would be the first I'd check and take fresh water to, blankets etc..
How about creating a list with names/ phone numbers addresses for in case all "He double hockey sticks" breaks loose.
We do tend to get on so many lists for so many dubious causes as is! this list might actually help.
I'm lucky to live in Central Wisconsin, a place that doesn't see many disasters on the scale seen in other places but I have no connection to folks who might be in a precarious position.

How do you think the Berm Shed would do in a high wind or tornadic event?  There is a massive amount of weight on it, but uplift is probably noteworthy at times.  

A bit about how it's put together:

I expect the structure of the berm shed would hold up well. So long as there was a lot of weight on top even a strong tornado would not likely lift the roof. On the other hand, being open in front most things inside would certainly be put in a bit of disarray.

However, in my area and climate, trees large enough to build it are not in overabundant supply nor easily accessible.  It would easily cost way over 200 dollars to rent or hire the equipment to harvest and move them into place even if I only used those from my own property. Still, it is kind a neat idea except that it would only be temporary as the termites would eventually eat down.

I'm confident that here, something similar of steel reinforced concrete would be far more durable, economical and environmentally friendly in the long run. Only, with tornado in mind, I would close the front.

Actually, now that I'm thinking of it, dry stacked rock such as seen in very old surviving root cellars would be even better cheaper/less environmentally detrimental than concrete and I have abundance of nice flat creek rock, easy to get too and haul.

Sepp Holzer makes similar ones out of stone.  Termite free alternative without all the inputs of concrete and steel.

That equipment rental price sounds far less than the cost of a comparable structure.

Love the idea of a closed front.

I took some time to review what I could on the construction of a berm shed.  It is quite possible I missed some points, but here is what I could see:  The half shelf lap joints on top of the vertical posts does not appear to provide a positive connection to allow lift forces to be carried into the ground.  It was also not clear if the posts were set with a stone chocking for at least 4 feet below the surface or set into concrete or anchored by bolts to a concrete footer.  From the cost, probably few if any of those.  This creates a potential weakness that might allow a large tornadic event to lift the roof and at least bang it around a bit.  The load along the back and on top will help, but I worked the Greensburg, KS EF-5 and wonder since you are too close for comfort to that kind of beast if a structure built without a strong continuous load path may fail.  In addition, I see the rear wall on the berm shed comprised of horizontal logs.  Now, they are separated from the dirt, which is good, but a better orientation for a couple of reasons would be to make the rear wall all vertical logs.  That was a Quebec design, but using vertical poles would allow reversing each pole to allow use of smaller poles (quicker and easier) while allowing those vertical poles to provide support in both directions.  Use of rope would provide a flexible connection that would provide both uplift and gravity support.  The Egyptians used ropes to hold their boats together and it seems to have been a great method.  With horizontal rear poles, only the upper pole would provide a load path connection, while with vertical poles, held with a flexible connector would provide a load path for the entire rear wall from ground to horizontal pole.  Additionally, if one travels the woods much, it is clear that logs that lie down rot far faster than those that remain standing.

The half shelf lap over vertical pole along the front (or back, I assume) would be better oriented on its side with the connection for the two horizontal poles fastened with an oak tenon (old time versions used a cross piece through the smaller end to provide wind vibration resistance.  If one wished to increase the load path connection, then a good rope wound around the horizontal beam and carried down to the vertical one would significantly increase upward resistance.  Far more than any of the vertical smooth bars I noted being placed, if any were placed at all, for those joints.  An alternative might be to run strap iron over the horizontal and fasten to the vertical pole.  Just make sure that any nails or anchor holes on the vertical pole are offset.  Wood poles do not split nearly as easily with offset holes than with holes that are aligned.

Very interesting observations and input, Richard.  Especially your comments about orienting the rear logs vertically.  Makes sense.

That Greensburg tornado was an absolute monster.  I worked with a volunteer crew for the new construction in rebuilding.  Got my first exposure to leed certification and so-called carbon-neutral hi-tech.  It took me a couple decades to come to question some of the "cutting edge" methods I so revered at that time.  Still, I learned heaps.

Thanks for your input.  Have you chimed in with these thoughts on the berm shed design thread?  https://permies.com/t/38510/berm-sheds

Beau - No, I had not yet.  I have been doing some review of various potential hazards to try to ensure a comprehensive thread.  For example, those in moderate to severe earthquake risk area could place longer poles from lower to upper corners for each module to prevent displacement of the poles and to allow the structure to move with the forces rather than attempting to break in brittle mode, which might happen if too rigid or not properly stabilized.  Another thought was to address insect invaders such as termites, carpenter ants or fire ants for those unfortunate enough to have to live with those destructive and dangerous colonies.  Could plantings of appropriate vegetation provide some resistance to impacts?  Chrysanthemums are the source for pymethrins and tansy often offputs ants.

What about damp or wet soil causing rot in the support pole footings?  Use of borate is a tried and true more natural insect repellent/wood preservative.  I am also working on how to provide construction details for  longer lasting foundations.  More in the mill.