That's not the point. If a government agency is going to have a public access place like this it should be maintained for use, period. Sounds like the city just didn't care.
@@crazyoldbat7600the point is there’s the department of code enforcement. The city can fine and “condemn” a privatized home due to conditions. So a city maintained structure is no exception. Typical government operation.
I mean they could have just slapped a closed sign on it and folks would have to figure it out on their own. It’s no one’s job to build these and they aren’t required in most areas. If I came to a shelter and it was full of water and steep to get into I’d carry my family down and let them sit on my shoulders if it made them comfy. I’d count myself lucky to have had a place to go.
It should have been kept up all these years, without the water or humidity in there. As big as that is, it would hold a lot of people. FIX IT RIGHT!!!!!
The one person interviewed stated she’s gone to the local school in the past but it wasn’t available. If this is the only shelter, then it needs to be maintained so it is actually a safe shelter. Standing water is not safe or healthy. The fact that it was condemned shows it was NOT a safe shelter.
I love that the city worker confirmed that the building is always flooded like that, when the witness marks on the wall suggest that it has been 4ft under at one point, which sounds much worse than 3 inches.
Rehabbing the shelter is not rocket science. They need a sump pump down there or other kind of pump or drain. The cement probably needs refinishing so any water coming in has a place to drain to. The door can be weather proofed to prevent moisture from getting in, and the walls can get a couple of coats of water sealer for concrete. Finding more chairs is as easy as asking the locals if they have any wood/metal chairs they want to donate. The labor to rehab the room can be done by the locals also, at no charge except for materials. I am sure that the townspeople will rise up and take care of what needs to be done. It should have been done a long time ago. I don't know why every town doesn't have a storm/hurricane or tornado shelter available. For people who are stuck on the road and a tornado is coming, certain buildings are safe for you to run to. Hospitals are wonderful, as they are built with steel and reinforced so many ways to keep patients safe. Hotel lobbies away from the windows and in a main hallway are good. There are other buildings like these that also are built with extra reinforcement. I would find out what is in your town that can provide emergency shelter in a tornado if you are in trouble, and let others know where they are. Your city building inspectors can give you a list of really strong and safe buildings as they've inspected them.
If you live in a small town, as I do, your options after normal business hours are very limited. I've talked with our local government, with our police, with our firefighters, even the county emergency management office. There is NOTHING. There are no hotels. There is no hospital. There is a truck stop on the Interstate. Lots of plate glass, tiny restrooms, they are going to be full up with truckers and travelers, no room for locals. Fire station, they don't want you there. No basement. Churches, closed. Schools, closed. Maybe a bar, if you are lucky and it is not crowded and it is not after 2 AM. You are also assuming that employees know what to do in case of a tornado. In September 2008 a small EF-1 tornado struck the town of Paw Paw, Michigan. I was at the laundromat at the time which was only a block or so away from the tornado's path. The employee in charge told us to lie down by the rack of dryers, directly opposite a series of large plate glass windows. I told her "this is not safe, we need to be in the bathroom or a closet." She said, "this is what my boss told me to do." She would not allow anyone to go into the bathroom or a closet. So that is what we did, laid down by the dryers. Fortunately the tornado passed by without hitting the laundromat. I don't know about hospitals or hotels, maybe they are more weather aware there. I do know that the National Weather Service in Grand Rapids, Michigan is very concerned about the fact that there hasn't been a really violent tornado here since the 1950's and that we are long overdue for one. I was talking with one of their representatives at Skywarn training recently and I brought up the 1965 Palm Sunday outbreak which I still have vivid memories of. He said, that is one of our worse fears, if we should have something like that happen here, the death toll could be in the hundreds because people simply are not prepared. The trouble is nobody wants to spend the money. Imagine if we were to treat fires the same way we do tornadoes . . .
@@theresemalmberg955 Perhaps in your town you could bring up a storm shelter issue at the next city hall meeting, if they have them. If not, you could meet with them personally to brainstorm the way forward to get a shelter done. There might be abandoned buildings that are structurally sound that could be used for the shelter. It could be inspected to see what it will need. It may not be perfect, but better than nothing. Funding for it can be gotten through a variety of channels - local donations and perhaps a state grant, if anyone either in government there or county can complete one. Volunteers to do the work who are skilled/semi-skilled and/or retired who can help. Getting the ball rolling sounds like something you can do, as you have obviously done your homework on this already and have an interest in keeping people safe in an emergency. It only takes one person to make enough noise to get projects done. I wish I was there to help. This should be every town. We pay taxes, and a shelter is part of the infrastructure, or should be. Prices for a in-ground shelter vary, so it would be worthwhile to explore that, plus capacity. Some people who live locally have basements, no doubt. They might want to be on a list of below-ground shelters for anyone who needs it. That would be free, in several locations, and more convenient than just having one. In fact every town could have a basement shelter list kept up to date yearly by the town.
Here in tornado alley, you'd think someone might have planned for this, especially since this isn't the first time tornadoes have been around Sulphur. Who is the emergency management person for the City of Sulphur? Or is there one???
Even for home owners with shelters, often the only option 'available' to install for chair users? Above ground shelters that are unlikely to hold up to an a slow EF5...
I live in Oklahoma. From my limited experience, mostly from rural shelters, most of them don't have wheelchair access. The stairs are designed to be very steep, probably to make for a quicker and more space efficient entrance to the shelter. It's just kinda the standard. I'm not saying it shouldn't change, but it's sadly just kinda the norm.
@@JulianaBlewett I live in California. No shelter here would be in existence if handicap access wasn't available. The handicapped here have more access to buildings than ordinary people. It's the policy there obviously not to hare access for the elderly. Why is that?
@@debsgirl8 They don't want to get sued for something they are not obligated to provide. Litigious people will sue if they stub their toe, always looking to make an easy buck.
Youd think that checking out the shelter in the middle of tornado alley would be a priority every year. Whats the point of it if its unusable? Somebody dropped the ball on this one.
Oklahomans dont really care about people.. Only reason they are out doing anything now is because their town blew over on them and most of them will vote against helping you by next week lol
In a perfect world people are appreciative and not complaining because they are not in a 5 star storm shelter. Hell we would have to dig a hole and jump in that would fill up with water as we were sheltering from a tornado. smh, Be happy you're alive. Now it's shut down and this tornado season is just getting started.
Actually part of living in a country that is by and for the people means that people should expect a certain level of protection, both from outside dangers and dangers arising from within- like natural disasters. We had bomb shelters all over this country- for years. They were used for weather related disasters then. Need them now.
I saw a lot of dry floor in there, but at least now people will have to stand outside in a tornado rather than get damp socks while they head into the shelter.
This is just a suggestion, but a few volunteers could clean, and add a ramp, a pump, and do any other maintanance needed to keep it open. I see why there were complaints, but I'm sure something can be done to rectify the situation. It's a shame it got into that shape to begin with.
Yep, a little elbow grease and a pressure washer, some bleach and UV lamps to sanitize it all. Easier to condemn it than to clean it up and be responsible for ADA regulations for public facilities.
Wait, so their solution to having a broken shelter is to close the shelter so that now everyone has no place to go? That's insanity. I realize that it's not ideal but buy a sump pump and new chairs for now and direct disabled people to another shelter in a neighboring town for now until a ramp can be installed or a new shelter created.
It's easy to see that there was standing water at the 4.5 or so foot mark and then for a while at the 2.5-3 foot darker mark on the wall. The chairs didn't all break. However, instead, they were under water so long that the chair legs just disintegrated into powder over time. It takes years, not months, to make those stains and for the chairs to rot that bad. This is why shelters built more recently are multi-use rooms, that are used more often so they aren't neglected.
Honestly, if it isn't required of the city, I'd just appreciate there's a place to go at all. Now that it's condemned, if not required, the city will probably just not have one.
It would be nice if our cities didn't just look at the money when it comes to infrastructure. It would be great if they appreciated our tax dollars and in response did things in the town so people would be taken care of. It's called caring about each other. Too many politicians hide their lack of empathy behind "There's no money for that." But when it's grant time, they find money to do ridiculous projects just so they can say the money was used. A prime example is roundabouts stuck in the most inconvenient and unnecessary areas.
Sulfer hit in 2016 now again. Yet even with millions in property taxes the community wont provide safety for citizens. Should be law that every city has community tornado shelters in tornado prone areas. If poor alabama could do it the rest of the states can.
That rural towns for ya. They don't care. They always think it will never happen to them. Until it does. I live in a rural town. They have their heads in the sand too. Rural folks have a very over eggagerated sense of "we're tough." Then a tornado shows up and says, "Hold my beer." My ignorant town just barely missed getting hit this weekend and they are continually warned to be better prepared but they still won't prepare. I don't get it.
You're responsible for your well-being,it was a safe place to go that now has been removed as an option for people who would be thankful,you should be ashamed at your entitlement.
@@dylancress1016 Its inadequacy leaves more people in danger than if it didn't exist at all. They had no idea of the condition until she brought them there, and one of them couldn't get into it at all. If not for their caregiver responding to their request for help quickly and putting herself in danger, they could have very well been lost to the storm. I cannot imagine the lack of care and disregard anyone must have to tell 2 elderly people requiring caregiving services, one of whom is in a wheelchair, that if they want shelter they should build one themselves. That is not the attitude of someone who should be responsible for their community's safety. Although honestly, I see that attitude all over Oklahoma, so I really shouldn't be surprised by it. One exception is that caregiver - she went above and beyond to try to help her clients. She is an unfortunately rare treasure.
Weighing the options, I’d rather stand in a few inches of water in a shelter than not be in a shelter when a tornado comes through. But there’s no reason to be in there for HOURS.
Shamed they condemned the shelter. A couple of donations and a few volunterrs may have saved this place. You would think the city would be glad to provide for the people who keep that city alive.
Had something similar happen in my town. Shelter hadn't been opened in years because we didn't need it. Then we did and found it in poor shape. On the bright side, everyone was safe from the storm. Difference in our case, though, is no one complained like a Karen. We volunteered to take over upkeep and now we have a nice shelter. Sounds like y'all have nothing now. Great community.
Seems like it would be a good idea to check all public shelters on a regular basis -- at least a couple times a year to ensure they're in good condition. There's probably more communities which would benefit from doing so. Where I live, there are no shelters to go to in case of a tornado because our state rarely gets them and when they do happen they're like an EF0. In the event of something stronger, we'd be out of luck. I hope Sulphur and other communities will improve their emergency shelters.
So once the cows were already out of the barn, the city was able to figure out that the door was busted and the barn was unfit for its intended purpose.
@@kellileaneriley4263 the town was under multiple warnings thru the night at one point 3 were issued over sulphur at the sme time for confirmed tornados
Just have to say just a few years ago you could buy a 6 person storm shelter and have it installed for $3,300.. 2024 its between $18-$24k for a 9 person.. a 6 person is between $10-$14k with install. These are underground ones. DIY the cement and excavator rental will be most expensive pieces but again this will cost around $5-$7k to build however you can make it bigger for not much more. I would not suggest going with above ground ones.
Absolutely negligent of city...what an attitude, build your own if you dont like our stinky, dirty, mildewy, shelter with its risty chairs snd standing water. Devils in the council. A pathetic reminder of the way most city officials handle things. Oklahoma citizens need to hold this city responsible...
@@jt1364 Sump pumps Cost around $200 and would last about 5 years. Not that expensive to maintain the shelter but cost taxpayers thousands to build and left to rot.
All full of love and praise after the tragedy. Grandstanding how us good ol’ boys come together to pray and help one another but this is truly where the rubber hits the road. A good example of why I left and didn’t look back at my little Midwest town.
Well they had a shelter until someone wasnt happy enough. Now no one has a shelter. Should have sat in the rusty chair and thanked them for your life......
Yep, those Karens are complaining about a few inches of water as some of their houses are gone! Next time they won't have that option because they will be the reason this shelter was shut down, it's likely they will survive but their poor neighbors who appreciated a safe place to go won't.
@@phillhuddleston9445 What a fantastic attitude. It amazes me how communities can come together to help one another during emergencies, but don't give a damn to volunteer to help maintain the shelter or provide insightful solutions. The response: just condemn people and call them names.
That just seems like a small town dilemma. Mustve been happening for decades for all we know, but some people gotta duck and cover! Figure out the flooding and utilize any donated furniture so it isnt just folding chairs and school chairs. Oh and some expired MRE rations from your local army surplus store
I live in far eastern Kentucky so I don’t deal with tornado weather often(thankfully). But my family’s property was moderately damaged by a tornado in 2011. I’m 28 now, my grandparents are passed and my parents are in their 60’s. I take care of the property myself, and as I’ve gotten older I’ve become more and more afraid of tornadoes. So when I have the money, I plan to build a dedicated underground tornado shelter. It’ll be built straight into the side of a mountain, just big enough for maybe 5-10 people to squeeze into. It will have cinderblock exterior walls and inside that will be essentially a welded steel box with a vault door, ventilation and some drinking water I’ll keep up to date regularly. I think if you live anywhere in America, you should have a shelter like this. If you can’t afford it on your own then look to your neighbors and see if you could go in on it together. Too many strong tornadoes in this country to trust a house no matter how well it’s built.
If that was my only option for safety during a tornado I would gratefully accept it and I would work with others there to help those in wheelchairs down. Then, after the tornado, I would have volunteered my time to help get it fixed and safe instead of complaining to the news about it. Now that it’s become an issue and city that’s strapped for cash can’t rectify so it’s condemned and no one gets to use it. Sounds like progress.
You can see the water line on the wall how deep the water gets. That could have been a watery grave for the people trying to get to safety. Not being handicap accessible is even worse.
You'd think in the middle of tornado alley and with more frequent tornadoes emergency management officials would've planned for a better tornado shelter for the public. Not handicapped acessible, floods, now it's condemed. This is the only shelter in the town. They're worried about lawsuits if someone gets injured in the shelter or trip and falls or something ridiculous like that. This is inexcusable negligence.
I’d rather stand in 3” of water and live than not. There is also no cause to remain down there for hours when a tornado is gone in minutes. In the end folks, only YOU are responsible for your safety. No one else is.
So let me get this right. An inch of water in a storm shelter during a storm is cause for such concern that now Sulphur has no storm shelter at all. Brilliant! Apparently, the young lady who complained has never had to go to a storm shelter previous to this situation. While I agree that improvements can be made, a storm shelter is not a 5-star hotel. Edit: By the way, if people were down in that shelter for hours than that's on them since a tornado passes through within minutes.
Disgusting. This place is health hazard and needs to be condemned. The residents deserve an accounting for their tax dollars and what is being done with their city taxes. Audit the public 'servants' who are paid to take care of such things.
We're on our own here in Shawnee, OK. They don't even have a stinky old shelter like that. It really is your responsibility to prepare. We have some of the best weather stations in the country who give is ample heads up. We knew this bad storm was coming for days. We had to bunker down at my father in laws cause his house is more solid...our shelter is scheduled for installation next month. Towns can't provide a shelter for every citizien. That's just ridiculous to expect of them and to blame them. How did our ancestors survive? By being vigilant and preparing for themselves.
Typical. Surprised stuff like this is not taken care of. I am not. This is the end result of not covering infrastructure costs and keeping up on your responsibilities as government. That is what tax dollars are for. Not lecterns or vacations or golden toilet seats.
Woooow just look at the high water mark left in there. Imagine they needed shelter while it was that full *also isn't standing water a good place for all kinds of nasty bacteria? Imagine these people riding out the storm just to catch legionaires
Not saying the city's perfect, but it's worth pointing out it was a rare once in a decade or more weather pattern training extreme precipitation storm systems over the same area for several hours. And flash floods defy the water table risks that zoning, codes and municipal risk assessments try to address with flood zones. You could go 10 minutes outside of town and find farms with 40 year old cellars that weren't any more impressive or accessible. It's a bad situation, it sucked, and anything that lets you live and walk away from the night is still a win.
I agree it needs renovating/repaired, Possible replaced if needed. A handicap access would be a plus! With a handicapped wife in a rural community I can understand. But...during the storm that destroyed Sulphur, Did anyone die while in this shelter? the lack of good chairs or water in the floor cause anyone to go back out? I'm sure it was a wonderful place to be when the town was being pounded...Yes it needs attention, but from the videos & picture Ive seen, There's a lot more to be worried about than this issue... We don't have access to any storm shelter here. People has to buy or build their own for their family.
Sounds like a short-sighted city council with an attitude of "it can't happen in my town". Well Mother's Nature sure proved them wrong. All cities and large public facilities in tornado Alley should have storm shelters. Make them multifunctional so the shelters don't sit and rot as empty real estate.
lesson learned, if the law doesn't require it, don't attempt to provide it, tell the residents THEY should have built a shelter or THEY should have authorized expenditures and taxes to create one.
This was probably built 40 years ago before ADA or any consideration for wheelchair access or elderly who can't negotiate the steep stairs. Disregarded and just ignored, they probably got federal dollars to build it and maybe even got annual money because they could check off the paper work that it was there as shelter on city property.
That is absolutely disgraceful! There is no excuse for that, and no excuse for it not to be accessible. However, there is very much an attitude of "I've got mine, to hell with you" when it comes to storm safety. Where I live in Michigan there are NO public storm shelters of any kind. So if you live in a mobile home park or an apartment complex, well, it sucks to be you. I have friends who know full well that I live in a mobile home park without a shelter. But when severe weather threatens, it is up to me to call around and see who might be home and who might be able and willing to let me shelter with them. It does not occur to them, sitting safely in their own basements, to pick up the phone and call me and say, hey, get over here, a storm's coming. Instead, they will tell me, well you should take this issue up with local government, you should take this up with park management, you should take this up with state government. It is what I call a total lack of imagination and empathy. Same with this shelter. It is saying "this is what we think of people who don't have their own home shelters." We literally worship the homeowner, everything is geared around them. The rest of us don't exist. We are an afterthought, if we are thought of at all.
The city really just up and told people to buy their own shelters when these people probably can't afford such a thing and said "I missed the part where that is my problem". Please remember, your citizens can't pay their taxes if they're dead.
First....my prayers go out to everyone affected by these storms.... But....i find this strange....these city's are not "required" to provide a storm shelter for the public. This city installed one but obviously did not keep it up. So how many people working for this city over the years knew about it and obviously did nothing to make sure it was useful? Sounds like a lot of people in this smaller town were under the idea of "its not my issue". I live in Central Oklahoma and can testify that way too many people take all of this for granted even though we get our share of these (and then some) every year.....yet, not many people really do much about safety from these things. Kind of odd. I would say that anyone living in Oklahoma needs to have a plan for this stuff and keep up with it. Tornados are here every year and so many people don't seem to think about this until this happens. In short....if your town has a community shelter, be active in how it's kept up if you don't have your own.
The government is so concerned about the people, that they immediately condemned it. Politicians: "There ya go umm, yeah people, umm whatever. At least we're banning books!"
Way to go OK emergency services! Now, non-wealthy Sulphur residents have no storm shelter at all, although it's not as if that rusty, flooded, moldy hovel (earlier, pre-pump water line halfway to ceiling) with no disabled access could've been considered a form of refuge anyway. A big BOO to the lame losers in charge of emergency preparedness/disbursement/oversight in this part of Tornado Alley! Sounds like Sulphur's City Council, Chamber of Commerce, Board of Health & Safety or your main industry's Board of Directors has been pocketing funds designated for storm shelter planning, construction, furnishing & maintenance! Oversight, anyone?
That is why volunteers with all their skills and knowledge in the area can step up and get a permit to renovate the one that is there. Other than getting a sump pump or other pump, redoing the door so it doesn't leak water and checking ventilation needs, most of the rest is elbow grease with power washing and sealing the concrete.
A community shelter like that is almost an Atlas Shrugged argument, but with an eye to secured or government funding. An insurance company may take a different position. A remodel or expansion to have enough lifeboat room isn't difficult, and some may have to get permission to dig. Meanwhile, tornado chasing contracts- at emergency rates- want to help property owners or operators.
Oh and I was just thinking that campgrounds and mobile home parks should have a community shelter available and why couldn't they just address the water issue and fix this one back up fairly quickly to leave none isn't fair either and wasn't there another one that could have also have been refurbished that was already shut down
So they get angry, tell the lady to buy her own shelter, then they send their guy down, find it's not good, so they SHUT IT DOWN... Why not REBUILD IT? Why not... RENOVATE IT??... Sulphur nearly got like FIVE TIMES in the span of what... an HOUR?!...
hate to break this to people about city's not being responsible for storm shelters but their are it was made mandatory by several governor's and lawmakers across several different states in tornado Alley and the majority of them were surprisingly Republicans it was a bill that was signed into after Joplin and then sentiment even more after el Reno and moore so yes they are responsible for the safty of the citzen cause it's now a law that these places are supposed to have some sort of storm shelter in place if you don't believe me about the bill it's out there on the internet so a quick Google search is all anyone needs to do
This is unacceptable! And the mayor should be ashamed!!! I seen him crying in a different vlog and I felt really bad for him and now I’m just outraged!!!!!!! Also- HOW can people live in these areas and not have a shelter ? It’s like living in Alaska and not having a snow shovel!!!! Unreal !
Mayors don't have power or authority, they are just a figure head for the city. The real blame goes to the city council who has the power and the purse strings, and next the city manager. Go to the county emergency management office too and raise heck.
The city should have inspected the shelter BEFORE it was needed to verify that it was to current codes and that it was ready for use.
Having a city shelter at all is not required by law.
That's not the point. If a government agency is going to have a public access place like this it should be maintained for use, period. Sounds like the city just didn't care.
@@crazyoldbat7600the point is there’s the department of code enforcement. The city can fine and “condemn” a privatized home due to conditions. So a city maintained structure is no exception. Typical government operation.
I mean they could have just slapped a closed sign on it and folks would have to figure it out on their own. It’s no one’s job to build these and they aren’t required in most areas.
If I came to a shelter and it was full of water and steep to get into I’d carry my family down and let them sit on my shoulders if it made them comfy. I’d count myself lucky to have had a place to go.
It should have been kept up all these years, without the water or humidity in there. As big as that is, it would hold a lot of people. FIX IT RIGHT!!!!!
The one person interviewed stated she’s gone to the local school in the past but it wasn’t available. If this is the only shelter, then it needs to be maintained so it is actually a safe shelter. Standing water is not safe or healthy. The fact that it was condemned shows it was NOT a safe shelter.
pRETTY SURE IT WAS CONDEMENED JUST TO STOP THE WHINING. oops sorry for the caps.
@@jt1364 its was condemned because you'll catch the flesh eating cooties down there
@@jt1364🙄🙄🙄
Safer than being in a home or outside in the path of a tornado, these people were not forced to go in there and most cities do not offer shelters.
@@jt1364 the fact that you recognized you had caps lock on and didn't fix it proves you did it on purpose.
City: "Fine. If you don't like our shelter, It's now closed. Have fun and good luck"
I love that the city worker confirmed that the building is always flooded like that, when the witness marks on the wall suggest that it has been 4ft under at one point, which sounds much worse than 3 inches.
Rehabbing the shelter is not rocket science. They need a sump pump down there or other kind of pump or drain. The cement probably needs refinishing so any water coming in has a place to drain to. The door can be weather proofed to prevent moisture from getting in, and the walls can get a couple of coats of water sealer for concrete. Finding more chairs is as easy as asking the locals if they have any wood/metal chairs they want to donate. The labor to rehab the room can be done by the locals also, at no charge except for materials. I am sure that the townspeople will rise up and take care of what needs to be done. It should have been done a long time ago. I don't know why every town doesn't have a storm/hurricane or tornado shelter available. For people who are stuck on the road and a tornado is coming, certain buildings are safe for you to run to. Hospitals are wonderful, as they are built with steel and reinforced so many ways to keep patients safe. Hotel lobbies away from the windows and in a main hallway are good. There are other buildings like these that also are built with extra reinforcement. I would find out what is in your town that can provide emergency shelter in a tornado if you are in trouble, and let others know where they are. Your city building inspectors can give you a list of really strong and safe buildings as they've inspected them.
Do they qualify for the state of emergency funding?
If you live in a small town, as I do, your options after normal business hours are very limited. I've talked with our local government, with our police, with our firefighters, even the county emergency management office. There is NOTHING. There are no hotels. There is no hospital. There is a truck stop on the Interstate. Lots of plate glass, tiny restrooms, they are going to be full up with truckers and travelers, no room for locals. Fire station, they don't want you there. No basement. Churches, closed. Schools, closed. Maybe a bar, if you are lucky and it is not crowded and it is not after 2 AM.
You are also assuming that employees know what to do in case of a tornado. In September 2008 a small EF-1 tornado struck the town of Paw Paw, Michigan. I was at the laundromat at the time which was only a block or so away from the tornado's path. The employee in charge told us to lie down by the rack of dryers, directly opposite a series of large plate glass windows. I told her "this is not safe, we need to be in the bathroom or a closet." She said, "this is what my boss told me to do." She would not allow anyone to go into the bathroom or a closet. So that is what we did, laid down by the dryers. Fortunately the tornado passed by without hitting the laundromat. I don't know about hospitals or hotels, maybe they are more weather aware there. I do know that the National Weather Service in Grand Rapids, Michigan is very concerned about the fact that there hasn't been a really violent tornado here since the 1950's and that we are long overdue for one. I was talking with one of their representatives at Skywarn training recently and I brought up the 1965 Palm Sunday outbreak which I still have vivid memories of. He said, that is one of our worse fears, if we should have something like that happen here, the death toll could be in the hundreds because people simply are not prepared. The trouble is nobody wants to spend the money. Imagine if we were to treat fires the same way we do tornadoes . . .
@@theresemalmberg955 Perhaps in your town you could bring up a storm shelter issue at the next city hall meeting, if they have them. If not, you could meet with them personally to brainstorm the way forward to get a shelter done. There might be abandoned buildings that are structurally sound that could be used for the shelter. It could be inspected to see what it will need. It may not be perfect, but better than nothing. Funding for it can be gotten through a variety of channels - local donations and perhaps a state grant, if anyone either in government there or county can complete one. Volunteers to do the work who are skilled/semi-skilled and/or retired who can help. Getting the ball rolling sounds like something you can do, as you have obviously done your homework on this already and have an interest in keeping people safe in an emergency. It only takes one person to make enough noise to get projects done. I wish I was there to help. This should be every town. We pay taxes, and a shelter is part of the infrastructure, or should be. Prices for a in-ground shelter vary, so it would be worthwhile to explore that, plus capacity. Some people who live locally have basements, no doubt. They might want to be on a list of below-ground shelters for anyone who needs it. That would be free, in several locations, and more convenient than just having one. In fact every town could have a basement shelter list kept up to date yearly by the town.
That's pretty sad,, somebody is going to be in Hot Water.
As a GOVERNMENT facility they are REQUIRED to be ADA accessible. No easy fix for that!
Here in tornado alley, you'd think someone might have planned for this, especially since this isn't the first time tornadoes have been around Sulphur. Who is the emergency management person for the City of Sulphur? Or is there one???
Having no access for wheelchair bound people, is a show of gross negligence.
Even for home owners with shelters, often the only option 'available' to install for chair users? Above ground shelters that are unlikely to hold up to an a slow EF5...
I live in Oklahoma. From my limited experience, mostly from rural shelters, most of them don't have wheelchair access. The stairs are designed to be very steep, probably to make for a quicker and more space efficient entrance to the shelter. It's just kinda the standard. I'm not saying it shouldn't change, but it's sadly just kinda the norm.
It's not a gross example of negligence. It's a criminal act.
@@JulianaBlewett I live in California. No shelter here would be in existence if handicap access wasn't available. The handicapped here have more access to buildings than ordinary people. It's the policy there obviously not to hare access for the elderly. Why is that?
@FerretKibble It’s not policy to not have access for the elderly, it’s called the building being old asf
Most cities stopped providing community shelters due to liability issues. I know in Lawton they closed all of the shelters years ago.
Depopulation. They make millions in property taxes a 10k shelter is nothing for a town to purchase. They just dont care about human life.
Why?
@@debsgirl8 They don't want to get sued for something they are not obligated to provide. Litigious people will sue if they stub their toe, always looking to make an easy buck.
@@terramarini6880 but those impaled on trees being deceased will be unable to sue
Now because of some Karens this one will likely be shut down too.
It’s either that or face the tornado. I’ll take anything but the tornado if one is survivable.
The Government has shelters are stocked full of supplies and this is what the sheeple get. Sounds about right 😢😢😢.
If I had to choose between dying in a tornado or standing in 3 inches of water. I'll take the water.
Youd think that checking out the shelter in the middle of tornado alley would be a priority every year. Whats the point of it if its unusable? Somebody dropped the ball on this one.
Good for that young lady. That place was disgusting and no wheel chair ramp.? Where's their tax money going.?
Politicians pockets as usual
Oklahomans dont really care about people.. Only reason they are out doing anything now is because their town blew over on them and most of them will vote against helping you by next week lol
In a perfect world people are appreciative and not complaining because they are not in a 5 star storm shelter. Hell we would have to dig a hole and jump in that would fill up with water as we were sheltering from a tornado. smh, Be happy you're alive. Now it's shut down and this tornado season is just getting started.
Their pockets.
Hmmm oklahoma=republican=pockets
Prepare for the worst and pray for the best,
The best person to take care of you, is YOU!
Actually part of living in a country that is by and for the people means that people should expect a certain level of protection, both from outside dangers and dangers arising from within- like natural disasters. We had bomb shelters all over this country- for years. They were used for weather related disasters then. Need them now.
The best one to trust in is God. People will fail.
🙏🙂❤️
@@Elysian777 God is my protector. People will fail.
🙏🙂❤️
@@cathyl8675 Cool, who do you believe invented weather?
@@cathyl8675 Oh so god just hates children when they're killed by a tornado?
I saw a lot of dry floor in there, but at least now people will have to stand outside in a tornado rather than get damp socks while they head into the shelter.
This is just a suggestion, but a few volunteers could clean, and add a ramp, a pump, and do any other maintanance needed to keep it open. I see why there were complaints, but I'm sure something can be done to rectify the situation. It's a shame it got into that shape to begin with.
Yep, a little elbow grease and a pressure washer, some bleach and UV lamps to sanitize it all. Easier to condemn it than to clean it up and be responsible for ADA regulations for public facilities.
Agreed. Every underground shelter collects water. After all, they are underground. Sump pump and yearly volunteer maintenance and you should be good.
Exactly. Well said.
Maybe, instead of prisoners doing slave labor for tax-evading corporations, they should be doing projects like this that benefit the communities
Wait, so their solution to having a broken shelter is to close the shelter so that now everyone has no place to go? That's insanity. I realize that it's not ideal but buy a sump pump and new chairs for now and direct disabled people to another shelter in a neighboring town for now until a ramp can be installed or a new shelter created.
It's easy to see that there was standing water at the 4.5 or so foot mark and then for a while at the 2.5-3 foot darker mark on the wall. The chairs didn't all break. However, instead, they were under water so long that the chair legs just disintegrated into powder over time. It takes years, not months, to make those stains and for the chairs to rot that bad. This is why shelters built more recently are multi-use rooms, that are used more often so they aren't neglected.
Honestly, if it isn't required of the city, I'd just appreciate there's a place to go at all. Now that it's condemned, if not required, the city will probably just not have one.
GOOD
They didn't think about that part.
It would be nice if our cities didn't just look at the money when it comes to infrastructure. It would be great if they appreciated our tax dollars and in response did things in the town so people would be taken care of. It's called caring about each other. Too many politicians hide their lack of empathy behind "There's no money for that." But when it's grant time, they find money to do ridiculous projects just so they can say the money was used. A prime example is roundabouts stuck in the most inconvenient and unnecessary areas.
Sulfer hit in 2016 now again. Yet even with millions in property taxes the community wont provide safety for citizens. Should be law that every city has community tornado shelters in tornado prone areas. If poor alabama could do it the rest of the states can.
I don't know if a law will force people to care and love their neighbors.
*Sulphur
Not Sulfer
We are from the government and were here to help you. Scarcest words ever spoken.
And now they have nothing at all. That what you get when you complain.
I was thinking how absolutely horrible that shelter was......but now....when catastrophic tornados are coming their left with being dead instead
So no one in the city has ever heard of a sump pump?
Yeah Randy knew what they were, that's why he stole it and pawned it.
That rural towns for ya. They don't care. They always think it will never happen to them. Until it does. I live in a rural town. They have their heads in the sand too. Rural folks have a very over eggagerated sense of "we're tough." Then a tornado shows up and says, "Hold my beer." My ignorant town just barely missed getting hit this weekend and they are continually warned to be better prepared but they still won't prepare. I don't get it.
You're responsible for your well-being,it was a safe place to go that now has been removed as an option for people who would be thankful,you should be ashamed at your entitlement.
I always wonder why churches aren’t designated as shelters. Maybe something your town could think about.
@@dylancress1016 Its inadequacy leaves more people in danger than if it didn't exist at all. They had no idea of the condition until she brought them there, and one of them couldn't get into it at all. If not for their caregiver responding to their request for help quickly and putting herself in danger, they could have very well been lost to the storm.
I cannot imagine the lack of care and disregard anyone must have to tell 2 elderly people requiring caregiving services, one of whom is in a wheelchair, that if they want shelter they should build one themselves. That is not the attitude of someone who should be responsible for their community's safety.
Although honestly, I see that attitude all over Oklahoma, so I really shouldn't be surprised by it. One exception is that caregiver - she went above and beyond to try to help her clients. She is an unfortunately rare treasure.
@@dylancress1016if it was safe why did they condemn it? Your logic is faulty.
@@dylancress1016People put their trust in things of this world. My trust is in The One above.🙏🙂❤️
It looks like a mold hazard!!!
whole thing was a massacre
Weighing the options, I’d rather stand in a few inches of water in a shelter than not be in a shelter when a tornado comes through. But there’s no reason to be in there for HOURS.
Everyone that was standing in water is alive! Granted, not the best environment, but way better than standing outside Saturday night.
Yet yall keep paying 60% of your check to the big guy!
Shamed they condemned the shelter. A couple of donations and a few volunterrs may have saved this place. You would think the city would be glad to provide for the people who keep that city alive.
Had something similar happen in my town. Shelter hadn't been opened in years because we didn't need it. Then we did and found it in poor shape. On the bright side, everyone was safe from the storm. Difference in our case, though, is no one complained like a Karen. We volunteered to take over upkeep and now we have a nice shelter. Sounds like y'all have nothing now. Great community.
Seems like it would be a good idea to check all public shelters on a regular basis -- at least a couple times a year to ensure they're in good condition. There's probably more communities which would benefit from doing so. Where I live, there are no shelters to go to in case of a tornado because our state rarely gets them and when they do happen they're like an EF0. In the event of something stronger, we'd be out of luck. I hope Sulphur and other communities will improve their emergency shelters.
Disgusting!
So once the cows were already out of the barn, the city was able to figure out that the door was busted and the barn was unfit for its intended purpose.
It's a storm shelter.... what do you want it to be?
Did it save lives regardless of the condition?
Where is the money that the city allocated for maintenance? In some politicians pocket?
I’d be grateful to stand in a couple inches of water if it’s going to prevent me from getting sucked up in a tornado. Your pick.
EXACTLY and most tornadoes are over in mere minutes, not hours
Damn straight
@@kellileaneriley4263 the town was under multiple warnings thru the night at one point 3 were issued over sulphur at the sme time for confirmed tornados
Just have to say just a few years ago you could buy a 6 person storm shelter and have it installed for $3,300.. 2024 its between $18-$24k for a 9 person.. a 6 person is between $10-$14k with install. These are underground ones. DIY the cement and excavator rental will be most expensive pieces but again this will cost around $5-$7k to build however you can make it bigger for not much more. I would not suggest going with above ground ones.
Wow have they gone up that much? Ours was 7k installed and fits 12 people.
Absolutely negligent of city...what an attitude, build your own if you dont like our stinky, dirty, mildewy, shelter with its risty chairs snd standing water. Devils in the council.
A pathetic reminder of the way most city officials handle things.
Oklahoma citizens need to hold this city responsible...
Sad you can surmise how they deal with real issues benign neglect ha ha ha God will provide. Terrible.
Sulphur isn't a city..it's barely a town. They are more of a village due to population. They wouldn't have the budget for all that so relax.
@@jt1364 Sump pumps Cost around $200 and would last about 5 years. Not that expensive to maintain the shelter but cost taxpayers thousands to build and left to rot.
All full of love and praise after the tragedy. Grandstanding how us good ol’ boys come together to pray and help one another but this is truly where the rubber hits the road. A good example of why I left and didn’t look back at my little Midwest town.
Well they had a shelter until someone wasnt happy enough. Now no one has a shelter. Should have sat in the rusty chair and thanked them for your life......
Damn right !!!
I’m so sorry. I am praying for all of you. If there is anyway we can help please say.
still better in the shelter than it is inside an ef5
Yep, those Karens are complaining about a few inches of water as some of their houses are gone! Next time they won't have that option because they will be the reason this shelter was shut down, it's likely they will survive but their poor neighbors who appreciated a safe place to go won't.
@@phillhuddleston9445 What a fantastic attitude. It amazes me how communities can come together to help one another during emergencies, but don't give a damn to volunteer to help maintain the shelter or provide insightful solutions. The response: just condemn people and call them names.
That just seems like a small town dilemma. Mustve been happening for decades for all we know, but some people gotta duck and cover! Figure out the flooding and utilize any donated furniture so it isnt just folding chairs and school chairs. Oh and some expired MRE rations from your local army surplus store
Better than nothing. I’d take that over my first floor bathroom.
I live in far eastern Kentucky so I don’t deal with tornado weather often(thankfully). But my family’s property was moderately damaged by a tornado in 2011. I’m 28 now, my grandparents are passed and my parents are in their 60’s. I take care of the property myself, and as I’ve gotten older I’ve become more and more afraid of tornadoes.
So when I have the money, I plan to build a dedicated underground tornado shelter. It’ll be built straight into the side of a mountain, just big enough for maybe 5-10 people to squeeze into. It will have cinderblock exterior walls and inside that will be essentially a welded steel box with a vault door, ventilation and some drinking water I’ll keep up to date regularly.
I think if you live anywhere in America, you should have a shelter like this. If you can’t afford it on your own then look to your neighbors and see if you could go in on it together. Too many strong tornadoes in this country to trust a house no matter how well it’s built.
Absolutely ridiculous! 😡
If that was my only option for safety during a tornado I would gratefully accept it and I would work with others there to help those in wheelchairs down.
Then, after the tornado, I would have volunteered my time to help get it fixed and safe instead of complaining to the news about it.
Now that it’s become an issue and city that’s strapped for cash can’t rectify so it’s condemned and no one gets to use it.
Sounds like progress.
You can see the water line on the wall how deep the water gets. That could have been a watery grave for the people trying to get to safety. Not being handicap accessible is even worse.
The level of incompetence...
If the city is going to have a shelter, they should maintain it. The other option is to not have a shelter.
Iron River Wisconsin has an excellent shelter and they barely get any tornadoes,real dinky town but real nice folks up there!
You'd think in the middle of tornado alley and with more frequent tornadoes emergency management officials would've planned for a better tornado shelter for the public. Not handicapped acessible, floods, now it's condemed. This is the only shelter in the town.
They're worried about lawsuits if someone gets injured in the shelter or trip and falls or something ridiculous like that. This is inexcusable negligence.
you can bet they have a budget and take tax dollars all the time for that shelter...but none of it was going for upkeep of the shelter.
i live in a large town. In missouri and i am disabled and I rent a house it has no basement the nearest shelter is a 15min drive...I have no car.
Makes me think of the show Jericho
Wow, that's nasty but way better than death from a tornado!
Easier to close it then to deal with the issue.
I’d rather stand in 3” of water and live than not. There is also no cause to remain down there for hours when a tornado is gone in minutes. In the end folks, only YOU are responsible for your safety. No one else is.
How disgusting. Time to take tax payers money to keep the people safe and not line their pockets
Hours ?
Outrageous
Hope
They can build a new one
1:45 Did that bird fly into the wall and disappear?
I saw that same thing.
So let me get this right. An inch of water in a storm shelter during a storm is cause for such concern that now Sulphur has no storm shelter at all. Brilliant!
Apparently, the young lady who complained has never had to go to a storm shelter previous to this situation. While I agree that improvements can be made, a storm shelter is not a 5-star hotel.
Edit: By the way, if people were down in that shelter for hours than that's on them since a tornado passes through within minutes.
Disgusting. This place is health hazard and needs to be condemned. The residents deserve an accounting for their tax dollars and what is being done with their city taxes. Audit the public 'servants' who are paid to take care of such things.
If you are going to provide shelter you need to keep it maintained
It’s been there for years…..not required to have it. They closed it. Now the people can figure it out themselves.
We're on our own here in Shawnee, OK. They don't even have a stinky old shelter like that. It really is your responsibility to prepare. We have some of the best weather stations in the country who give is ample heads up. We knew this bad storm was coming for days. We had to bunker down at my father in laws cause his house is more solid...our shelter is scheduled for installation next month. Towns can't provide a shelter for every citizien. That's just ridiculous to expect of them and to blame them. How did our ancestors survive? By being vigilant and preparing for themselves.
Look for a bomb shelter. Most cities have them. They were widely known of in the 1960’s. Built for war with the Soviet Union.
Typical. Surprised stuff like this is not taken care of. I am not. This is the end result of not covering infrastructure costs and keeping up on your responsibilities as government. That is what tax dollars are for. Not lecterns or vacations or golden toilet seats.
Tax money hard at work that's bs.
Woooow just look at the high water mark left in there. Imagine they needed shelter while it was that full
*also isn't standing water a good place for all kinds of nasty bacteria? Imagine these people riding out the storm just to catch legionaires
Have officials removed from office! Total neglect of tax payers!
They haven’t worked on it in years..
Not saying the city's perfect, but it's worth pointing out it was a rare once in a decade or more weather pattern training extreme precipitation storm systems over the same area for several hours. And flash floods defy the water table risks that zoning, codes and municipal risk assessments try to address with flood zones. You could go 10 minutes outside of town and find farms with 40 year old cellars that weren't any more impressive or accessible. It's a bad situation, it sucked, and anything that lets you live and walk away from the night is still a win.
I agree it needs renovating/repaired, Possible replaced if needed. A handicap access would be a plus! With a handicapped wife in a rural community I can understand. But...during the storm that destroyed Sulphur, Did anyone die while in this shelter? the lack of good chairs or water in the floor cause anyone to go back out? I'm sure it was a wonderful place to be when the town was being pounded...Yes it needs attention, but from the videos & picture Ive seen, There's a lot more to be worried about than this issue... We don't have access to any storm shelter here. People has to buy or build their own for their family.
How sad 😿😿
Sounds like a short-sighted city council with an attitude of "it can't happen in my town". Well Mother's Nature sure proved them wrong. All cities and large public facilities in tornado Alley should have storm shelters. Make them multifunctional so the shelters don't sit and rot as empty real estate.
How does the city NOT inspect the shelters every year?!
lesson learned, if the law doesn't require it, don't attempt to provide it, tell the residents THEY should have built a shelter or THEY should have authorized expenditures and taxes to create one.
This was probably built 40 years ago before ADA or any consideration for wheelchair access or elderly who can't negotiate the steep stairs. Disregarded and just ignored, they probably got federal dollars to build it and maybe even got annual money because they could check off the paper work that it was there as shelter on city property.
That is absolutely disgraceful! There is no excuse for that, and no excuse for it not to be accessible.
However, there is very much an attitude of "I've got mine, to hell with you" when it comes to storm safety. Where I live in Michigan there are NO public storm shelters of any kind. So if you live in a mobile home park or an apartment complex, well, it sucks to be you. I have friends who know full well that I live in a mobile home park without a shelter. But when severe weather threatens, it is up to me to call around and see who might be home and who might be able and willing to let me shelter with them. It does not occur to them, sitting safely in their own basements, to pick up the phone and call me and say, hey, get over here, a storm's coming. Instead, they will tell me, well you should take this issue up with local government, you should take this up with park management, you should take this up with state government. It is what I call a total lack of imagination and empathy. Same with this shelter. It is saying "this is what we think of people who don't have their own home shelters." We literally worship the homeowner, everything is geared around them. The rest of us don't exist. We are an afterthought, if we are thought of at all.
The city really just up and told people to buy their own shelters when these people probably can't afford such a thing and said "I missed the part where that is my problem".
Please remember, your citizens can't pay their taxes if they're dead.
First....my prayers go out to everyone affected by these storms....
But....i find this strange....these city's are not "required" to provide a storm shelter for the public. This city installed one but obviously did not keep it up. So how many people working for this city over the years knew about it and obviously did nothing to make sure it was useful? Sounds like a lot of people in this smaller town were under the idea of "its not my issue".
I live in Central Oklahoma and can testify that way too many people take all of this for granted even though we get our share of these (and then some) every year.....yet, not many people really do much about safety from these things. Kind of odd.
I would say that anyone living in Oklahoma needs to have a plan for this stuff and keep up with it. Tornados are here every year and so many people don't seem to think about this until this happens.
In short....if your town has a community shelter, be active in how it's kept up if you don't have your own.
Pretty bad when the shelter is just as bad for your health as the tornado your taking shelter from.
The government is so concerned about the people, that they immediately condemned it. Politicians: "There ya go umm, yeah people, umm whatever. At least we're banning books!"
Can't we just focus on all the good that is happening there right now? People helping people, that is what it is all about.
That’s really disappointing and disgusting to hear.
Way to go OK emergency services! Now, non-wealthy Sulphur residents have no storm shelter at all, although it's not as if that rusty, flooded, moldy hovel (earlier, pre-pump water line halfway to ceiling) with no disabled access could've been considered a form of refuge anyway. A big BOO to the lame losers in charge of emergency preparedness/disbursement/oversight in this part of Tornado Alley! Sounds like Sulphur's City Council, Chamber of Commerce, Board of Health & Safety or your main industry's Board of Directors has been pocketing funds designated for storm shelter planning, construction, furnishing & maintenance! Oversight, anyone?
Although it was filthy, nasty, the city and states are not responsible for our safety.
Presumably, renovating a storm shelter and building a storm shelter can be a serious expense.
And there would seem to be few options.
That is why volunteers with all their skills and knowledge in the area can step up and get a permit to renovate the one that is there. Other than getting a sump pump or other pump, redoing the door so it doesn't leak water and checking ventilation needs, most of the rest is elbow grease with power washing and sealing the concrete.
@@yellowbird5411
They claim that an extra large prefab septic tank can be fashioned into a storm shelter. Of course, there is still some expense.
A community shelter like that is almost an Atlas Shrugged argument, but with an eye to secured or government funding. An insurance company may take a different position. A remodel or expansion to have enough lifeboat room isn't difficult, and some may have to get permission to dig. Meanwhile, tornado chasing contracts- at emergency rates- want to help property owners or operators.
horrifying!
Oh and I was just thinking that campgrounds and mobile home parks should have a community shelter available and why couldn't they just address the water issue and fix this one back up fairly quickly to leave none isn't fair either and wasn't there another one that could have also have been refurbished that was already shut down
So they get angry, tell the lady to buy her own shelter, then they send their guy down, find it's not good, so they SHUT IT DOWN...
Why not REBUILD IT? Why not... RENOVATE IT??...
Sulphur nearly got like FIVE TIMES in the span of what... an HOUR?!...
hate to break this to people about city's not being responsible for storm shelters but their are it was made mandatory by several governor's and lawmakers across several different states in tornado Alley and the majority of them were surprisingly Republicans it was a bill that was signed into after Joplin and then sentiment even more after el Reno and moore so yes they are responsible for the safty of the citzen cause it's now a law that these places are supposed to have some sort of storm shelter in place if you don't believe me about the bill it's out there on the internet so a quick Google search is all anyone needs to do
This is unacceptable! And the mayor should be ashamed!!! I seen him crying in a different vlog and I felt really bad for him and now I’m just outraged!!!!!!!
Also- HOW can people live in these areas and not have a shelter ? It’s like living in Alaska and not having a snow shovel!!!! Unreal !
Mayors don't have power or authority, they are just a figure head for the city. The real blame goes to the city council who has the power and the purse strings, and next the city manager. Go to the county emergency management office too and raise heck.
Dam what a shame no one took care of it, now they have no choice but to be hit above ground
I really hope this gets fixed before it's too late, closing it was an obvious call but then what?? To just not have one isn't a great plan either