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Updated Thursday, February 12, 2009 3:52 PM
Gary faces his fear of tornadoes
The fear of tornadoes is something that has always been in the back of Texoman's minds, and many can remember walking the halls of Midway Mall for years and seeing that giant, blown-up picture of the massive destruction a "cyclone" did to Sherman in the late 1800s. The city of Denison had been spared for so many years from a tornado, as did Sherman proper, until this winter. And in the aftermath of the tornado damage in Denison, massive destruction and loss of life occurred this week in Lone Grove, just an hour north of this Texoma region.
There's renewed interest in storm shelters, local builders report. I know children who have recently reported an increase in nightmares regarding tornadoes. And I have to admit, I do not take severe thunderstorms lightly any more.
I often wondered how those who live in Southern California deal with the threat of wildfires, earthquakes, mudslides, and riots on a daily basis. But to some degree, we in Texoma face threats such as this ... maybe not on that scale. But, between fire ants, rattlesnakes, chiggers, thousand-acre brush fires, and tornadoes, we still live under a gun at times.
I say that as we are quickly approaching the spring storm season. I'm going to pledge to my family to get my house prepared, have an escape route planned of there's an emergency in the house. I want to have a reliable and safe location in the home to get to within seconds in the event of another tornado. And I want to make sure the big trees have been pruned, anything dead is hauled from the yard, and that weather stripping will keep the dangerous critters from sneaking in. Peace of mind is a good thing, you know.
 Comments ... 2 found!
fear of tornadoes : 6/24/2009
Gary, I read your story and totally understand your respect for mother nature. I too, grew up in Sherman and have had my fair share of severe weather experiences. Although I live in Austin, now I'm not much faced with tornadoes, but now it is Hurricane season. Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Ike made me a true believer and respecter of hurricanes. So much that I've founded a company that provides free emergency and disaster voicemail, web search and on-site satellite phone/internet access services: www.wassalerts.com. Try the demo and include this in your emergency plan as a centralized communications plan. Remember, having no plan is planning to fail!
abrown
fear of tornadoes : 2/15/2009
Welcome to Tornado Alley!!! Every square inch of land from the Dakotas to the Texas Gulf Coast is in this area, as are much of Arkansas, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri and Louisiana. The threat of tornadoes is always in the back of our minds, but most choose not to live in fear, even in light of the recent twister strikes in our area. And I've had twisters come as close to my home as 30 feet. I've had friends affected by tornadoes, and even lost one to an F5 twister. Do you live in fear, or live your life? I choose the latter.
longtime tornado alley resident
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