Humans have become adept at picking up the pieces. Even in the face of unspeakable tragedy, we overcome adversity to coalesce from the deepest of wounds. Whether its a byproduct of evolution in overcoming insurmountable odds, or a general propensity to help our befallen brethren, civilization knows how to recover from fraught calamity. Few tragedies compare to the outright devastation of Mother Nature. Wanton destruction falls under her purview with little regard to the victims. Tornadoes have become her go-to weapon of choice in maximizing despair. Powerful cyclones rip apart more than physical edifices: they can also destroy lives. Despite advances in modern forecasting, meteorologists struggle to accurately pinpoint tornado dynamics. Recently, students at Austin Peay State University banded together to help their classmates recover from monstrous tornado that left the campus reeling. Our university tornado shelters can help any college or school prepare for those dreaded-worse case scenarios.
When Higher Learning Teaches Compassion and Altruism
The Austin Peay State University tornado impacted 50 students, leaving nine homeless. Without hesitation, students, teachers and alumni quickly assembled to lead a prompt recovery effort. Students worked fervently to secure collections and donations by coordinating their efforts with local non-profit agencies. Resourcefulness and versatility are crucial components of any storm relief. Instead of languishing in the throes of chaos, the university quickly responded by using some its campus housing to shelter tornado victims. The university’s Greek community also came together to answer the pleas of assistance during the wide-spread and comprehensive recovery effort. Altogether, more than 50 students spent the following days helping their classmates sift through damaged belongings while allocating necessary supplies.
“We did a campus-wide collection drive with multiple collection points, and we collected a ton of donations for YAIPak Outreach,” said Alexandra Wills, director for Community Engagement and Sustainability. “We’ve [also] given out $11,000 in emergency funds since this happened for tornado-specific issues … and went out and restocked as much fridge and freezer-related food as we could for the SOS Food Pantry.” – Source: https://www.clarksvilleonline.com/2024/01/21/austin-peay-state-university-community-unites-to-support-tornado-recovery/
University Tornado Shelters Offer Compassionate Relief
We can’t say enough about the selfless acts of service performed by the entire Austin Peay State community. While it’s endearing to see such a compassionate response from students and educators, we can’t help but to consider how this story could’ve ended in tragedy. The university was fortunate in that no one perished in the storm. Other universities might not be so fortunate in the future if they don’t act now to mitigate safety threats. Our university tornado shelters provide the ultimate protection from violent and deadly natural weather events. College campuses are massive. When dangerous storms roll through campuses nationwide, students in dorms have nowhere to go. By maximizing the pragmatism of convenience of safety, university campuses can easily position a university tornado shelter in any common corridor to accommodate hundreds of students.
We already know what you’re thinking. “But what about size and space?” Our standalone shelters don’t impede on existing infrastructure and should be conveniently placed in adjacent parking lots near emergency exits. You don’t have to worry about building from scratch either. Relying on revolutionary advances in steel technology, our shelters are comprised of quarter-inch steel protective plating. Moreover, our shelters cost a fraction of traditional construction, so school officials don’t have to worry about an exhausting bidding or construction process. University tornado shelters can also assist in the recovery effort by affording temporary housing or recovery staging areas in the event of violent weather.