My personal experience with in-garage, underground tornado shelters started on May 3, 1999. That day, the Bridge Creek-Moore tornado carved a 38-mile path of destruction in Oklahoma. At its apex, the cyclone was three-quarters of a mile wide. Wind speeds reached a record 321 mph.
I grew up near Kansas City, so I learned about tornadoes and severe weather early. My interest in meteorology only grew during my Navy pilot training. Over the years, I witnessed tornado outbreaks during my Navy tours around the world.
The Search for a Safer Shelter
Fast forward to 2007. I retired from the Navy and moved to a Memphis, TN suburb. I was flying commercially and, as luck would have it, was gone when a severe tornado warning hit. My family spent the warning huddled in a closet on the lower floor.
When I returned, I promised myself my family would never go through that again. I started looking for in-garage, underground tornado shelters in Memphis. To my surprise, no one offered them—yet. I began calling companies in Oklahoma City. Eventually, we had the first in-garage, underground tornado shelter installed in Memphis.
Discovering the Downsides
Owning this type of shelter brought new challenges. I dreaded opening the lid and finding living or dead pests inside. The fear wasn’t about snakes, scorpions, or spiders around the house—it was about entering a dark, confined space with a nasty smell. That was a deal breaker.
I didn’t try covering the shelter at first. Instead, I cleaned it more often. I thought frequent cleaning might mean fewer pests, or at least more alive ones I could relocate. I gutted it out for three years. Then we moved to southern Maryland, where homes had basements. Spiders and bugs were still there, but the open space made them easier to tolerate.
Back to Oklahoma—and More Challenges
In 2017, we moved back to Oklahoma City. We could choose a stipend to install an in-garage, underground tornado shelter, a safe room, a fence, or better landscaping. We picked the in-garage, underground shelter. After three years of previous experience, I felt ready to face whatever we found in our new shelter.
It turned out I still had new challenges to face. Along with snakes, insects, toads, and house spiders, I now found black widows and brown recluse spiders. That was too much. I started searching for ways to cover the shelter.
Attempts to Solve the Problem
I found one Oklahoma City company selling a vinyl cover. But it only fit around the shelter’s edges. It didn’t stop pests from getting in. The cover was expensive and didn’t address my fears. Even thinking about entering the shelter made me sweat and breathe harder. My heart would race just at the thought.
I tried using a tarp. That created another problem: humidity and stale air. The shelter started to smell even worse, especially with dead pests inside. In 2019, I began looking for a better solution—something that would block pests but let the shelter breathe.
The Take Cover™ Shelter Cover Solution
After years of trial and error, we finally succeeded in 2024. We found the right materials and built a rugged, long-lasting shelter cover. Once in place, the cover forms a complete barrier around the shelter. It keeps pests out and lets air flow in. This reduces humidity, corrosion, and bad smells.
The new cover can handle strong winds—even with the garage doors open. It’s strong enough to support the weight of your car. Yet it’s flexible enough to roll up or move aside quickly during an emergency. The cover also protects against tripping or stubbing toes on the metal lid.
Most importantly, the Take Cover™ tornado shelter cover (patent protected) gives you peace of mind. When you open the shelter in an emergency, you’ll find clean air and no pests. You’ll feel protected and secure, no matter the storm.
Add Your Personal Touch
Our product makes in-garage, underground tornado shelters more desirable, cost-effective, and protective than ever before. You can even have fun with your shelter cover—add a stencil of your favorite college or professional team logo, or a custom design. Benefit from my years of hard earned experience and experimentation. Get your shelter cover today!
