Why Oklahoma apartments are at risk during severe storms
Growing up in Oklahoma, dangerous and damaging storms were a fact of life. Many times as a child, tornado warnings would force my family to run through the rain and hail to our storm shelter, which at the time — as a young person without a complete understanding of the risks involved — was equal parts thrilling and terrifying. Now working in weather radar research, tornadoes continue to serve as both objects of fascination and fear, as I’m at once astonished by the power and complexity of these unique weather events and humbled at the prospect of their human toll.
Much like the ever-present risk of building fires, Oklahomans, in particular, are well-accustomed to the oft-present risk of tornadic storms. For highdensity housing, however, there are disparities in how these risks are managed. Fire safety is rightly emphasized in building codes, requiring high-density buildings to install fire suppression systems, for example — however, no such requirements or suggestions exist for tornado safety. This is partly a function of the difference in likelihood between the two events since building fires are far more common than tornadic strikes, but this should not be used as an excuse for complacency. However unlikely, the risk large housing complexes face from tornadic strikes should not be ignored, as inaction potentially leaves large numbers of people vulnerable to weather disasters. The lack of statewide guidance in this area represents a regulatory gap that could at least be partially closed by instituting common-sense guidance for property owners and developers. More broadly, a multi-faceted approach to building safety — one which balances the need for resident safety against the expected cost while targeting as many residential housing units as possible— is warranted.
Each year, more and more high-occupancy apartment buildings are being constructed to accommodate migrants to our growing state. Given limited guidance from the state regarding storm preparation, each of these sites represents a significant risk for a mass-casualty event if damaged or destroyed during a tornadic storm. Ideally, residential buildings would be required to include shelters, especially new construction which can be tailored to support these features during the design process. Considering only the unit price for purchasing storm shelters, shelters with space for all of a building’s occupants could theoretically be added to new construction for a price comparable to the fire suppression systems already required by law, and many existing structures could likely be retrofitted to include shelters for a comparable but markedly greater cost.
Such a broad-stroke change would be both financially and politically hard to sell, however, and would likely face significant challenges due in part to the low absolute risk each complex faces from tornadic storms on average. Other options exist which could likely be implemented without significant cost. For example, requiring property developers to institute actionable, unambiguous and easily accessible storm preparation plans — perhaps in cooperation with regulatory bodies — could be an obvious first step. Likewise, requiring apartments to reiterate storm safety guidance — both in advance of severe storms and especially in the event of tornado warnings — would help residents navigate the chaos of sheltering during emergencies.
Severe storms can be a viscerally terrifying experience, made worse in part by the lack of clear guidance on storm safety best practices, and with tornadic storms especially, every chaotic minute counts. Given our state’s history and reputation for experiencing severe and tornadic storms, we are uniquely positioned to lead nationally in defining storm preparation standards. For high-density housing and its potential for mass casualty events, reactive policy in the face of such a clear public safety concern is unconscionable. It’s time we take a proactive approach to storm safety in high-occupancy residential buildings; otherwise, every year of inaction is a gamble against the inevitable.