I have one of those I keep in my vehicle (which is usually nearby).

Day to day, if things are looking ominous on any given day, I'll put the HH50 in my pocket, especially if I'm planning to be away from my vehicle.

I've also gotten use to using my Android phone with the freely available weather apps to keep apprised of what is going on, weather-wise. Nice to have the radar maps to get a overview.

Cell service is not the most reliable in a storm but if weather is getting bad enough to take out the cell service/towers, hopefully I'm smart enough to be aware danger is near and either be hunkering down or getting out of Dodge, whichever is most appropriate for the circumstance. Though tornados do crop up quickly, at least they don't come out of nowhere.

Back to the radio, I like it. It runs on 3-AAAs, which have lasted me two seasons, so far, with sporadic use (I check it at least monthly).

Standard disclaimers.

buckeye

the best cheap and easy shelter i ever saw was done buy a guy who just had a small one story tract type home that sat out on what was a corn field in the Midwest.he did nothing more than cut a hole in a closet floor,beat a hole in the slab and work digging out a hole one five gallon bucket at a time.the pit did not look more than 10x10 and five feet deep.no beds or survival gear but i think he reinforced the overhead with 2x12's.being underground nothing was going to get thrown thru a wall,you see programs on TV that show 2x4's shot thru cement blocks.post storm photos show the homes gone but the floor which is at ground level still intact and sometimes swept clear of everything.a old time farmers root cellar is even better i would think because you would not have what might be left of the home on top of you but to make one you need a farm yard or plenty of room in a yard.in Minneapolis i don't expect a storm like we have see in the South,there has never been one,but for a quick shelter we have a stout storage closet under the basement steps.it would take seconds to toss out clutter and get under the heavy shelf's and pull the bags of tents and sleeping bags around us....another 1AM long winded rant/sermon/speech,sorry.

Or you could dig a hole.

Ditches, shallow, without square sides to get behind, and lacking any overhead, are pretty safe. Many record of people having a tornado go over them while in a ditch. 2' to 3' wide by 3' long and 3' deep is adequate for one person sitting. Two if the situation is tight and you are on a first-name basis. Keep it narrow but longer for each person. Brace as needed for soil conditions.

If you don't need bracing and the soil is firm and stable all you need is a shovel and elbow grease. An hours work will get you a shelter for two. Bracing will keep it in good condition longer term. The wood from pallets is entirely suitable for bracing. You can use the same materials, and a few nails, to create a hinged cover that adds safety and keeps the raccoons out. You can add amenities as time and energy allows. Low seats (A 24" by 12 by 12" wood box suitable for holding supplies), a sump for water drainage, storage nooks for supplies cut into the walls.

Cheap, quick and effective. It is hard to break dirt.

Not only has there been a loss of people in these storms, there are also many animals lost in the storm.

There are websites and phone numbers for those who have lost or found pets at Animals lost & found in Alabama tornadoes

For those who have lost everything, it would be especially comforting to get their pets back.

Sue