Official Louisana / Missisippi Smith family evacuation center

When I was 5 years old, a tornado destroyed 1/2 of McComb, Mississippi. Mom and I were in our Toyota Corolla picking up another little girl for kindergarten when it passed through. We were backing out of her driveway and the other mother came running out of her house motioning for us to come back. Mom pulled up just a few feet before a huge limb from a pine tree fell on the trunk of our car.

Although I was only 5, I remember this day vividly. I think for sure I had post-traumatic-stress disorder. Until I went to college I got nauseous and wanted to be in a closet with blankets and pillows any time the sky even got dark. If it's really bad and rainy, I have flash-backs of the car rocking in the wind and pinecones showering the windows.

After Katrina - forget it.

Weather is not something my family takes lightly.

Jason and I didn't leave Baton Rouge for Gustav to go to McComb mainly because I was more worried about a tornado hitting McComb than I was about a hurricane hitting Baton Rouge. My parent's house is surrounded by old oak trees.

So last week, the folks had a "Safe Shed" delivered.



This thing is anchored into the ground x feet (I don't know) and weighs 24,000 pounds. It has an escape hatch in case something falls in front of the door, and it came with it's own wrench to open the escape hatch.



I'm expecting a drill next time I'm home to time our evacuation to the Safe Shed...