Testimonials

Col Joseph Sofet opening the door to his StormCloset.

Colonel Joseph J. Sofet, USAF Ret.
Pilot of "Air Force One"
Kennedy/Johnson Administrations
Indian River Colony Club
Melbourne, Florida

"Since we had a StormCloset installed in our home, we both feel really comfortable that we would be protected in the event of another major storm. During my Air Force career, I learned a lot about safety - personal, home safety as well as flight safety. I am satisfied that my wife and I would be protected by the StormCloset during a severe storm.

When Hurricane Floyd threatened the Florida coastline several years ago, the government declared a federal emergency requiring the evacuation inland of unsheltered residents of coastal areas. My wife and I spent five hours in the terrible traffic jam creeping along the sixty mile stretch to Orlando. The brunt of the hurricane never even hit Florida. Afterwards, we decided that we would never do that again. I hope we never have to use it, but if we do, I am confident that we will be safe sitting the storm out at home in our StormCloset."

Mrs. Sofet adds: "I really feel safe just knowing the StormCloset is close by to protect us in the event a storm suddenly occurs."

Charlie Wheland
Retired Yacht Captain
Chattanooga, Tennessee

"When we first moved to Tennessee and built a home in an isolated rural area, we needed a secure place to store guns, jewelry, and family heirlooms, as well as a place where we would have shelter during bad windstorms which frequently came through our area. I saw the ClosetVault at a gun show and purchased one directly from the factory. As a family project, my 13 year old son and I put it together with ease. The ClosetVault, with all components pre-drilled for screws, anchors, and electrical conduit, had all connection hardware and easily understood assembly instructions and took very little skill to install. Everything lined up perfectly. It was a fun project that went without a hitch. We assembled the vault inside an existing closet concealed under a stairwell and on a concrete foundation slab I poured in the crawl space from the ground to the first floor.

Having our valuables secure and knowing that we could quickly seek shelter during a storm have given me and my family tremendous peace of mind. The ClosetVault has been a real asset to my family and has added greatly to the value of our home."

Brian Davidson, a Ridgeland mortgage officer, said the area where he's building his new home north of Brandon (Mississippi) was torn to pieces by a tornado in the early 1990s. "I told myself when I build a new house, I was going to build a storm room", Davidson said. Davidson ordered a premade shelter from RemagenSafeRooms in Tennessee. It came with instructions, and he has been installing it himself while construction continues on his home. The room will go inside a home office, and will double as a safe, he said. The steel frame will be wrapped in fireproof sheet rock.

There's no way to know if he will ever need to take shelter in the room. Davidson said he will feel better knowing it is there. "I'm doing this for security and peace of mind," he said.

Excerpt taken from (http://www.clarionledger.com/news/0211/23/m04a.html)

Greg Magavero, Monteagle, Tennessee

"Living in a house with no basement, we had no place to go in the event of a tornado. Because you don't know how much time you will have to get into a shelter, we wanted our StormCloset to be an integral part of our house. We made it into a walk-in closet between the living room and the back porch. Because it's anchored to a concrete pier, we can go into it during a storm and feel confident that it's not going to blow away."

StormCloset® details

ClosetVault® details

Safety Hints

If in a house with a basement, avoid windows; get in the basement and under some kind of sturdy protection or cover yourself with a mattress or sleeping bag. Know where very heavy objects rest on the floor above and do not go under them. They may fall down through a weakened floor and crush you.
If in a house with no basement, a dorm, or an apartment, avoid windows and go to the lowest floor. Go into a small center room, such as a bathroom or closet, under a stairwell or in an interior hallway with no windows. Crouch as low as possible to the floor, facing down, and cover your head with your hands.
If in an office building, hospital or nursing home, go directly to an enclosed, windowless area in the center of the building away from glass. Then crouch and cover your head. Stay off the elevators; you could be trapped in them if the power is lost.
If in a mobile home, get out. Most tornadoes can destroy even tied-down mobile homes. If there is a sturdy permanent building within easy running distance, seek shelter there. Otherwise, lie flat on low ground away from your home, protecting your head. If possible, use open ground away from trees and cars, which can be blown onto you.
If at school, follow the drill. Go to the interior hall or room in an orderly way. Crouch low, head down, and protect the back of your head with your arms. Stay away from windows and large open rooms like gyms and auditoriums.
If driving, remember vehicles are very dangerous in a tornado. If the tornado is visible, far away, and the traffic is light, you may be able to drive out of its path by moving at right angles to the tornado. Otherwise, park the car, get out and seek shelter in a sturdy building. If in the open country, run to low ground away from any cars. Lie flat and face down, protecting the back of your head with your arms.

Source: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration