Man Saves Family's Lives By Digging Emergency Storm Shelter 10 Years Prior

Jul 04, 2023

Ensuring a family’s safety is the number one priority of most people whenever devastating natural calamity strikes. There are many ways to make sure everyone comes out unharmed during a storm surge or even tornadoes, which includes going down the basement.

Unfortunately, not all households have an underground room below their properties, but a lucky family in Kentucky has a prefabricated storm shelter built ten years prior to a natural occurrence, which ended up saving the lives of everyone.

According to KSDK, shocking storms and tornadoes hit western Kentucky in December 2021, and a lot of residents had a hard time finding out how to survive it.

A local man named Jordan Evans and his son Gage were out of town at the time when the calamity struck their area.

However, there were still people at home, like the kid’s mom and other members of the family. 

Their house was reportedly in the path where the storm would pass, and they had no other choice but to go to a unique area that was purchased ten years prior. It was a storm shelter located just on their property, buried 10 feet below the ground and only 12 feet wide.

The young kid’s stepfather, Justin Pointer, led eight family members and two pets into the small space just in time before the tornado passed their location.

People below the ground had to hold down the lid as it was shaking real bad at the time of the devastating calamity. 

Even though the space was small and uncomfortable, it was able to save their lives. 

In an interview with WHAS11, Justin Pointer recalled the people who came down the storm shelter as he noted, “It was eight in total: it was me, my father, my nephew, his girlfriend, my wife, my two kids, and our grandmother.”

After the storm surge, the Kentucky resident also noted that the emergency bunk also provided a shelter for the family as it was raining, windy, and cold outside, while their main home was destroyed due to the tornado.

It appeared that Pointer’s father made the right decision ten years before the calamity happened, as it became their life-saver. 

However, he already forgot how much it cost at the time when it was installed on their property.

“He don’t really remember exactly how much it cost, but he said he’d pay a hundred times more for it right now,” Pointer added.

There are several companies that create underground storm shelters across the United States, like a company called Texas Storm Shelter Guy, which offers a flush mount with no hump underground bunker in case of emergencies.

According to the company’s official website, their shelters have a white gel coat interior, which is “one of the toughest and most durable coatings available.”

On the other hand, the exterior is finished with a special blend of epoxy coating.

The company offers different sizes depending on how big the family is, starting from eight people, 10, 12, up to 20.

Other features include a 6-point lock system made out of stainless steel, carpet, fully weather-sealed door, screened-in cross ventilation, and many more.

The emergency storm shelter prices start from $5,400 to $15,500, depending on the size. 

Would you invest in a storm shelter? What would you do if you were in the same situation as this family? Let us know your thoughts, and make sure to pass this on to your friends and family.