A mum-of-two has shared a look inside how she prepares her underground bunker and what it looks like inside - but people have pointed out one key problem with it
It can be worrying to think about what could happen in the world - from doomsday, storms, to world wars - but some people want to get well prepared in case they need to go into survival mode.
Every year Stephanie Norman makes sure that she has everything she needs in her underground shelter as she lives in an area of Oklahama, US, better known as 'Tornado Valley'. The content creator and mum-of-two, has shared a look inside her 7ft bunker underneath her home and people have been left stunned.
Stephanie explained that it can fit eight people in the shelter spot, but people have to hunch over once inside. "I'm 5ft 3ins and I cannot even stand up in here," she shared in a viral video on TikTok. The bunker, which she paid $25,000 [£19,631] for in 2018, has a sliding door which opens it and steps leading down - which can be removed to make more room.
@stephkaynorman Hello Tiktok welcome to my storm shelter #spring #springtime #tornadoseason #tornadoshelter #tornado #stormshelter #oklahoma #oklahomaweather #preperation #severeweather #tornadowarning ♬ original sound - Stephanie Norman
Stephanie added: "There is a lock on the door so if there was a tornado we could lock it just to be sure that the door wouldn't blow open."
She also shared: "There are two long benches that can go on both sides, but we only use one side just to save more space. The times that we have been in here, me and the kids sat on the floor so we don't even really use the benches." The bunker also has a number of battery powered lights, a bucket to use as a toilet, and there is also a box of supplies.
Supplies include nappies, baby wipes, tinned fruit, a carton of water, a torch, toilet roll, a blanket and food snacks. She noted: "I will also pack a separate bag the day of severe weather that includes an extra set of clothing for everybody, chargers, toys for the kids, important documents, first aid kit, meds and keys."
But a number of people seemed confused about how it works if Stephanie's family home collapses on top of the shelter. One individual said: "If your house collapses onto your shelter is there ventilation, power, a potty?"
@stephkaynorman #spring #springtime #tornadoseason #tornadoshelter #tornado #stormshelter #oklahoma #oklahomaweather #preperation #severeweather #tornadowarning ♬ original sound - Stephanie Norman
One other added: "A storm shelter inside the house seems like a bad idea. I thought it was always out in the yard so you could get out in case the house collapsed."
"What if the house comes down. How do you get out?," questioned another. "Omg the panic I would have if I was stuck underground in that small area," said one other.
But Stephanie explained that they have a cable hoist in the bunker so that if she and her family do get stuck inside it, it can help the door to open again. She also said: "Typically (not always) storm shelters are registered with local officials. So if there is a direct hit, they know where to look."
Stephanie said: "There is a very slim chance that there would actually be a tornado but we like to be prepare because we do live in Tornado Alley."
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