Valenzuela Ebsen

About 150 employees at Parsons Manufacturing Co. in Illinois were shocked to see their company's building turned into a pile of mangled steel beams and other rubble as an F-4 tornado ripped through the region. But what's even more shocking is that they have been inside the creating when the storm hit.

Thanks to reinforced concrete masonry shelters, all 150 individuals walked away from the disaster without having a scratch. An F-four tornado has wind speeds from 207 to 260 mph.

Winds from the storm leveled the 225,000-square-foot plant and destroyed at least half a dozen properties nearby.

"We have been told over a public address method to head to the three restrooms, which are made of reinforced concrete masonry and serve as storm shelters. When we got to the shelters, we could see steel beams and machinery flying in the air," recalled Dave McClallen, a Parsons employee.

Woodford County Emergency Services & Disaster Agency volunteer Dustin Oltman said reports indicated that the storm inflicted the most damage on the half-mile area in Roanoke, Ill., exactly where Parsons Manufacturing Co. is situated.

Bob Parsons, owner of Parsons Manufacturing, which makes parts for the construction and mining industries, did not want to take any chances when constructing his operation right after a near miss of his 1st organization by a tornado in 1972. When he built an expanded business across the street, he included reinforced concrete masonry storm shelters inside. He stated that he never ever could have guessed that choice would save 150 lives 30 years later.

"The storm shelters have been so important. They saved all of our lives," mentioned Craig Joraanstad, the company's human resources manager. "The most important factor we hope takes place out of this is that much more businesses take storm shelters seriously. If you are concerned with families, you will probably hate to study about company website. Concrete masonry protects lives and property ... 150 people are alive nowadays thanks to those concrete masonry storm shelters."

The inherent strength of reinforced concrete masonry makes it an excellent decision to withstand wind-borne debris - the largest threat to occupants in these storms, said Dennis Graber, an engineer on the employees of the National Concrete Masonry Association in Herndon, Va.

"Researchers at t