Cookeville Tornado Study Recommends Several Findings To Keep Families Safe

With severe weather on the forecast and tornado season here, findings from a recent study could help people better prepare.

University of Oklahoma Senior Research Scientist Dephne Ladue researched the Cookeville tornado to understand how structures fail. Ladue said her team studied the tree fall patterns, structures and conducted interviews of survivors.

“One of my big takeaways would be if you ever have a time where you are remodeling or repairing storm damage and you can get to the wood framing if you have a wood framed house, add some clips and things to whatever you can reach. Whatever you do is going to help hold that house together.”

Ladue worked with engineers during the research and found home owners need a continuous path of resistance all the way to the foundation. Ladue said start with hurricane clips that connect your roof to wall studs.

“If the wind is tugging at the heave of your roof that that roof is connected really well not only to that top plate but to the wall stud,” Ladue said. “The wall stud needs to be connected down to the steel plate really well better than a toenail joint, and then the steel plate needs a good connection down to the foundation.”

For instance, Ladue studied three homes in Cookeville side by side that were impacted by the tornado. Ladue said the home with hurricane clips fared better.

Ladue said often times Tennessee homes are built on a concrete block foundation. Ladue said these home owners should be cautious and consider earth augers that go into the ground.

As a side piece of the research, Ladue looked at emergency notifications. Ladue said while studying Cookeville, many home owners received a personal phone call warning them of the storm. Ladue said people should have multiple ways to receive storm alerts since service was disrupted from the storm.