Y'all help me convince PJ to get a weather radio.
She was listening to the regular radio and they said nothing about a tornado

Oh, I hope PJ is Okay.

She is, but she needs a radio

They don't report the weather without a special radio? You can't get it on regular channels? How wierd is that? They're at the HEB?
Ok. I didn't know you had to have a secret decoder radio...silly me! The guys at Jims work were WATCHING the freakin tornado throw stuff around! Like tearing trees in half and stuff. Talk about preventable injury. I guess God kinda felt sorry for their stupidity and looked out for them. Jim didn't know it was happening. I tried to call the store and tell him what was going on and that I decided not to go to a self-help group meeting. (knowing he couldn't hear the sirens throught the cinder block walls) but they wouldn't put him on the phone "during a tornado" Meanwhile, I'd drown my poor cell phone in the toilet on accident earlier(oops!) and forgot I could call his cell from the regular phone! I didn't recognise the signs of a tornado forming... It happened quickly. I had been on my way directly into the path of the thing when I heard on my truck's radio there was a tornado warning over Tarrant county. I didn't want my chickens to get drenched or my kids to be scared so I turned around at the last minute. Jim came home early(phone was freaking out and he was worried) and found us in the bathtub under a mattress with a bag of candy,flashlight and the NOT-decoder radio. Wow! It took out the "Welcome to Benbrook" sign and everything. PJ

Where are you PJ? I hope you and your family are ok? All they have had on the news is about Haltom city getting hit. It was very bad out that way.
Hope everyone else is ok too.

My house wasn't hit... I'm home and no longer in my bathtub! My DH's work was 10 ft away. It mostly hit businesses but I didn't hear of any deaths so it was all pretty much cosmetic.
I hope the folks over in Haltom are OK! PJ

I'm glad you're okay. I was wondering if anyone here was in the path. There was a tornado warning very close to where I live, but luckily, it was just a mile or 2 east/southeast of me. I haven't heard of anyone there getting hurt, but I think some people got hurt when that roof collapsed or blew off at the Minyards in Haltom City.

Sally

I got home right before I posted....30 minutes earlier, I was in Benbrook. I flipped on the tv...also reliable if the Dish is up. They said a funnel was on the ground in Benbrook and that power lines were down. I guess I'll see the demolished sign in a couple of hours on my way to work.I go through Haltam City too...the devastation was severe there, one man died.

Sorry, Jolana, I don't keep a weather radio either, but I do have one that runs on batteries or static electricity. Is that the same? I always watch the local tv and listen for the sirens.

Pam, we used to not have one and relied on TV or battery radio but remember 2 yrs ago a twister hit and we had no warning
I don't know about your area but HEB has them here for 29.99
I'm just glad y'all are fine
PJ, I was so glad when I saw Paula had sent an email, lol
DH knew how worried I was and he said, "Don't be lecturing her, she's a grown woman"
I'm so grateful we have computers and power, lol

You don't have to have a weather radio.
Local talk radio was about nothing but the storm while it was going on and then for a while after wards with damage reports and eye witnesses calling in their reports.

I was en route during the storms, and was able to track them via talk radio and using my cell phone to talk to friends and family who were watching it on TV.

You have to know the area, and have a good sense of direction to follow this way though.

OMG Pj, how scary! Glad you are all ok. What a nice Mom to remember the candy for the kiddoes!
Other than water, flashlights & weather radio what do y'all have in your emergency supplies and where do you store it all?

PJ, glad you all made it through without damage. Sooo many people so very lucky this time. Glad it sounds like ALL of us regulars were very fortunate. I never even heard one word on the television about Benbrook......

Kristi

One closet here is just for emergencies, water, canned veggies, meat and fruit and crackers, chocolate, lol
candles,matches, shake flashlight, blankets, batteries

We lose power a lot out here so we can't watch television and we don't get a real clear radio channel

That's a smart idea, Jolana. Last night when the sirens went off, DH started throwing the wrapping paper, boxes, and misc. junk out of our "tornado closet" to make room for us. I was wondering how I was going to get 7 cats in the closet with us, especially since they don't all get along. I'm still wondering about that. Nothing like being prepared....not!

Sally

PJ, let me start out by saying I am glad you are okay. I heard on the TV that a tornado had touched down in Benbrook, but I had already unplugged my computer and was just watching the news. I must say that at that time I had a visual of "ALL" of you in the bathtub. Sounds like you were prepared.
Jolana, I HAD a closet like that, and it still has the candles, matches, etc in it, but my food supply and water has been moved to another location - close proximity though. I may not be as prepared as I once thought, so may have to rethink all this - never know when MN can zot us!!!!!

The only closet large enough is my bedroom closet.
Of course, while Diane is rounding up all the critters, I will be throwing all the "stuff" on the floor into the bathroom.
She would have the toughest job, as Fancy would be outside barking at the thunder, a buzzard or an airplane.
I had never heard a warning siren until I was babysitting grands in OK. Their parents were in FL. The test siren went off and I had no clue what it was. I looked down the street and saw a man mowing, so I figured I wasn't going to die while the kids were at school.

I have never heard a siren but have gone through many twisters, lol
Kathy, would you please not talk about my baby that way, lol
how else is she supposed to protect y'all ? LOL

Whew, I'm glad your all ok. Last night was awful. We didn't get the bad stuff but it was very near by in Colleyville hail as big as baseballs.
Son was not as lucky, he works at the hospital in HEB and his car got hail damage but he's ok that's what counts.
I don't care for bad storms :(

I have a cache of batteries,first aid and candy. Sounds funny but it's true. I need to stock up on bottled water is all. I've been through a serious natural disaster (Northridge quake of 94) I keep that stuff handy. I have Mag flashlights too. They are really durable. We don't have a closet that's in a good location and there is NO way my dogs would fit. I don't think my DH would either so we settled on a bathroom with a light enough (my youngest's) mattress to manuver quickly. I did have a plan of action. I need to get that weather radio. I had no luck finding a "real" radio station!
Barb, I'm sorry your son's car was damaged but real glad he wasn't too!
Kristi, I heard nothing on the news either? Halsom city got so much more damage for Benbrook to get much air time I guess.PJ

Spotty damage all across the metro area. Nothing real extensive other then in Haltom City, though, that I have heard.

There was a motel on I-30, in east Dallas, with half their roof torn away (on the lee side of the building). We saw some other spotty damage, Saturday, as we were out and about, but mostly limited to a building or two, and nothing extensive.

Hope no one got anything too extensive, where you are.

Texas weather is usually violent this time of year.

Spring is busting and spinning all over! LOL!PJ

I haven't visited the conversations in a couple days. I am so glad everyone out that way is okay. We had a strong wind and rain come through Allen that night - had some scouts over for a den meeting. It was all over before we finished. It wasn't until the next morning when I saw the news about all the damage in that part of Texas. Wow! What a mess. I sure am glad I cleaned out my storage pantry under my stairs last week. There is plenty of food, water bottles, flashlights, etc. in there in case we all need to duck for cover. There's even room for the two dogs and two cats regardless of whether or not they all get along! PJ - The candy for the kids is a great idea to keep their mind occupied while hiding under the mattress.

Thanks denisew! My kiddos have mom's sweet tooth! Roe(7yrs) had some trouble sleeping that night and last night, but I think we're OK now. PJ