Tyler, Texas People Share Best Public Places to Go When There is a Tornado

Like many East Texans, last night I fell asleep to the sound of thunder while the flashes of lightning penetrated behind my closed eyelids. And then, throughout the night and early morning, I was awakened by the storms raging outside. (And apparently so was one of my cats who meowed pitifully outside of my bedroom door until I let him into sleep with me.)

Although thankfully no tornadoes hit in my general area, it still brings to mind the best places to go in the unfortunate scenario where we are dealing head-on with a tornado after those sirens go off.

Where do you go in the Tyler, Texas area when you're away from home but need to seek shelter as soon as possible?

Many people, when they're already at home, will usually go to a "small, windowless room" in their house. We've all heard that since grade school.

But what about in the event where a tornado threatens us directly and we're not at home? Are there places around town where one might seek safety? What about those who live in mobile homes or trailers which are well-known not to be the safest places to be during storms like this?

Thankfully, someone on one social media local group page posed this very question. This person is new to the Tyler, TX area and was hoping to get some insight from those of us who've lived here for a while. There were quite a few responses, both serious and humorous in nature. And while this is by no means a comprehensive list, they shared some ideas with the group.

Disclaimer: These suggestions are based on public feedback. It's always wise to do a little research ahead of time to confirm you have some safe spaces in mind.

We'd like to add to this list, so if you're aware of any public spaces good for taking shelter during tornadic storms, let us know so we can add them: