At last! A news outlet is finally telling a more balanced story about tornado safety and manufactured homes. WJTV in Jackson, Mississippi, interviewed a resident who lost one manufactured home in a tornado last year on April 28, 2014. He now has a new manufactured home and has made sure it is properly “tied down” and properly inspected.

The news segment featured an interview with Charles Hawkins, a resident of Pearl, Mississippi, who stated that he was determined never again to suffer such a loss, and is determined to do whatever he can to protect his new home. He’s already doing the things the manufactured housing industry says needs to be done to every manufactured home.

Hawkins said, “They told me ‘well you will have to have your house re-tied down.’ “ I said, “Well, if I’m going to have to have it re-tied down, here’s the money. I want it double-tied, and I want it secured.”

“Our State Fire Marshall’s office, through the insurance department, inspects every manufactured home, new or used, that is placed in Mississippi,“ Jennifer Hall, Executive Director of the Mississippi Manufactured Housing Association, explained. Hall also said that inspectors make sure C4 anchors and galvanized, steel tie-downs are properly installed on each manufactured home. The TV story even had photos of the C4 anchors and tiedowns to show people how sturdy they are.

“My concern would be, if a home owner bought a used home and then it was not installed by a licensed installer, I would encourage them to contact the State Fire Marshall’s office and have that home inspected,” Hall – who is a hard working activist on behalf of the MH industry – said.

The executive director of the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency, Robert Latham, explains the importance of severe weather safety when living in manufactured homes.

“I think it’s important to understand that the manufactured housing industry is a big part of this state,” he said. “There are a lot of citizens that rely on that for adequate housing. In Rankin County, during the last tornado warning that we had, the Sheriff had opened up a shelter out there. Seventy-two people came to it and a lot of them came from the manufactured home community that was hit in April of last year. So, I think people are getting the message.”

“I feel safer now because I know my home is safer,“ Hawkins said. “However, in case of a tornado, I would choose to leave and go to a shelter and also warn the neighbors that they need to leave, just in case.”

To see a related commentary by a manufactured home professional, please click here.##

(Photo Credit: Richland, Brandon & Pearl Mississippi Tornado Recovery; MS Mfg. Housing Assn.)

 

Article submitted by Sandra Lane to – Daily Business News – MHProNews.