Do they tell you to go to the basement during tornadoes so they know where to find the bodies?

This may seem to some people a topic for humor, but it is far from humorous! The type of soil (or bedrock inches under the surface) and building traditions dictates whether homes have basements. In the Midwest, Tornado Alley, many homes do not have basements. They have Storm Cellars, often dug close to but not next to the house.

Going to a basement or storm cellar puts cement blocks and underground between you and what is going on at the surface. A storm can "wipe" a 2 or 3-story structure within seconds, but it doesn't "break" the cement block foundation. The only structural risks are the few casement Windows--small rectangular (usually non-opening) Windows with two panes. The casement Windows sit between the floor framing for the First Floor, and the level of the yard-- usually only about 30 to 36 inches is "above ground". It is easy to block those Windows by piling up anything that is in the basement. (Often, home owners put the washer and dryer below a casement window, for a source of natural light, so the units act as additional barriers.)

The only real risk involves debris from the house being ripped apart, which would temporarily "trap" survivors in the basement. But it would be like being trapped in a room-- with space around you--unless the first floor caved in.

A secondary risk that does not occur very often is that winds could send debris into the cement or directly through a casement window. However, that would mean the object, such as a 2 by 4 (wood), would need to be horizontal to the ground and be driven through one of the sides of the foundation. A 2x4 CAN go through cement blocks, BUT this is NOT usual because it would need to be right at ground level.

You have a much higher rate of survival with going to your basement than any other place in your house. Going to a storm cellar gives more coverage--but the risk of being "buried" under debris can be higher because it sits separate from the house. Rescuers will check foundations covered by debris...but they won't be able to see or know the location of a storm cellar.

So before you joke about this and think the joke is funny, learn the facts and seriously think about the protection that a basement affords to a family and pets.