Tornado-Stricken Oklahoma Town Invests in Helmets for Storm Protection in Schools

By: By Sean Breslin

Published: March 18,2014

 

 

 

 

 

Facebook/Moore Helmets for Schools

A Briarwood Elementary student looks at the remains of his classroom after an EF5 tornado hit the building on May 20, 2013. He was trapped under the rubble.

Jennifer Brumley nearly lost her son on May 20, 2013 when an EF5 tornado brought down Briarwood Elementary in Moore, Okla. As the 2014 tornado season begins, she's arming all of Moore's children with a basic but necessary safety device in case the unthinkable happens again.
Through the "Moore Helmets for Schools" fundraiser, Brumley has vowed to provide approximately 34,000 helmets for all students and faculty in Moore Public Schools at a cost of about $250,000. Brumley, a nurse at a local hospital, made this promise to the district after spending the afternoon of May 20 pulling injured kids – including her own second-grader – out of the school's rubble. No kids were killed at Briarwood, but at nearby Plaza Towers Elementary, seven children were killed by the twister.
"The majority of the people who we carried out to ambulances were those who had been hit in the head with falling debris when the building collapsed," she said. Her son and his classmates were provided dictionaries to protect their heads – insufficient for an EF5 tornado such as the one that destroyed the school last year while the kids were inside.
(MORE: The 10 Worst Tornado Outbreaks of All-Time)
The fundraiser to buy thousands of helmets began within Moore – local businesses and parents were asked to donate money to help protect their own kids. But when they needed more funding to make their goal a reality, bigger groups came to their aid. The NBA's Oklahoma City Thunder sent a large check to help, as did the American Red Cross and United Way, Brumley said.
While the safest place for students to be during a tornado is a sturdy underground storm shelter, wearing a helmet can significantly increase the odds of survival, says Dr. Greg Forbes, severe weather expert for The Weather Channel.
"A lot of tornado deaths are due to head injuries," he said. "While it won't totally guarantee your survival, you can improve your chances if you put on a helmet when you get a tornado warning."
Brumley originally hoped to have all 34,000 helmets distributed to the schools before the May 20 anniversary of last year's tornado, and she said plans are actually ahead of schedule. This weekend, 9,000 helmets will be distributed, leaving 20,000 more helmets to be purchased and sent out to the schools. The group is still seeking funds to complete the project, which can be sent to the foundation via their website.
(MORE: Here's When Your State Has Its Highest Tornado Risk)
Severe weather season has already begun, and while the project may finish ahead of schedule, students may still have to wait weeks or months to get a helmet. Thus, Brumley and her fundraisers are working feverishly to complete the project before their self-induced deadline.
"I truly think this is an inexpensive way to significantly reduce risks associated with tornadoes for children," Brumley added.
To help Moore Helmets for Schools achieve their goal, send a donation through the program's website or visit their Facebook page.
MORE: Moore, Okla. EF5 Tornado Kills Dozens

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Aftermath of tornado that destroyed parts of Moore, Okla. is seen on Tuesday, May 21, 2013, a day after the tornado moved through the region. (Shane Brown/Weather.com)