A friend of mine needed to get out of her home yesterday because of the tornato warning. She & her son live near the mall so they went up to Wal-Mart. She said there was plenty of parking but when they got to the doors, they were locked, They also found a number of other standing outside the store that wanted to get inside. Amazing, a tornado warning & Wal-Mart instead of taking people in for safety, locks the doors. PetSmart of the other hand welcomed everyone in (along with their pets) & told everyone to stay put until the danger had passed. At least they know how to treat the community that keeps their store in business. Wal-Mart on the other hand knows how to talk the talk but they sure can't walk the walk. Razzzberries to Wal-Mart & major Kudo's to Pet Smart.
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Sunday, July 07, 2013
A Letter To The Editor: Tornado & Wal-Mart (North)
Hi Joe,
A friend of mine needed to get out of her home yesterday because of the tornato warning. She & her son live near the mall so they went up to Wal-Mart. She said there was plenty of parking but when they got to the doors, they were locked, They also found a number of other standing outside the store that wanted to get inside. Amazing, a tornado warning & Wal-Mart instead of taking people in for safety, locks the doors. PetSmart of the other hand welcomed everyone in (along with their pets) & told everyone to stay put until the danger had passed. At least they know how to treat the community that keeps their store in business. Wal-Mart on the other hand knows how to talk the talk but they sure can't walk the walk. Razzzberries to Wal-Mart & major Kudo's to Pet Smart.
A friend of mine needed to get out of her home yesterday because of the tornato warning. She & her son live near the mall so they went up to Wal-Mart. She said there was plenty of parking but when they got to the doors, they were locked, They also found a number of other standing outside the store that wanted to get inside. Amazing, a tornado warning & Wal-Mart instead of taking people in for safety, locks the doors. PetSmart of the other hand welcomed everyone in (along with their pets) & told everyone to stay put until the danger had passed. At least they know how to treat the community that keeps their store in business. Wal-Mart on the other hand knows how to talk the talk but they sure can't walk the walk. Razzzberries to Wal-Mart & major Kudo's to Pet Smart.
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53 comments:
Would locking the doors have increased safety of those inside if the tornado actually hit? I don't know, I'm just asking. I heard they had 'locked down,' but it didn't occur to me that also meant no one could get in.
So nice to hear that about Petsmart. Obviously their management and staff are smart and caring people!
Wal-Mart is a store not a storm shelter.
google walmart tornado damage photos. you think a store wants to take on that kind of risk? people flocking to take cover from a tornado = lawsuits when people are injured/killed. did they kick out the people who were already in there and then lock up? i can't imagine they did.
that was nice of the people of petsmart to welcome people (and pets) to take cover. but don't hate walmart for protecting themselves.
Cathy-Walmart wouldn't be Walmart if not for the people. "Themselves" is not what made them what they are today-it was the people who they have no problem welcoming when they come to spend money.
I cant take anyone seriously that says "Razzzberries and kudos" I'm sure your friend would have a filed a lawsuit should the tornado have injured them while they were in Walmart too. As Cathy said, A big box store is not a safe place to be.
The lawsuit angle doesn't cut it because as long as the people were on Walmart property they could still be liable and maybe even more so if something were to happen to someone who was seeking refuge inside and was denied.
I think it was more along the lines of they didn't want people in the store loitering for lack of a better term.
Agree with 10:42 am.
The structural design of a big box store with wide open clear spans is not an ideal sheltering spot in a tornado.
The person seeking to shelter there was mistaken. Store management was well trained to minimize damage to existing customers and to forestall injury to anyone trying to hang out there.
Not an architect, but smaller stores in strip type plazas with masonry walls between shops and narrower roofs would seem to be a better choice. Just speculating.
No problem with Pet Smart being helpful, but the dig at Wal-Mart is misplaced.
She didn't need to get out of her house. She needed to go to the inner most room in her house and wait until the warning or tornado had passed. Usually, the bathroom is a perfect spot and you can lay in the tub to be protected. A big box store is the last place you want to be. Tornado usually take the roof ogg big bog stores and debris is sent flying inside the store.
lawsuits? Nah. Not possible when making a good faith effort to help people. Now if say...the building had recently been deemed to have major structural problems and they knew this and then allowed people to take shelter than yes, lawsuits a possibility.
In fact the way they handled this seems to have set themselves up for legit lawsuits. Liability isn't just the structure but also the property including parking lot.
A store with aisles and merchandise piled high over heads would not be my first choice for safety during a tornado. In fact I would not leave home or work but instead try to find space in like the bathroom or closet with no windows. I would have gone to the Mall, if I lived close and felt the need of shelter. I believe friend was putting her child in harms way.
walmart (as another person stated) is not a storm shelter. it is not designed structurally to withstand a "tornato" (tornado of tomatoes maybe?) had the structure fallen due to the winds, i bet your friend wouldve sued them for everything...even though she wasnt prepared for a storm either.
GRATS TO WALMART!
10:41-Precisely.Is there a sign on the bldg anywhere that designates WM as a storm shelter? Of course not.That would quadruple their liability if they gave refuge to someone and the bldg was destroyed,leaving many people injured.The roof construction of WM's everywhere,because of their size cannot withstand serious tornado's.Why encourage people to come in and be in more danger.
who cares? walmart sucks anyway! or are you just now realizing this?
Corporate had called a code Black. Doors locked, nobody in or out. It was not the managers choice.
Whether or not Walmart is a storm shelter is kind of besides the point. You mean to tell me that it is okay to leave people out in the parking lot with a potential tornado on its way?? They would, without a doubt, be much safer in Walmart, "box store" or not. As far as liability issues go I think some of that crap needs to be thrown out the window when in the face of an emergency. I could not, in good conscience, lock people outside a building to fend for themselves with a tornado bearing down. That's despicable.
I was in WalMart South at the time and knew nothing about the warning.
I agree-they set themselves up for possible liability had a tornado actually struck.
They weren't making people come in were they? Or even telling them to come in in order to be safe it doesn't seem. People willingly wanted to go in.
Possible liability may exist if someone wanted to exit and found doors locked and tornado leveled building.
Liability does exist if people were denied entrance and were in cars in the lot waiting storm out and they were injured or killed.
This did happen as I was there. An emergency warning was sent across my phone about the tornado warning when I was across the street shopping at Old Navy. We then went into Marshall's, Ross, Target and the shoe store next to Target. We then went to Sam's and fueled up. Then we parked and ran to Sam's. Found the frond door locked and no one around. Later found out that the doors were locked and all the customers and employees were corralled into the middle of the store. No on could leave either for over 45 minutes. In the meantime we were stuck outside in the pouring rain confused. The least they could have done was put a sign on the door to let us know they were closed. Finally they opened and we went inside soaked and wet. Then we went to Walmart and heard they did the same thing. I am glad I didn't get locked into either store.
If a storm hit the center of the store is the worst place to be. The roof is the first place that would collapse and think about all that heavy HVAC equipment coming down on everyone. That equipment is so big and heavy that a crane has to place it on the roof.
If you want local stores to start being people friendly stop stealing, and suing them everyday.
11:51-I've worked in stores before. "Corporate" doesn't call the codes including black. The store management does. Been in a few Code Black situations and locking doors wasn't involved though someone was tasked to watch the doors.
In a weather event such as tornados which develop fast there's no time to leave the decision to "corporate."
"Anonymous said...
Corporate had called a code Black. Doors locked, nobody in or out. It was not the managers choice.
July 2, 2013 at 11:51 AM"
I'm not so sure about that. Security is supposed to immediately go and monitor the doors but I don't think lock them.
I would love to see any walmart manager keep me inside that flimsy tin shell during a tornado warning.
@12:32 - so you got the warning via cell phone, continued shopping in multiple stores, got gas and THEN sought shelter at sams club?? then stood outside, with a possible tornado coming???
oh yea, let's see what you would rather do.. stay outside in a tornado or be inside a building.. I would dare say you would be banging on the doors as well. I had a friend that was actually parked in the Walmart parking lot ready to go in to shop when she heard the alert to take shelter immediately. That means GO INSIDE ... not stay out in it! She attempted to go in as well and they would not allow anyone in. Sorry, but for God's sake, let's help each other out a bit and for once not worry about being politically correct or afraid of a being sued.
By locking the doors it allowed everyone in the store to stay put. If they would have left them unlocked then someone would have had to stay at the door to make sure the hoodlums in Salisbury didn't walk out without paying and you know they would have taken advantage of that situation.
Maybe look at it this way. Walmart wanted to safeguard the people in the store as well as their employees not just herd people into their store in the hopes they will buy something.
what about the law that states door must be unlocked anytime people are inside?
First, Walmart was probably already infested with hoodlums as it always is.
Locking the doors to keep more people from entering the store is the right thing for them to do.
However, demanding no one leave is another thing. There are emergency exits for people to use should they choose to.
A Walmart manager or security is not going to decided whether I am safer in their store or not.
That building is block on the sides with a huge metal, flimsy roof that will not withstand winds of that nature.
Therefore, I would leave through the emergency exit and take my chances at one of the other 100 or so buildings that are more suitable for shelter.
I would be safer in a ditch than that tin can.
I am not really sure what the hell people are thinking! They LEAVE their homes to seek shelter in Walmart? Would you seek shelter at Walmart during a snowstorm? A hurricane? NO!!! You shelter IN PLACE! Some more liberals thinking they are OWED something! People owe them food, owe them rent, owe them cell phones and now they are OWED shelter? Get a grip people! Liability to Walmart for being in the parking lot during a natural disaster? Not likely! Doesn't matter anyway. Same people who were begging to be let in would be the first people in line to slap a lawsuit on Walmart...or anywhere else. if the ceiling caved in on them. You people make me chuckle. I heard the warning yesterday and I called my children and ordered them HOME! Not to Walmart to seek shelter.
I think going to any store when there is a possible tornado in the area is a death wish, and take a child?
2:00 pm, You said the words that I was thinking! I guess 12:32 didn't have to stand out in the rain....they could have went somewhere else and continued to shop. That comment seriously was the best one I read today on this blog! :-)
Management would call the Code not corporate. Actually corporate probably went ballistic unless the tornado was bearing down on the store. Employees are supposed to head to the fitting rooms at the center of the store. Walmart doesn't like to use this code because quite frankly when the employees all leave it leads to looting.
Walmart is probably safer than the trailers most of the walmart shoppers live in.
Anon 5:15 - In case you didn't know some of the "trailers" / mobile homes are a lot better than some of Salisbury's stick built houses. But with a tornado warning, even WBOC said if you live in a mobile home to get out.
Also, what I read in the original post was "son". The letter didn't state any age. Could be an adult that lives home to help a parent.
5:15 I don't live in a trailer and I shop at walmart. Typical stereotyping.
A tornado doesn't stop to check if the door is locked. It blows the whole building over and sucks the doors off the hinges.
I am glad people were given cover who had concerns that is a good thing. However I agree with 10:56 had there been a direct hit on Pet Smart, injuries and lives lost I am sure there would be survivors and families quick to sue Pet Smart. The thing is the new constantly said over and over stay where you are do not open doors--this also applies to Walmart and business. The people who left their homes took the risk! Just making that point.
I believe walmart was trying to keep people from leaving. So I do believe they were trying to protect their patrons. Kudos to PetSmart, but I don't think Walmart meant any harm~
The doors at Wal-Mart SWING OPEN that's why they lock them! The Tornado Warning SPECIFICALLY warned to "bunker down, seek shelter" NOT to flee to your nearest Wal-Mart!!! Didn't we just go over "what you're not supposed to do during a tornado" two weeks ago?! You are NOT supposed to leave your home. You are NOT supposed to get in your car. Do not expect the mall, or a grocery store to unlock their doors when you were foolish enough to potentially put, they key holder, the people in the store, the mob of "confused" people planing to trample the key holder, your children, and yourself in an extremely dangerous situation. If you can not seek shelter, you take cover in a ditch. Tornado safety 101.
Do not ridicule Wal-Mart for following their safety procedures when you yourself are incapable of being prepared and following instructions in a life or death situation.
Anonymous said...
@12:32 - so you got the warning via cell phone, continued shopping in multiple stores, got gas and THEN sought shelter at sams club?? then stood outside, with a possible tornado coming???
July 2, 2013 at 2:00 PM
What a Troll!
If they lived near the mall, why go to Walmart - why not go to the mall for cover?
If they lived near the mall, why go to Walmart - why not go to the mall for cover?
What makes you idiots think that the shoppers went to any of those stores for cover? Notice I said shoppers, they were shopping.
Okay, maybe I am a little confused, but why do you leave anywhere when there is a tornado warning? Why not bunker down where you are? Isn't that safer? Just sounds ridiculous, "tornado's coming, let's go to Walmart" Really?
Doors and mall entrances are locked down when a child is list inside get over it. A box store is the LASt place to be in during a heavy rain or hail too
Anonymous said...
Okay, maybe I am a little confused, but why do you leave anywhere when there is a tornado warning? Why not bunker down where you are? Isn't that safer? Just sounds ridiculous, "tornado's coming, let's go to Walmart" Really?
July 6, 2013 at 1:33 PM
What person admitted going to Walmart. The ones that went were either in their cars or already there. Read dummies.
Anyone who goes to a department store is unreasonable, has made a bad choice and their complaint is stupid.
The risks are high. Flying debris,
Items will fall on you, a lot of glass and sharp flying objects,
the roof can cave in,
the electricity goes out then it is dark. How about all the cars in the parking lot flipping over and into the store? What are the odds a firefighter is going to rescue you under all that debris among a hundred other stores in North Salisbury?
I shop at Walmart every week... and often wonder how they manage to lock the doors on one side of the store at 10 pm when every door has a sticker on top that says something like "these doors to remain unlocked at all times"...Im sure they are probably breaking a fire code of some sort when they lock those doors...anyone?
325, the doors don't actually "lock" from the inside. They have a breakaway on the slider brackets that when you panic push from the inside, allows the doors to hinge open. There's just no way to activate that from the outside without tools.
4:53 Then why do they tell customers that those doors are locked after 10pm ?
Not one single commentor above has ever been through a MAJOR tornado.This is obvious by your comments.An Oklahoma size tornado would have obliterated WM and killed everyone in it.Store contents and people would have been strewn for miles.
I'm from Tulsa ok, I'm in part of tornado ally. All our walmarrs encourage surrounding people who live in trailers to come to qal mart. Its safer than trailers. And they have managers at the door to make sure no one is left outside.
Walmart don't care. They don't pay for the lawsuit s anyway their insurance does.
I work at Walmart. It happens to be a Walmart in "Tornado Alley".
Code Blacks (Severe Weather) ARE called by Corporate for every Walmart!
The doors on Walmart can be locked. They ARE locked and are not monitored during a Code Black. (Walmart is not responsible for people outside their store, whether on the parking lot or not. Nor can a lawsuit be brought for Walmart locking their doors during severe weather.)
Store associates do not remain in a danger zone (like around the doors/windows) during a Code Black. Once those doors are locked, nobody remains to monitor the doors. Walmart assumes humans are intelligent enough not to be outside during a major storm. (You may not agree with their policy, but policy is in place to protect those who work at Walmart, period!)
Associates working in "Tornado Alley" are trained to ask the customers in the store to move to the Photo Lab, as that is the most protected spot in the store. Customers who wish to leave Walmart are allowed to leave as long as this does not place an associate in a danger zone. Customers who want to leave should do so when the associates begin herding customers to the Photo Lab.
I am amazed at the misinformation spread by those who "work in stores" but not in a Walmart or Sam's Club!
Walmart is a business. Walmart Stores and Sam's Clubs are not storm shelters and are not advertised as such.
Cities across the United States either have local storm shelters for residents to go to or they run adverts telling residents that their best avenue for riding out a storm is to shelter in place. Find the most protected room in your home (usually the bathroom), climb into your bathtub and cover yourself with towels and/or blankets to help protect yourself from flying debris.
Not one city suggests going to a business to find shelter from storms of any kind!
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