We live in a town home that has a basement with an area under the staircase. Is this the safest place?

Question

We live in a town home that has a basement with an area under the staircase. Is this the safest place?

Answer 1

Safest place for what?  In any case, you might want to install a radon detector down there before you decide it's safe for anything.

Answer 2

If you're refering to in the event of a tornado, then the safest place in any home would be the lowest possible windowless room.

Answer 3

if you're talking about a tornado or earthquake, its possible.  you want to be under a solid structure that will protect you from falling objects.  you want to be away from windows or doors, as protected from wind as possible.

how sturdy is the staircase?  is there a laundry-room or bathroom with no windows?

Answer 4

No. but its scary movie 4. lol :)

Answer 5

Safest place for what?  It depends on what you expect to be coming.

If its wind force or earthquake type shock, I guess near the strongest upright support structure would be best.  Look for one that also has some lateral anchor as well.  Look up and imagine that if parts of the house started to fall, what would be most likely to hold up the longest.

Of course, in earthquakes the best place is out in the open with nothing over or around you.  You really don't want to be inside if you can help it.

If you are worried about human attack, a good defendable position with an escape route is best, preferably one with adequate shielding.  You'll also need adequate weapons there, if not to hold out until reinforcements (police) arrive, then to cover your escape.

Effective guns are the only useful ones for most people.  Only if you are large and strong, attackers are not, they don't outnumber you, and they don't have guns, are other weapons of much use.  That goes even for marshal arts, no matter what you see in the movies.

Whatever weapon you have, you need to know how to use them, when to use them, and most important, when to not use them.  Before you even get them the first and most serious decision is can you use them.  You must be absolutely certain you can actually use them at the right time.

If you use them too late you may not get the chance again to use anything, ever.  If you use them too soon, you may spend a long time looking through steel bars.  If you aren't sure, set up your house so there's always quick ways out, but no quick way in.  That's probably a good idea in any case.