Printable checklists · Clarksville, TN
Storm shelter checklists: buy, measure, install, inspect
Work through the project in order: decide, measure, get approvals, vet the provider, supervise delivery, inspect and stock the shelter. Print this page or save it as a PDF from your browser and tick items as you go.
Get a Clarksville storm shelter quoteHow to use these lists
Use Print in your browser (Ctrl or Cmd + P) to make a paper copy or PDF; navigation, the footer and the inquiry form are hidden when printing. Each list is a prompt, not a requirement: your permit office, the shelter documents and a licensed professional decide what applies at your address. See the installer worksheet on the resources page for the model, site and paperwork questions.
1. Before you buy
Count who needs room
Everyone who will shelter, plus a measured area for any mobility aid. Use the size calculator for the minimum.
Decide where it could go
Garage, yard or inside the house. Walk the route from the bedrooms and from outdoors.
Check the flood map
Look up the address on FEMA’s Flood Map Service Center. No shelter is allowed in a floodway, and none below ground in a mapped flood hazard area under ICC 500.
Identify the permit office
City of Clarksville inside the city limits, Montgomery County outside. Ask what it needs for a shelter.
Ask about funding first
Homeowners do not apply to FEMA directly; ask the state hazard mitigation officer before you buy.
Confirm who may approve the work
Owner authorization, lease terms and any association rules. See list 3.
2. Measure the site
Free floor space with cars parked
Width and depth of the open rectangle. Run it through the garage fit calculator.
Door and route dimensions
Garage opening, house door, thresholds, steps and the narrowest point on the route.
Outdoor distance
Door to shelter opening along the real path, for the 150 ft limit and the walk-time planner.
Delivery access
Gate width, turns, overhead lines and where equipment or spoil could go.
Photographs
The slab, the proposed spot and anything stored nearby, for the installer.
What is buried
Water, sewer, septic tank and field lines, propane and electric. Plan to request an 811 locate and mark private lines.
3. Approvals and neighbors
Read your association rules
Look in your covenants or HOA documents for rules on accessory structures, excavation or exterior additions, and ask in writing whether approval is needed.
Ask about architectural review
If your community has a committee, ask what drawings it wants and how long it takes.
Check easements and setbacks
The city’s stamped survey must show them. Your deed or survey shows where a shelter cannot go.
Request the 811 locate
At least three working days before digging; tickets last fifteen calendar days. Private lines are yours to locate.
Rental or shared property
Get the owner’s written approval before permanent work.
Mobile or manufactured home
TEMA advises leaving a mobile home for a sturdier shelter before the storm arrives if you can do so safely. Ask the permit office about any anchoring or placement rules for a shelter at your address.
4. Questions about the provider and the contract
Who is installing, and who is subcontracting
Names, addresses and who will be on site.
License, insurance and workers’ compensation
Verify any license on Verify.tn.gov. The City lists liability insurance and workers’ compensation (or exemption) at permit application.
Who pulls the permits
The Tennessee Attorney General says the person doing the work should obtain the permits.
Itemized written quote
Unit, door, delivery, foundation or excavation, permits, inspections, restoration and taxes.
Deposit and payment schedule
The Attorney General’s tips say state law prohibits requiring more than one-third down; do not pay in full before the work is done.
What happens if conditions change
How unexpected rock, water or utilities are handled and priced.
Warranty and handover
Who answers warranty claims and what records you receive.
5. Delivery and installation day
The unit matches the quote
Compare the model, size and door label with the written scope.
Utilities were located
The 811 ticket is current and private lines are marked.
Foundation work follows the documents
Ask to see the foundation and anchor details being followed.
Anchors in existing concrete
ICC 500 requires a special inspection of post-installed anchors. Ask who performs it and when, before the work is covered.
Required inspections are booked
Footing or slab and others, as the permit office lists.
Take dated photographs
Of the slab, anchors, door label, and any in-ground excavation and backfill.
Keep the route clear
Vehicles and tools stay out of the way of delivery and of the route to the door.
6. After installation
Walk through the handover
Open and latch the door from inside and outside, and check the hatch or door hardware with everyone who will use it.
Collect the project folder
Listing or test records, door label details, foundation and anchor drawings, permit and inspection records, warranty and operating instructions.
Check the final inspection
Confirm the permit office closed the permit.
Register the shelter if you choose
Montgomery County EMA has a registry form. FEMA recommends giving local officials the latitude and longitude of the entrance.
Keep tools and a signal
FEMA recommends tools to open the door from inside, an alternate way to communicate and a device to signal rescuers.
Practice the route
Time it with the walk-time planner, including in the dark.
7. Shelter go-kit
Water and food
FEMA P-320: 1 gallon of water per person per day, a 1-day supply for tornado use. Non-perishable food that needs no cooking, a manual can opener and disposable utensils.
First aid and medicines
A first-aid kit, necessary prescription medicines or medical equipment, bandages. FEMA notes injuries often occur as people rush to safety.
Tools and alerts
Flashlight (at least one per four occupants), battery-operated radio and NOAA Weather Radio, phone with chargers, extra batteries, whistle or air horn, wrench or pliers.
Personal items
Sturdy shoes, outerwear, a change of clothes, sanitation supplies, glasses or contact supplies and a blanket or sleeping bag for each person.
Babies, older adults and pets
Formula, diapers, bottles, medications, and pet food, water, leash and carrier.
Documents and cash
Insurance papers, IDs, contacts and cash in a waterproof container.
Check the kit regularly
Ready.gov says to reassess your kit at least once a year; FEMA says to replace expired items and keep food in a cool, dry place.
Sources and further reading
Reviewed 2026-10-14
- FEMA P-320, Taking Shelter from the Storm (December 2024)
Appendix B emergency supply kit and registering the entrance location; sections 3.5, 4.2.2. Read directly October 14, 2026.
- Ready.gov: build a kit
Basic supplies, additional considerations, maintenance.
- Ready.gov: tornadoes
Safe-room and ICC 500 shelter guidance.
- Tennessee Emergency Management Agency: tornadoes
Safe place, supplies near it, mobile home advice.
- Tennessee 811: before you dig
- Tennessee Attorney General: consumer tips on home improvement
License check, written contracts, deposits, who pulls permits.
- City of Clarksville: permitting
- Montgomery County EMA: storm shelter registry
- FEMA Flood Map Service Center
- FEMA: state hazard mitigation contacts
Common questions
What should be in a storm shelter go-kit?
Water, food that needs no cooking, a first-aid kit and medicines, a flashlight and weather radio, a phone with chargers, sturdy shoes, sanitation items, documents and anything babies, older adults or pets need. FEMA P-320 Appendix B and Ready.gov list the details.
How much water should I keep in a storm shelter?
FEMA P-320 recommends 1 gallon per person per day, with a 1-day supply for a tornado shelter. A hurricane shelter needs 3 days. Replace water and food on a schedule, and check the kit at least once a year.
What should I check on storm shelter installation day?
That the unit matches the quote, utilities are located, the work follows the foundation and anchor documents, required inspections are booked and photographs are taken. ICC 500 requires a special inspection of anchors installed in existing concrete.
What should I do after my storm shelter is installed?
Confirm the permit is closed, collect the documents, practice opening and latching the door, time the route, stock the kit, and consider registering the shelter with Montgomery County EMA. FEMA recommends giving officials the entrance coordinates.
Do I need HOA approval for a storm shelter?
Check your covenants. This site cannot say what your association requires. Ask in writing whether an accessory structure, excavation or exterior addition needs review, and get the answer before you sign a contract.
How much deposit can a storm shelter installer ask for in Tennessee?
The Tennessee Attorney General’s consumer tips say state law prohibits requiring more than one-third down, and not to pay the full amount before the work is complete. Confirm your own contract with the Attorney General’s consumer protection office.