(10/07/25) BATON ROUGE, La. — Following early morning tornadoes that impacted Tangipahoa Parish on Oct. 6, the LSU AgCenter’s LaHouse Research and Education Center is urging homeowners to prioritize safety and stronger construction practices during the recovery and rebuilding process.

The National Weather Service confirmed three tornadoes touched down across southern Tangipahoa Parish. While no injuries were reported, many structures were vulnerable to the high-speed winds.

LaHouse recommends the following steps for homeowners and builders in recovery zones:

• Use extreme caution when entering a damaged home, wear protective head gear and protective footwear to reduce the likelihood of injury.
• If trees are down in your landscape, be sure to follow the proper safety protocols if you opt to remove the trees on your own. Never operate a chainsaw wearing loose clothing that could get caught in the chain and always wear eye protection.

When rebuilding, LaHouse recommends:

• Use wind-rated roofing and impact-resistant windows to reduce damage from flying debris.
• Consider a FORTIFIED roof system when reroofing, which includes enhanced sealing, edge protection and stronger fasteners to resist shingle uplift and water intrusion.
• Properly anchor manufactured homes and additions to prevent uplift and overturning during high winds.

These measures not only improve safety but can also reduce insurance costs and qualify homes for resilience-based incentives.

Residents can use LaHouse’s online resources, articles and interactive guides to determine which improvements are best suited for their homes. The LaHouse demonstration home in Baton Rouge also offers hands-on examples of resilient building practices, including storm-rated windows, elevated systems and flood-hardy materials.