 February, 2007: Our empty lot, waiting for final building plans... |
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 March 14, 2007: The High School's excavation team begins their dig |
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 March 14, 2007: The High School's excavation team begins their dig |
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 March 23, 2007: Spring showers keep us from pouring foundation, but the hole is ready |
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 March 27, 2007: The foundation and footings being poured. JoCo Board member Jed Parish provided some hands-on help. |
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 March 27, 2007: HBIS Fortified Inspector, Victor Patton keeps an eye on the foundation pouring to make sure everything is to Fortified standards. |
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 March 27, 2007: Foundation and footings are done; now they just have to cure in time for Monday's ground breaking ceremony... |
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 March 29, 2007: Our wall bases are up; next step: precast walls on April 2nd. |
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 April 2, 2007: Dan Kolb from Prestress Engineering, Corp. speaks to the high school students about their upcoming role in the Fortified home's construction. |
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 April 2, 2007: The first precast wall swings into place for our Fortified house. |
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 April 2, 2007: La Forice Nealy, American Red Cross Chief Response Officer provides opening remarks to the crowd about wind mitigation. |
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 April 2, 2007: Dave Prendergast, Assistant Field Vice President for Allstate's Midwest Region provides remarks about Allstate's role in the Aurora Fortified Project and the need to make our homes safer. |
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 April 2, 2007: Aurora Mayor Tom Weisner provides remarks about the necessity for safer homes and community preparedness as we enter tornado season here in Illinois. |
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 April 2, 2007: One of the ceiling panels is lowered into place. |
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 April 2, 2007: The tornado wind cannon is loaded with a 2x4, which will be fired at 70 mph into a typical, non-fortified frame wall with vinyl siding. |
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 April 2, 2007: The 2x4 blasts through the vinyl-sided wall with ease. |
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 April 2, 2007: To further prove the destructive forces of wind and flying debris, a cabbage is shot through the tornado wind cannon at 140 mph, ripping through the vinyl wall causing even more damage. |
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 April 2, 2007: When a 2x4 is fired at 140 mph at the precast concrete wall, however, the 2x4 splinters and is stopped without even a nick in the wall. |
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 April 2, 2007: The Fortified home's concrete frame as of Monday afternoon. |
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 April 4, 2007: Our huge crane leaves the job site, with the precast concrete portion of the house complete. Now, the students get to begin their work on the inside of the house, the Fortified garage and breezeway. |
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 April 17, 2007: Students from East Aurora High School begin framing the Fortified garage. |
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 May 10, 2007: Framing for the floor, crawlspace and ceiling continue. |
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 May 10, 2007: Using continuous load path building, the wall boards for the Fortified garage have been installed. |
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 May 18, 2007: Dukane Precast Partner, Brian Bock, gives an interview about the project to the Weather Channel. |
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 June 23, 2007: Project volunteers finish the roof trusses on the Fortified home (in the pouring rain!) |
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 June 23, 2007: Project volunteers work through the rain to erect roof trusses on the Fortified home. |
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 June 8, 2008: Northwest corner of home. |
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 June 8, 2008: Northeast corner of home.. |
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 June 8, 2008: Rear of home. |
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 June 8, 2008: Rear entry of home. |
