There’s plenty of discussion within the industry regarding the contents of the average janitor’s closet, but not as much about the structure itself. Well, now is a good time to give that important space some praise.

A school custodian preserved his own life by hiding inside his custodial closet as an EF-2 tornado hit Kathleen Middle School in Florida, reports WFTS Tampa Bay.

Rodney Jamerson hid inside his custodial closet as the twister and its 120 mile per hours winds struck the school, ultimately destroying 12 of the classrooms.

Originally from New York, Jamerson says he misses the weather his home city experiences, which typically doesn’t get worse than a blizzard.

For more on Jameson’s experience, as well as a view of images taken in the wake of the storm, read WFTS’s report here.