![]() ![]() Nationally accepted standards for building design and construction, public shelters and emergency communications can significantly reduce deaths and the steep economic costs of property damage caused by tornadoes were among the key conclusions of the two-year technical investigation. Inquiries can be sent to or made by calling 86.The Commerce Department's National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) released a report today on the impacts of the tornado that struck Joplin, Mo. Answering questions from the public, industry, and governmentįEMA hosts the Safe Room Helpline, responding to inquiries concerning FEMA’s safe room publications and guidance. More information, as well as publications, can be found on the Mitigation Assessment Team webpage. MATs are composed of subject matter experts and professionals from government agencies and private firms, including structural engineers, wind engineers, architects, building code officials and emergency planners. Recommendations and findings have helped inform FEMA safe room guidance over the years. Assessing damage caused by extreme wind eventsĪfter severe tornadoes, large tornado outbreaks, or hurricanes, FEMA may send a Mitigation Assessment Team (MAT) to assess the performance of affected buildings and develop recommendations for reducing injuries and loss of life following future events. You can find more information about various funding opportunities on the Safe Room Funding webpage. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Community Development Block Grant Funds and Federal Housing Administration Mortgage-Insured Financing. Funding may also be available from other sources such as the U.S. ![]() FEMA’s grant programs to fund eligible safe room projects include the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) and Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC)program. FEMA provides hazard mitigation funding to eligible states, tribes and territories that provide funding to local governments to assist in reducing overall risk to people and property. The federal government makes funds available to construct residential and community safe rooms. FEMA also recommends building code updates to improve construction of and access to storm shelters and safe rooms for vulnerable populations. Participating in safe room-related standard and building code developmentįEMA works with its partners in resiliency, the International Code Council® (ICC®) and National Storm Shelter Association (NSSA®) to improve the storm shelter standard, Standard for the Design and Construction of Storm Shelters (ICC 500). A safe room can be constructed or installed on a property to serve a residence or within the community to serve a larger number of people. To be considered a safe room, the structure must be designed and constructed to the guidelines specified in FEMA P-361, Safe Rooms for Tornadoes and Hurricanes: Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms. A safe room is a storm shelter specifically designed to meet FEMA Funding Criteria and provide near-absolute protection in extreme wind events, including tornadoes and hurricanes. Summary of FEMA’s Safe Room Activities Providing guidance and best practices on safe room design and constructionįEMA produces technical publications, fact sheets, and training materials for engineers, architects, building officials, and prospective safe room owners on the design, construction, operations, and maintenance of safe rooms ( ). FEMA provides guidance and best practices on safe room design and construction, participates in safe room-related standard and building code development, provides funding for safe rooms and monitors a safe room helpline to answer safe room-related technical questions. FEMA and its partners help protect people from severe wind events through promoting safe rooms. While we cannot stop these storms from occurring, we can respond by understanding the hazards and carefully planning to protect ourselves from their effects. Every year, tornadoes, hurricanes, and other extreme windstorms cause numerous injuries and deaths in the United States. ![]()
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