How FEMA grants support safe room construction
The safe rooms in the bond issue will be built as multipurpose rooms, classroom suites, physical education spaces or libraries. In order to receive funding from FEMA for safe room construction, school districts must use their own funds for basic construction. FEMA then provides funds to reinforce that area to meet FEMA tornado-safe standards. Only new construction can be reinforced as FEMA safe rooms; the district cannot use FEMA funds to reinforce existing spaces.

The cost of construction for the safe rooms to the district is $60 million, while FEMA pays $18 million to harden the safe rooms. The total cost is $78 million. Many of the new fine arts and physical education spaces in the bond issue will be reinforced as FEMA safe room storm shelters.





September 8, 2008