FEMA Grant Funds Chickasaw Community Safe Room

March 29, 2010 - PRLog -- Chickasaw, AL.  The City of Chickasaw has received a grant from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) that will fund the construction of a community safe room designed to keep the at-risk , elderly and special needs population safe, and also allow first responders a location to quickly take action once a severe storm, tornado or hurricane has passed. The safe room will be built on Iroquois Street.

The $975,000 project, funded through FEMA's Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP), will provide a safe structure for residents and first responders. When complete the 3,200-square-foot safe room will be able to withstand winds of up to 200 mph and also will be equipped with a generator to provide backup power in the event of a power loss. The $975,000 represents 75 percent of the total project cost of $1.3 million. The remainder will come from non-federal sources.

"The addition of this public safety facility will help make our citizens safer during a crisis or disaster,” said Mayor Byron Pittman.

Safe rooms such as the one built in Chickasaw serve an important role in protecting at-risk and special-needs citizens by providing a close and accessible haven when hurricanes and severe storms threaten the area. Chickasaw’s close proximity to the Gulf Coast and its vulnerability to severe storms and tornadoes make it a good place for the construction of a safe room.

For information on the city and its strategic planning projects, visit the city website at www.cityofchickasaw.org.

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