FEMA Grants $2.1 Million for Tornado Safe Room Construction at Schools in Lepanto and Mountain View, Arkansas
Release Date: February 10, 2003
Release Number: R6-03-02
Denton, TX -- The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) said today it has awarded the State of Arkansas grants to construct tornado shelters (safe rooms) at schools in Lepanto and Mountain View, Arkansas.
In Lepanto, three stand alone safe rooms will be built on the school campus of the East Poinsett County School District. The campus includes a high school, junior high school, and elementary school. FEMA's share of the $1.3 million project will be $988,072.
In Mountain View, FEMA will cover approximately $1.2 million of the $1.5 million project. The Mountain View School District will build tornado safe rooms at the Mountain Elementary School and the Middle/High School campus. The safe room project will protect the 1500 students, faculty, staff, and volunteers in attendance during the school day. The community will use the shelters after school hours.
In both cases, the federal share of the program is 75 percent, and the Arkansas Department of Emergency Management and local school districts will split the remaining 25 percent.
These districts join other Arkansas schools that are preparing for tornadoes by building safe rooms. The Beebe High School, and the Glen Rose School in Hot Springs County both have planned or have completed similar projects. The safe rooms will protect the students, faculty, staff, and volunteers in attendance during the school day.
Last Modified: Friday, 18-Apr-2003 13:10:40