FEMA Approves Over $600 Thousand in Grant Funds for Tornado Shelters in Two Wichita Schools 

Release Date: June 6, 2001
Release Number: R7-01-22

» 2001 Region VII News Releases

Kansas City, MO -- The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has announced that the Blessed Sacrament Catholic School and the Kapaun Mt. Carmel Catholic High School in Wichita, Kan., will receive $320,450 and $340 thousand, respectively, in federal funds to help in the construction of tornado shelters.

The tornado shelters are designed to protect children and teachers from the severe storms that produce high winds and deadly tornadoes that are common to this area of the state.

As a condition of receiving the federal grant funds, the shelters are designed to FEMA guidance to provide near-absolute protection.

The $660,450 grant represents FEMA's contribution to the projects. The total cost of the projects is estimated to be $776,998. FEMA's Unmet Needs Program and the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program provides 75 percent of the funds for approved projects that lessen or eliminate the loss of lives and property in future disasters. The remaining 25 percent must come from non-federal sources.

Robert G. Bissell, acting deputy regional director of FEMA's regional office in Kansas City, Mo., said that the funds would come through FEMA's Unmet Needs Program and FEMA's Hazard Mitigation Grant Program.

The state of Kansas, through the Kansas Division of Emergency Management and the local community, will administer and disperse the federal funds. The state determines which projects will receive funding from FEMA.

Note to Editors:

The Kansas Division of Emergency Management administers FEMA's Hazard Mitigation Grant Program and Unmet Needs Program funds for the state of Kansas. Additional information regarding these projects may also be obtained from Joy Moser at the Kansas Division of Emergency Management by calling (785) 274-1190.

Points of contact are James Grogan, principal of Blessed Sacrament School, at (316) 684-3752 and Mike Burrus, president of Kapaun Mt. Carmel Catholic High School, at (316) 634-0315.

Last Modified: Wednesday, 15-Oct-2003 13:34:10