Safe Room Demonstration In Parsons, Kansas Beginning Monday 

Release Date: May 7, 2000
Release Number: 1327-03

» More Information on Kansas Severe Storms And Tornadoes

Parsons, KS -- Officials from the Kansas Division of Emergency Management (KDEM) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) have announced that three mobile Safe Room units will be available for the public to examine in Parsons, Kansas, beginning at 9 AM on Monday, May 8. The Safe Rooms will be located by the Municipal Building, 112 S. 17th St., on the Broadway Street side.

Safe Rooms were developed by the Wind Engineering Research Center at Texas Tech University in cooperation with FEMA. "This room is designed to withstand sustained winds up to 250 miles per hour and to resist penetration by a 15 pound 2x4 stud traveling at 100 miles per hour," said Federal Coordinating Officer Louis Botta.

Kansas is especially susceptible to severe winds and tornadoes. "We encourage people to consider building safe rooms," said Anne Allen, State of Kansas Coordinating Officer.

Residents and business owners planning to repair or rebuild a structure damaged or destroyed by the severe storms and tornadoes that swept the Crawford, Labette, and Neosho counties April 19th and 20th are encouraged to incorporate a Safe Room into their repair plans.

FEMA and Texas Tech have published Taking Shelter from the Storm: Building a Safe Room inside Your House. This booklet provides a homeowner risk assessment sheet, guidance for selecting a shelter design, detailed construction plans and cost estimates for building an in-home safe room.

All homeowners, renters, and business owners, including farmers, who have sustained damage to their homes or personal property from the severe storms and tornadoes of April 19 and 20 are encouraged to apply for disaster assistance by calling the FEMA toll-free registration number: 1-800-462-9029. Those with hearing and speech impairments can register by calling 1-800-462-7585. The telephone numbers are operational from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM, CDT, seven days a week until further notice.

Last Modified: Thursday, 13-Nov-2003 14:11:33