FEMA's "Dawg Haus" to Tour in Enterprise
Release Date: March 9, 2007
Release Number: 1687-008
» More Information on Alabama Severe Storms and Tornadoes
MONTGOMERY, Ala. -- The "Dawg Haus" is coming to town to show how to build or rebuild stronger, safer structures that can withstand most tornadoes. "Dawg Haus" is the acronym the Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) uses for its portable tornado-resistant demonstration structure. That structure and safe rooms will be on display in Enterprise, starting Saturday at Lowe's then moving March 17 to Turf & Timber.
The demo building is one of six built by high school students in Mississippi. "We're hoping to get something like that going with students here," said Britt Bochiardy, CEO Group Supervisor, FEMA Mitigation Group.
Using safer construction methods, "the walls, ceilings and rafters are all connected with metal strips," said Lonnie Ryder, FEMA Mitigation Group Branch Chief. "This construction transfers the load path from the roof to the foundation, and everything is carried by the foundation."
This way of building exceeds building code requirements in many areas. Although "code plus" construction can be more costly initially, that needs to be balanced against the investment's potential to save lives and property. "The value here is a structure that will be able to resist much higher winds than a building normally built to code," Ryder said. Society benefits too. A study by the National Institute of Building Sciences concluded that $1 spent on mitigation in building saves society an average of $4 in preventing damage from winds. So, for example, $2,500 spent on better construction would, on average, prevent $10,000 in damage.
Safety can also be greatly enhanced with a freestanding safe room or a strengthened area within a larger structure. Safe rooms can provide "nearly absolute protection from tornado activity," Ryder said. "Over the years, millions of dollars have been spent in Alabama for safe rooms and shelters through FEMA's Hazard Mitigation Grant Program," he said.
That acronym "Dawg Haus" stands for:
Disaster - a sudden calamitous event bringing great damage, loss, or destruction; a sudden or great misfortune or failure
Avoidance - an act or practice of avoiding or withdrawing from something, to keep away from, to prevent the occurrence or effectiveness of
With - used as a function word to indicate a participant in an action, transaction, or arrangement
Good - of a favorable character or tendency
Home - one's place of residence
Attenuating - Unionization - to strengthen the weakest link or portion
System - a group of interacting, interrelated, or interdependent elements forming a complex whole
Lowe's is located at 1301 Boll Weevil Circle. Turf & Timber is at 1642 E. Park Avenue.
FEMA manages federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident, initiates mitigation activities and manages the National Flood Insurance Program. FEMA works closely with state and local emergency managers, law enforcement personnel, firefighters and other first responders. FEMA became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on March 1, 2003.
Disaster recovery assistance is available without regard to race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, disability, economic status or retaliation. If you or someone you know has been discriminated against, you should call FEMA toll-free at 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or contact your State Office of Equal rights. If suspicious of any abuse of FEMA programs, please contact the fraud hotline at 1-800-323-8603.
Last Modified: Friday, 09-Mar-2007 11:17:05