Sheltering Against The Wind: The Wichita Public School Shelter Initiative

Earlier this month, Regional Director Dick Hainje toured four schools in the Wichita Public School District, that have taken steps to protect students, faculty, and staff during high wind events. Through the progressive actions of district officials, persons at Levy Special Education Center, McCollom Elementary, OK Elementary, and Wells-Greiffenstein Special Education Center now have a safe place to go when tornadoes and high winds threaten the Wichita area.

During the tour, which included U.S. Representative Todd Tiahrt, Kansas Division of Emergency Management Administrator Gene Krase, Wichita Public Schools Superintendent Winston Brooks, and other school and emergency management officials, participants had the opportunity to see first hand the tornado shelters in these schools. In a severe wind event, these areas can provide a life-saving refuge. During normal weather conditions, the tornado shelters at Levy, Wells-Greiffenstein, McCollom, and OK serve as conference rooms, classrooms, and a multipurpose room.

Shelters in 24 of the schools were funded through the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, which became available following the May 1999 tornadoes that devastated parts of Kansas, and supplemental appropriations provided by Congress. Other shelters were funded through FEMA's Public Assistance program and directly by the community through a major facilities bond issue.

In August 2002, FEMA released a case study highlighting the school shelter initiative in Wichita. The report provides background information on the project and highlights these tornado shelters constructed at Park Elementary, Kensler Elementary, McCollom Elementary, and Jefferson Elementary in the Wichita Public School District. It also addresses the inclusion of shelters in some private schools in Wichita, including Blessed Sacrament, and Kapaun Mount Carmel High Schools, and Trinity and Holy Cross High Schools in Reno County. A copy of the report may be viewed at http://www.fema.gov/mit/saferoom/casestudies.shtm.

For information on financing safe rooms should be addressed to your state emergency management agency. For additional information about residential and non-residential tornado shelters, visit the FEMA web site at www.fema.gov/mit/saferoom/. For additional information about safe rooms in Region VII (KS, IA, MO, NE), contact Bob Franke at (816) 283-7073 or bob.franke@fema.gov.