What constitutes a safe room?

A safe room is a room or structure specifically designed and constructed to resist wind pressures and wind-borne debris impacts during an extreme-wind event, like tornadoes and hurricanes, for the purpose of providing life-safety protection.

What are 3 attributes of a safe room?

Remember these three words—RUN, HIDE, FIGHT—these actions may save your life or the lives of others.

How do you make a tornado proof room?

There should be no windows. The room should not be in a flood zone or storm surge zone. The walls, ceiling, and door should be able to withstand winds of up to 250 miles per hour, flying debris, and windborne objects. The connections between all parts of the room should be strong enough to resist wind.

Can you build a safe room in an existing home?

A safe room can be incorporated into the construction of a new home, or it can be retrofitted into an existing one. In-ground and basement safe rooms provide the highest level of protection.

Where can I get funding to build a safe room?

Federal programs that provide funds for safe room construction include U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Block Grant funds, Federal Housing Administration (FHA) mortgage insured financing, and the FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP), and Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM) grant program.

Do you need a contractor to build a safe room?

Due to the intended function of safe rooms and site-specific conditions that need to be addressed, it is FEMA’s recommendation that a licensed design professional be involved. FEMA does not endorse, approve, certify or recommend any contractors, individuals, firms or products.

What is a safe room?

Safe Rooms A safe room is a hardened structure specifically designed to meet the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) criteria and provide near-absolute protection in extreme wind events, including tornadoes and hurricanes.

Do you need a licensed design professional for a safe room?

The prescriptive plans for safe rooms provided in FEMA P-320 are not intended to be a substitute for a licensed design professional. Due to the intended function of safe rooms and site-specific conditions that need to be addressed, it is FEMA’s recommendation that a licensed design professional be involved.