As tornadoes ripped across the Midwest in recent months, it became apparent to many that the municipal safety structures already in place were less than satisfactory. To meet this need, the Tuscaloosa City Board of Education recently approved the creation of 22 tornado safe rooms for area schools, according to the Birmingham Business Journal.
However, the city cannot build the safety features without the help of grant funding, reported the news provider. To pay for the rooms, which are being built by EnCompass360 consulting group, the educational organization seeks to qualify for the Hazard Mitigation grant provided by the Federal Emergency Management Administration.
Along with the new safe rooms, tornado safety education programs may be more than prudent for schools situated across the Midwest. To make sure students completely understand the threat posed by these natural disasters, as well as the proper protocol for taking shelter, teachers may utilize technology, such as an emergency communication device, an early alert system or a classroom projector displaying floor plans with direct routes to the safe rooms, as a educational aid.
According to the media organization, the federal grant is made available only to those currently residing in federally-declared disaster areas.
