Fema Approved Safe Room Plans

Guidance for community and residential safe rooms 2015 which provides the design criteria and commentary used.

Fema approved safe room plans.

Other considerations for safe room design when reviewing safe room designs it is important to reference up to date guidelines especially when considering construction and material technology. Your shmo can tell you what information must be provided for your project to be considered for funding as well as any applicable federal state and local design requirements. Fema p 320 has prescriptive safe room plans for safe rooms sized between 8 feet x 8 feet x 8 feet and 14 feet x 14 feet x 8 feet. The safe room s construction and design must be reinforced and built to withstand storms and threats of attack.

This storm cellar room measures 7 x 8 ft but it could just as easily be 4 x 4 ft. Safe rooms or storm shelters can be built any size you want as long as you build them with the specifications described in the fema booklet. Key details of our storm shelter design. Therefore a safe room can be sized differently as long as it complies with the guidance in fema p 361.

To obtain an equivalent level of protection safe room designs not meeting the specific requirements of the designs in these plans should be designed to meet the fema safe room criteria set forth in the 2015 fema p 361 design and construction guidance for community safe rooms 13. Design professionals and other readers seeking more technical guidance should refer to the federal emergency management agency s fema s fema p 361 safe rooms for tornadoes and hurricanes. However a safe room can be customized to meet your individual needs. Funding opportunities are available for individuals wishing to build a residential safe room.

There are 5 levels of tornadoes and 5 levels of hurricanes for instance each demanding different levels of protection. 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. And hurricane safe rooms. While old construction designs approved by fema are likely safe using more advanced materials means a more resilient structure with added benefits.

For project eligibility and financial assistance questions please contact your state hazard mitigation officer shmo.