INDIANA- When it comes to protecting yourself from severe weather, safe rooms and storm shelters can come in handy.
A safe room is a hardened structure designed to provide high protection in extreme weather events. It can handle winds as high as 250 MPH.
The Indiana Department of Homeland Security has a program that offers a rebate for installing a safe room in your home.
Tammy Fannin of Franklin, Indiana, recently decided to buy a storm shelter to keep her family safe.
“Reflecting over the two tornadoes we had in Johnson County last year, which were super close outside our subdivision, I told my husband that I think we need to get something else in place,” said Fannin.
The Indiana Department of Homeland Security will pay you to build your own storm-safe room to prevent injuries and save lives. You can build one either above ground or a shelter below that meets FEMA regulations.
“We are in July of this year, and we’re already at about 40 tornadoes for the state of Indiana,” said Mary Moran, Indiana Department of Homeland Security.
IDHS is working with FEMA to reimburse pre-approved homeowners who build these shelters. Homeowners will pay the full cost for a safe room up front. The state will only select 25 applicants at random.
Applicants will be reimbursed 75% ($5,000 max) for the installation costs if approved.
Moran says a growing number of people are interested in the program.
“More parts of Indiana are going to be on that traditional path of tornado alley. So we are starting to believe this year of 35 tornadoes is going to be our new normal,” said Moran.
For Fannin, an outdoor shelter not only provides her protection, but a peace of mind.
“I think the severity of weather that we’ve seen, overall the changes, the weather patterns and the more frequent tornadoes capabilities, I think it’s very smart to invest in one,” said Fannin.
Applications are due July 31st.
