#CONCRETE SAFEROOM COSTS CODE#

While FEMA and ICC criteria are both designed to ensure life-safety protection, only precast concrete units meeting FEMA criteria provide “near-absolute” protection from extreme wind events. While fully supporting this effort, FEMA has continued to promote its 320 and 361 guidelines to communities and individuals seeking further guidance on best practices.ĭue to the implementation of the ICC-500 standard and other national, state and local protection initiatives, FEMA identified a need to distinguish between a “safe room” and a “shelter,” as the terms have been used almost interchangeably in the past. Precasters who manufacture safe rooms meeting this standard assure prospective owners and occupants that precast concrete safe rooms will provide life-safety protection.

#CONCRETE SAFEROOM COSTS CODE#

Using the FEMA guidelines as a pre-standard, design and construction professionals led by the International Code Council (ICC) and the National Storm Shelter Association (NSSA) have joined forces to produce the first ICC/NSSA Standard for the Design and Construction of Storm Shelters (ICC-500). FEMA 361 designates the design criteria for construction and operation for both community and residential safe rooms (greater than 16-person capacity). FEMA 320 outlines the design criteria for the development of residential safe rooms (16 persons or less) located in residential basements, garages, interior rooms and stand-alone structures (buried or exposed). The two design guidelines developed are FEMA 320 and FEMA 361. To ensure that safe rooms are structurally sound and will provide near-absolute protection from devastating storms, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has developed design, construction and operation criteria for architects, engineers, building officials, local officials, emergency managers and prospective safe room owner/operators. When extreme weather threatens, individuals and communities need a structurally sound safe room to provide protection. This article explains why certified and approved precast concrete safe rooms and storm shelters can help provide protection and peace of mind for families and communities when dangerous storms approach. Some communities, homes and buildings are equipped with shelters, basements or rooms designated as safe areas during such events however, many communities and individuals do not have storm shelters and remain at risk as a result.

When extreme wind events approach, we are warned to seek cover. Irene was downgraded to a tropical storm by the time it made landfall in New Jersey and the Coney-Island area of Brooklyn, N.Y., but by then the hurricane had caused almost $15 billion in damage and had taken 56 lives. In the summer of 2011, the East Coast of the United States braced for the impact of Hurricane Irene with evacuations and the first mass-transit shutdown in the history of New York City. When we look back at the stories that made the headlines in 2011, we will certainly see mention of Tuscaloosa, Ala., and Joplin, Mo., where tornadoes devastated both cities and caused more than 400 deaths. At least 1,836 people died, and damages were estimated at $81 billion. Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes in U.S. For the United States, some years are far worse than others. Tornadoes, hurricanes, tropical storms, typhoons and other extreme wind events strike with lethal force. We hope you find our product to be an asset to your family’s safety.Built to meet strict FEMA specifications, precast offers protection and peace of mind.Įvery year the potential looms for a natural disaster involving extreme wind events. After some research we came to the conclusion there were only a few options out there to satisfy a need for a builder friendly safe room that allows retro-fitting into an existing home.Īfter a couple of years of professional, developmental and customer research, we feel very confident that our safe rooms stands alone as one of the most long lasting, strong, safe and reliable units on the market today. Our core mission is to create and distribute a safe room that is constructed with the consumer’s safety, usability and sense of value as the driving factors for our business. It’s partners, Mike Carman and Chris Hooser have been associated for over 25 years as vendors for the new home builder and existing residential markets. In 2012 tornadoes ravaged parts of the DFW metro area causing numerous builders to contact us and inquire about safe rooms to build into their projects. Lone Star Safe Rooms started its business in 2012.

Concrete saferoom costs