Design And Construction Guidance For Community Safe Rooms

Contains FEMA 361, Design and Construction Guidance for Community Safe Rooms as well as Checklist for Design and Construction of Community Safe Rooms using FEMA 361.

Every year, tornadoes, hurricanes, and other extreme windstorms injure and kill people, and damage millions of dollars worth of property in the United States. Even so, more and more people build houses in tornado- and hurricane-prone areas each year, possibly putting themselves into the path of such storms.Having a shelter, or a safe room, built into your house can help you protect yourself and your family from injury or death caused by the dangerous forces of extreme winds. It can also relieve some of the anxiety created by the threat of an oncoming tornado or hurricane.Should you consider building a shelter in your house to protect yourself and your family during a tornado or hurricane? The answer depends on your answers to many questions, including: - Do you live in a high-risk area?- How quickly can you reach safe shelter during extreme winds?- What level of safety do you want to provide?- What is the cost of a shelter?This guide will help you answer these and other questions so you can decide how best to protect yourself and your family. It includes the results of research that has been underway for more than 20 years, by Texas Tech University's Wind Engineering Research Center (WERC) and other wind engineering research facilities, on the effects of extreme winds on buildings.The guide also provides shelter designs that will show you and your builder/contractor how to construct a shelter underneath a new house, in the basement of a new house, or in an interior room of a new house, or how to modify an existing house to add a shelter in one of these areas. These shelters are designed to protect you and your family from the high winds expected during tornadoes and hurricanes and from flying debris, such as wood studs, that tornadoes and hurricanes usually create.The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Research Center has evaluated these designs for construction methods, materials, and costs. Engineers at Texas Tech University have confirmed the design requirements for the expected forces from wind pressure and the impact of typical flying debris. The shelters are designed with life safety as the primary consideration.

Every year, tornadoes, hurricanes, and other extreme windstorms injure and kill people, and cause millions of dollars' worth of property damage in the United States. Even so, more and more people build homes in tornado- and hurricane-prone areas, possibly putting themselves into the path of such storms. Having a safe room built for your home or small business can help provide "near-absolute protection" for you and your family or employees from injury or death caused by the dangerous forces of extreme winds. Near absolute protection means that, based on our current knowledge of tornadoes and hurricanes, the occupants of a safe room built according to this guidance will have a very high probability of being protected from injury or death. Our knowledge of tornadoes and hurricanes is based on substantial meteorological records as well as extensive investigations of damage to buildings from extreme winds. It can also relieve some of the anxiety created by the threat of an oncoming tornado or hurricane. All information contained in this publication is applicable to safe rooms for use in homes as well as in small businesses. Should you consider building a safe room in your home or small business to provide near absolute protection for you, your family, or employees during a tornado or hurricane? The answer depends on your answers to many questions, including: Do you live in a high-risk area? How quickly can you reach safe shelter during extreme winds? What level of safety do you want to provide? What is the cost of a safe room? This publication will help you answer these and other questions so you can decide how best to provide near-absolute protection for you and your family or employees. It includes the results of research that has been underway for more than 30 years, by Texas Tech University's Wind Science and Engineering (WISE; formerly known as the Wind Engineering Research Center or WERC) Research Center and other wind engineering research facilities, on the effects of extreme winds on buildings. This publication provides safe room designs that will show you and your builder/contractor how to construct a safe room for your home or small business. Design options include safe rooms located underneath, in the basement, in the garage, or in an interior room of a new home or small business. Other options also provide guidance on how to modify an existing home or small business to add a safe room in one of these areas. These safe rooms are designed to provide near-absolute protection for you, your family, or employees from the extreme winds expected during tornadoes and hurricanes and from flying debris, such as wood studs, that tornadoes and hurricanes usually create. In August 2008, the International Code Council (ICC), with the support of the National Storm Shelter Association (NSSA), released a consensus standard on the design and construction of storm shelters. This standard, the ICC/NSSA Standard for the Design and Construction of Storm Shelters (ICC-500), codifies much of the extreme-wind shelter recommendations of the early editions of FEMA 320 and FEMA 361, Design and Construction Guidance for Community Safe Rooms (first edition, July 2000). FEMA 361 contains detailed guidance for the design and construction of community safe rooms, which also provide near-absolute protection, the level of protection provided in the residential safe rooms of this publication. It is important that those involved in the design, construction, and maintenance of storm shelters be knowledgeable of both FEMA guidance and ICC standards that pertain to sheltering from extreme winds. The safe room designs presented in this publication meet or exceed all tornado and hurricane design criteria of the ICC-500 for both the tornado and hurricane hazards. The safe rooms in this publication have been designed with life safety as the primary consideration.

Provides instructions for building effective shelters that can save lives when severe weather threatens people who are away from their homes. The Project Team comprised engineers from FEMA's Mitigation Directorate, consulting design engineering firms, and university research institutions. Chapters: post-disaster assessments, research, and design development; protection objectives; characteristics of tornadoes and hurricanes; shelter types, location, and siting concepts; performance criteria for debris impact; human factors criteria; emergency management considerations; and design commentary. Charts, tables, and formulas.

Secure Your Peace of Mind: Are You Prepared When Disaster Strikes? Do you lie awake at night, worrying about the safety of your loved ones and your home in times of crisis? Have you ever felt overwhelmed by the daunting task of enhancing your home's security, unsure of where to even begin? Imagine having a fortress of safety, a sanctuary that you've created with your own hands. Richard Man has been where you are, confronted with the need for security and the drive to protect his family. With "Building a Safe Room," Richard Man draws on his extensive experience in home safety and his personal journey from novice to expert. As someone who once faced the same fears and questions you do now, Richard has tailored a guide that is both practical and reassuring. His book is not just a set of instructions; it's a path to empowerment in an unpredictable world. Inside, you'll find: A detailed breakdown of the necessary tools and materials to start your project. Pro tips on choosing the ideal location for maximum safety and efficiency. Step-by-step guidance on constructing resilient walls that stand the test of time and danger. Expert advice on installing fail-safe locks and impenetrable doors. Innovative solutions for maintaining air quality and managing emergency utilities. Strategies for stocking up on essentials without succumbing to clutter or chaos. Insights into making your safe room a comforting space for all family members. Techniques for regular maintenance that ensure your safe haven is always at the ready. If you want to transform your home into a bastion of security, to sleep soundly knowing you are prepared for the unforeseeable, then scroll up and buy this book today. With Richard Man's guidance, you can build not just a safe room, but also a lasting peace of mind.