Zarrow International Breaks Ground On New Tornado Shelter

Some Tulsa elementary students are one step closer to being safe during severe weather.

Soon, there will be a new FEMA-rated tornado safe room at Zarrow International School.

A few schools in the Tulsa School District already have safe rooms, but this one will be different.

At Mitchell Elementary, the library also serves as a tornado safe room. The district said one reason the rooms are so safe is the thick glass in the doors and windows, which can withstand winds up to 250 miles per hour.

Two students from each grade at Zarrow International School broke ground Friday for their future tornado safe room, which will also function as six classrooms.

"The older kids are, maybe a little bit jealous they're not gonna have those new classrooms, but, yeah, they do understand. They know that we're gonna add on and they're excited to see Zarrow grow - there's a lot of pride in this school," said Principal Kelly Forbes.

One difference between this tornado and the others is that there won't be the same thick glass.

Construction crews with Nabholz said FEMA requirements have changed, so, instead of glass, the safe room at Zarrow will have 10-inch concrete walls and coiling doors.

Forbes says the thought of having a tornado safe room for his students - gives him peace of mind.

"Right now, when we have our tornado drills, they're kind of the stereotypical ones where you go into the hall or you try to find some rooms where they're gonna be extra safe, and so we always do the best that we can," Forbes said.

He's looking forward to doing better when the project is done next fall.

Forbes said, "The holiday season right now - so it's like a huge great gift that we get to have for our students."

By the year 2020, the district's goal is to have 25 tornado safe rooms.

They're not open to the general public.