Muskogee Schools Using FEMA Money To Build Safe Room

By Craig Day, The News On 6

MUSKOGEE, OK -- School kids in one part of Green Country will have more protection from tornados. Their school is getting a new safe room.

Muskogee's Goetz Elementary held their first tornado drill of the season on Thursday.

"Next year's drill will be completely different when we get our new safe room," said Principal Malinda Lindsey.

Dirt work is underway on that new safe room add-on. The principal says it will give her peace of mind during severe weather.

"Of course, our number one goal is to make sure we take excellent care of all of our students, and safety is our number one concern," Lindsey said.

The $420,000 safe room is funded mostly with a FEMA grant, which reimburses 75 percent of the cost.

The district pays the rest.

"FEMA likes things that have dual purposes," said Muskogee Emergency Management Director Jimmy Moore.

Moore says it's a great use of federal dollars.

"There is no doubt in my mind. It will save lives," he said.

In addition to Goetz elementary, Muskogee Public Schools actually applied for grants for safe rooms at three other schools, but since it is a matching grant, and funds are limited, they dropped the applications. But it still fits into the districts overall severe weather safety plan.

The long term goal is to have safe rooms in every school, something many parents would like to see.

"You know Oklahoma being in tornado alley, this a very good thing for us," said parent Lee Metzger.

The safe room at Goetz Elementary will have room for 385 people and will also be a public shelter after school hours. Construction on the safe room will take about seven months to finish, so it will be ready for next year's tornado season.