WHAT ABOUT ELKMONT'S STORM SHELTER?

Three years after FEMA approved grants for several community storm shelters in Limestone County, some of the buildings are not completed. One of the shelters, located in Elkmont, has walls and a roof, but the inside is not completed, leaving many in the area frustrated and wondering what is taking so long.

WHNT News 19 took action to find our more about the process of opening the structures. It’s more complicated than one might believe.

“They can do a little work, then it must be inspected, they do some more and again another round of inspections,” said Rita White, director of the Limestone County Emergency Management Agency.

White said the decision to build community shelters is not a new one. It’s based on the Limestone County Hazardous Mitigation Plan originally drafted in 2005. The plan was re-evaluated when new county commissioners were elected in 2011, and the old plan remained, White said.

EMA officials say expect to have the shelters completed by Spring 2015, just in time for the spring tornado season.

source: WHNT - channel 19
additional post: Community Storm Shelter