As climate change increases the severity of storms reaching beyond Tornado Alley, schools are considering storm shelters for the safety of their students and staff – if funding allows.

Over 1,000 tornadoes occurred in 2023 throughout the U.S., with last year being the deadliest since 2011.^{1 & 2} Despite storm frequency, most states do not have universal storm shelter or safe room requirements for all districts. Building codes, tornado drills, and storm precautions are generally decided locally and are highly contingent on funding availability.

Construction expenses increase by at least 30% to meet storm shelter structural requirements.³ Schools can independently gain financial support through grant applications and bond campaigns to build shelters or can plan for affordable alternatives before construction.

While there’s no guarantee of funding or ultimate shelter utility, knowing all the facts early in the design process can help schools be prepared for evolving climate threats.

Weather Determines Whether a Shelter Is Needed

Tornadoes can be deadly due to their short warning time average of 13 minutes, compared to hurricanes that can have up to 36 hours of emergency notice.⁴

“Tornado Alley” states like Texas and Kansas have the highest average of 155 and 96 tornadoes respectively, with Northeast and West states having an average of five.⁵ Regardless of their frequency in the Midwest, states like Indiana don’t have a legal requirement for storm shelters, and areas that do require them may take an extended period before all schools can financially be compliant.

In order to validate the heavy price tags, schools must also consider the potentially low probability that a tornado will hit on a weekday during school hours and be strong enough to break through standard strength infrastructure. This probability further drops significantly for areas with minimal tornado occurrences.

However, when severe tornadoes do happen, the results can range from a few repairs to devastating outcomes, like the 2007 loss of nine students in Enterprise, Alabama and the 2013 loss of seven elementary students in Moore, Oklahoma.

As a result of the wide range of aftermath possibilities, some states require tornado drills but for storm shelters, the ultimate decision lies in local regulations and district wherewithal to meet their necessary, or desired, safety needs.

Requirements and Regulations

If local regulations don’t currently require storm shelters, it may still be prudent to factor them into designs to avoid retrofitting if laws change or to mitigate future risks.

Whether schools are building shelters voluntarily or for compliance, they will need to comply with the latest edition of the International Code Council (ICC)’s Standard for the Design and Construction of Storm Shelters; “safe rooms,” on the other hand, are required to follow FEMA Publication 361 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms. The latter is a more robust form of shelter, but “storm shelters” are still sufficient for school safety.

Some schools also allow for storm shelters to be used by the community outside of school hours with automatic lock capabilities in the event of a weather warning, which may factor into the location and dual purpose of the space. Regulations don’t prevent schools from using shelter space outside of emergencies, and many are purposed as large auxiliary gyms during the day and shelters as needed. However, funding may only be legally permitted to be used for the structure itself and not extras like paint, hardwood floors, basketball hoops, or equipment. Building designers would therefore need to consult with external organizations to ensure shelter requirements are met and within budget, space, and design parameters.

Funding Fortification

The average classroom cost per square foot is $175, and storm fortification adds an extra $100 per square foot.⁶

States like Indiana are actively looking into mass shelter requirements and funding redirection, but schools there can also qualify for grants from the Indiana Department of Homeland Security for as many as 10 safe rooms annually; the caveat is that schools must be able to afford a 25% funding match after a lengthy application process if selected.⁷ For the matching 25% or the entire budget, districts may need to propose a school bond referendum for voter approval.

Other grant-funded sources can be FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP), Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program, and the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG).⁸ Locally, there may be more programs or private-funding schools can qualify for, but acceptance is not guaranteed and applications can be very time-consuming for staff.

It can take multiple attempts, or years, to receive the windfall required for storm shelter construction for upcoming or existing buildings, but if it’s essential for student safety, it’s worth the time and investment.

Sheltering in Any Space

What can schools do if they cannot afford a storm shelter?

Finding the best alternative location is unique for each building, but generally, windowless rooms and basements big enough to hold the entire school population can work, with hallways being a potentially dangerous option especially if there are doors on both sides that can cause a wind tunnel effect.⁹

When preparing drill plans, ensure the accuracy of school floor and material blueprint plans to determine the most stable areas for sheltering in existing buildings. For new designs, plan for optimized shelter spaces as funding allows, such as areas with small roof spans or basements if possible.⁹

The storm shelter or safe room will also need to be stocked with emergency supplies, and for small children in particular, it’s a good idea to design it to feel welcoming. This can be accomplished by using the room for another purpose so drills and live emergencies don’t create panic for young learners.

Ultimately, school leaders need to find the best way to keep students and staff safe whether it’s in a fortified storm shelter or a durable basement.

Does Your School Need a Storm Shelter?

If a shelter budget is available, then schools in any state can benefit from them as natural disasters increase in frequency and geography.

But for high-risk states, leaders and stakeholders need to advocate for better regulations and funding to provide their community with safe schools. In the meantime, having well-researched emergency protocols and shelter options can keep students safe.

It’s tumultuous enough getting support for shelter construction, but having a plan for student protection should be one less storm to brave.

1. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Monthly Tornadoes Report for Annual 2023, published online January 2024, retrieved on March 3, 2024 from https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/monthly-report/tornadoes/202313.
2. 2023 sees most tornado deaths in America since 2011. (2023, December 11). ABC7 Chicago. https://abc7chicago.com/tornado-severe-weather-deaths-tennessee/14165694/
3. Building codes require new schools to include tornado shelters, but many won’t have them. (2016, May 25). CBS News. https://www.cbsnews.com/texas/news/building-codes-requiring-new-schools-to-include-tornado-shelters-but-many-wont-have-them/
4. Jones Jr., R. C. (2019, March 14). How do tornadoes and hurricanes compare? University of Miami News and Events. https://news.miami.edu/stories/2019/03/how-do-tornadoes-and-hurricanes-compare.html
5. The Weather Channel. (2023, April 4). Here’s how many tornadoes your state sees in a typical year. https://weather.com/safety/tornado/news/2020-03-26-average-number-of-tornadoes-by-state-each-year-united-states
6. McCleland, J. (2018, May 25). Following Moore tornado tragedy, Oklahoma schools make storm shelters a priority. KGOU. https://www.kgou.org/weather-and-climate/2018-05-25/following-moore-tornado-tragedy-oklahoma-schools-make-storm-shelters-a-priority
7. Kenney, K. (2019, July 31). Lawmaker says Indiana should look at lack of tornado shelters in schools. WRTV Indianapolis. https://www.wrtv.com/news/call-6-investigators/lawmaker-says-indiana-should-look-at-lack-of-tornado-shelters-in-schools
8. FEMA. (2023, June). FEMA Public Assistance: Safe Rooms and Storm Shelters. https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/documents/fema_pa-safe-room-factsheet.pdf
9. Melvin, Andrea & Kloesel, Kevin & Corbett, Melissa & Hocker, James & Mattox, Danny & Stalker, Sarah & Kitch, Gayland & Smith, Richard. (2014). 2.1 Weather Ready Schools: Should School Hallways As Storm Shelters be the Next Weather Safety Recommendation to be Retired?

Amairani Asmad is a writer who has researched areas ranging from education to neurodiversity across the entire age spectrum. Her work can be found in school-targeted publications and peer-focused resource blogs. Amairani is also a Penn State University alumna with a B.S. in Rehabilitation and Human Services.