HYDE-SMITH WELCOMES AWARD OF $24.8 MILLION FOR SAFE ROOM CONSTRUCTION IN MISS.
FEMA Grants Will Advance Safe Room Facilities in Lincoln, Webster & Tate Counties
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) today welcomed the award of more than $24.8 million to advance safe room projects in Mississippi toward construction, including a large multi-use facility at Copiah-Lincoln (Co-Lin) Community College.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced grants for phase II construction work at the Co-Lin Wesson campus and the Webster County Communication Center Safe Room Project in Walthall, as well as funding for the Tate County Magnolia Heights Safe Room Project in Senatobia.
“We’ve been through enough severe storms in Mississippi to understand the value of safe rooms. I’m pleased with these FEMA hazard mitigation grants to create more safe spaces in our state,” said Hyde-Smith, who serves on the Senate Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee that has jurisdiction over FEMA.
FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program awards are issued on a 90/10 cost-share basis, with safe rooms expected to be designed to provide protection against 250 MPH winds. Each of the Mississippi awardees received planning and design awards for these projects in 2024.
Copiah-Lincoln Community College Safe Room Project - Phase II – $16,294,746 to construct a nearly 35,000-square-foot standalone, multipurpose safe room on the Co-Lin campus to accommodate more than 2,000 occupants. An additional $175,000 administrative grant was also awarded for this project. Total project cost: $18,105,273
Webster County Communication Center Safe Room Project - Phase II – $6,693,200 to fund a safe room to harden an existing building to protect the county’s emergency operations center and accommodate almost 1,300 people, including city, school, and judicial officials, within 8,684 square feet of space. Total project cost: $7,436,889
Tate County Magnolia Heights Safe Room Project – $1,727,851 to fund a more than 6,000-square-foot tornado safe room to protect 650 students and 80 faculty at the Magnolia Heights School. Total project cost: $1,919,835
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