Community Storm Shelters and Safe Rooms – Code Changes, New Tools for Emergency Managers, and Learning from Recent Storms
Jim Bell, ASSA ABLOYMarc Levitan, NISTGlenn Overcash, AECOM on behalf of FEMA
2018 Tornado SummitCommunity Sheltering & Preparedness
2018 Tornado Summit – Community Preparedness Session: ASSA ABLOY
Community Tornado Shelters are Being Constructed!
2018 Tornado SummitCommunity Sheltering & Preparedness
Jim BellWindstorm CoordinatorASSA ABLOY Door Security Solutions
Recent and Upcoming Shelter Code and Standard Changes
2018 Tornado Summit – Community Preparedness Session: ASSA ABLOY
2017 Tornado Season Ranking
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2017 US Tornado Stats
2017 Maximum Rated Tornado: EF4● Perryville, Missouri
on February 28● Eustace–Canton, Texas
on April 29
Tornadoes in U.S. 1,294 [1,884 in 2004 most yearly]
Damage (U.S.) > US$5 billion
Fatalities (U.S.) 35
2018 Tornado Summit – Community Preparedness Session: ASSA ABLOY
2017 Atlantic Hurricane Season
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Total depressions: 18 Total storms: 17 Hurricanes: 10 Major hurricanes (Cat. 3+) 6 Total fatalities ≥ 902 total Total damage ≥ $282.06 billion (2017 USD)Costliest tropical cyclone season on record
2017 US Landfall Storms Harvey Irma Maria (USVI and PR) Nate TS Cindy, Emily, Phillipe
2018 Tornado Summit – Community Preparedness Session: ASSA ABLOY
Tornado Shelter Facts: Need for Community Shelters Population in 250 mph wind zone is
approximately 65,000,000 people
Even though there is very little information, the latest estimate of homes with shelters in the US is 100,000
During MAT reports after 2011 tornado season many shelters were unused because owners were not home when tornados hit
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2018 Tornado Summit – Community Preparedness Session: ASSA ABLOY
State Code Status where Storm Shelters Required by 2015 IBC Section 423
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Note: Following States have small areas in 250-mph tornado shelter design wind speed zone: Georgia, New York, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, West Virginia
State Base Code Edition Adoption Policy Implementation Status
Alabama 2015 Effective Statewide: 1/1/17 Shelters required by State (2010)Arkansas 2012 Effective StatewideIllinois 2009 Statewide minimum for local State Board of Education: 2015 IBCIndiana 2012 Effective StatewideIowa 2015 Statewide minimum for localKansas 2006 Statewide for local adoption Varies by MunicipalityKentucky 2012 Effective StatewideLouisiana 2015 Effective Statewide: 2/1/18Michigan 2015 Effective Statewide Mandatory shelters modifies outMinnesota 2012 Effective StatewideMississippi 2012 Statewide minimum for localMissouri 2012 Unincorporated Municipalities and counties adoptionsNebraska 2012 Statewide minimum for local With local modifications or adoptionsOhio 2015 Effective Statewide: 11/1/17 Adopted 2015 11/1/17Oklahoma 2015 Effective Statewide Amended Out 423.3 and 423.4Tennessee 2012 Statewide minimum for localTexas 2006 Statewide minimum for local Local adoptions of un‐amended 2015Wisconsin 2009 Effective Statewide
2018 Tornado Summit – Community Preparedness Session: ASSA ABLOY
State Code Status where Storm Shelters Required by 2015 IBC Section 423: Texas Building Code is adopted locally
Through December 31, 2017: 55 TX municipalities have adopted 2015 IBC in 250 mph tornado shelter wind speed zone
Informal survey: approximately 50+ school storm shelters installed or in design phase
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2018 Tornado Summit – Community Preparedness Session: ASSA ABLOY
State Code Status where Storm Shelters Required by 2015 IBC Section 423: Oklahoma Building Code is adopted statewide
2015 IBC adopted on Sept. 15, 2017 with modifications ● OUBCC has removed from Chapter Four of the
IBC® 2015 Section 423.3 entitled "Critical emergency
operations" Section 423.4 entitled "Group E
occupancies" and has relocated and renumbered those sections to the newly created Appendix N entitled
"Supplemental Storm Shelter and Safe Room Requirements." to be adopted by individual municipalities
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2018 Tornado Summit – Community Preparedness Session: ASSA ABLOY
Communication – Shelter Locations, Shelter Occupants, Open/Closed, and Other Operational InformationIssues To Resolve
• Admittance Policy: Open to general public or specific occupants only
• How do public find shelters? Publications, I-Phone Apps., Signage
• Opening/Unlocking Shelter
• Time Of Need: Closed-Full or Open-still room
• Security
• Staff Training
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Shelter Requirement Changes in the 2018 IBC/IEBCand New Tools for Selection of Tornado Shelters and Best available Refuge Areas
2018 Tornado SummitCommunity Sheltering & Preparedness
Marc Levitan, PhD.Acting Director, National Windstorm Impact Reduction ProgramNational Institute of Standards and Technology
2017 Tornado Summit – Community Preparedness Session: NIST
2018 IBC Code Requirement for ICC 500 Storm Shelters –Required Occupant Capacity Provisions
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2015: 423.4 Group E occupancies ….. The shelter shall be capable of housing the total occupant load of the Group E occupancy.
2018: 423.4.1 Required occupant capacity. The required occupant capacity of the storm shelter shall include all the buildings on the site, and shall be the greater of the following:
1. The total occupant load of the classrooms, vocational rooms and offices in the Group E occupancy.
2. The occupant load of any indoor assembly space that is associated with the Group E occupancy.
Exceptions:1. Where a new building is being added on an existing Group E site, and where the new building is not of sufficient size to accommodate the required occupant capacity of the storm shelter for all the buildings on the site, the storm shelter shall at a minimum accommodate the required occupant capacity for the new building.
2. Where approved by the code official, the required occupant capacity of the shelter shall be permitted to reduced by the occupant capacity of any existing storm shelters on the site
2017 Tornado Summit – Community Preparedness Session: NIST
2018 IBC Code Requirement for ICC 500 Storm Shelters –Required Occupant Capacity Rationale (1/2)
Intention is to provide shelter space for the reasonably expected maximum number of occupants of the entire school campus at the time of the tornado
423.4.1 Required occupant capacity. The required occupant capacity of the storm shelter shall include all the buildings on the site, and shall be the greater of the following:1. The total occupant load of the classrooms, vocational rooms and offices in the Group E
occupancy.
While the worst case occupant load is used for all spaces for fire exiting, the total occupant load for the building is excessive for storm shelter design.
2. The occupant load of any indoor assembly space that is associated with the Group E occupancy.
Many schools have assembly-type facilities (e.g., gymnasiums with bleachers, multi-purpose rooms, theaters) that could include the public outside of normal school hours. The purpose of the storm shelter is to provide safety for the school occupants at the time of the emergency.
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2017 Tornado Summit – Community Preparedness Session: NIST
2018 IBC Code Requirement for ICC 500 Storm Shelters –Required Occupant Capacity Rationale (2/2)
Exceptions:1. Where a new building is being added on an existing Group E site, and where the new
building is not of sufficient size to accommodate the required occupant capacity of the storm shelter for all the buildings on the site, the storm shelter shall at a minimum accommodate the required occupant capacity for the new building.
It is not the intent of the provisions to require the new building to be made larger just to meet the shelter provisions.
2. Where approved by the code official, the required occupant capacity of the shelter shall be permitted to reduced by the occupant capacity of any existing storm shelters on the site.
Due to travel distances and possible age of the existing shelter (perhaps built before ICC 500), the code official can have input into the decision.
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2017 Tornado Summit – Community Preparedness Session: NIST
2018 IBC Code Requirement for ICC 500 Storm Shelters –Location Provisions and Rationale
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2015: none
2018: 423.4.2 Location. Storm shelters shall be located within the buildings they serve or shall be located where the maximum distance of travel from not fewer than one exterior door of each building to a door of the shelter serving that building does not exceed 1000 ft. (305 m)
Rationale● Limit travel time to the shelter to the FEMA-recommended 5
minutes ● 1000 ft maximum is based on average walking speed of 3
mph for 4 minutes, plus time to exit the building being served
2017 Tornado Summit – Community Preparedness Session: NIST
2018 International Existing Building Code (IEBC) Shelter Requirements
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For Group E Occupancies, added provisions to IEBC identical to 2018 IBC requirements for storm shelter construction● Applicable to additions to existing buildings instead of new
buildings● Requirements located in IEBC 2018 Chapter 11: Additions,
Section 1106
Rationale ● Avoid storm shelter requirements from driving decisions
about new buildings versus additions
2017 Tornado Summit – Community Preparedness Session: NIST
New Guidance for Selection of Tornado Shelters and Best Available Refuge Areas (1/2)
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NFPA 1616-2017: Standard for Mass Evacuation, Sheltering, and Re-entry Programs
Requirements for consideration of building safety in shelter selection criteria
Requirements for sheltering facilities to be deemed appropriate for temporary occupancy of evacuees for the applicable hazards by the AHJ
Annex guidance for shelter and best available refuge area selection
Checklists to aid in shelter assessment process
2017 Tornado Summit – Community Preparedness Session: NIST
New Guidance for Selection of Tornado Shelters and Best Available Refuge Areas (2/2)
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Explicit guidance on shelters for
specific hazards
TornadoesHurricanes
Snow/Winter StormsFloods
TsunamisEarthquakes
General● Minimum Recommendations for Selection of Existing
Buildings● Minimum Recommendations for Construction of New
Sheltering Facilities● Considerations for Shelter Exposure to the Hazard Event ● Considerations for Post-event Shelters
Risk and Condition Assessments● Pre-event Risk Assessment supporting shelter selection● During-event Risk Assessment● During-event Condition Assessment● Post-event Condition Assessment
2017 Tornado Summit – Community Preparedness Session: NIST
Upcoming Standards and Guidance for Tornadoes
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ICC 500-2020 Standard for the Design and Construction of Storm Shelters● ICC will begin work this spring on the next revision to the Storm Shelter
standard, to be published in 2020 for reference in the 2021 IBC/IEBC
ASCE 7-22 Minimum Design Loads and Associated Criteria for Buildings and Other Structures● Developing a new chapter in tornado loads● Planned for adoption in 2024 I-Codes
ASCE/SEI/AMS Wind Speed Estimation Standard● Work underway to develop a new standard for tornado wind speed
estimation, including significant improvements to the EF-Scale ● Want more info? Plan to attend Wednesday morning Breakout
Session Ahead of the Storm: The Development of New Standards
Glenn OvercashCivil Engineer, Building Resiliency GroupAECOM on behalf of FEMA
Lessons Learned from Hurricanes Harvey and Irma
2018 Tornado SummitCommunity Sheltering & Preparedness
2017 Tornado Summit – Community Preparedness Session: FEMA
Community Sheltering and Preparedness: Lessons Learned from Hurricanes Harvey and Irma Hurricane Harvey
● Population Protected: tornado vs. hurricane● Outreach: hazard-specific protocol● Operations: opening, security, power, food & water
Hurricane Irma● Florida’s unique preparedness challenges● Post Irma recommendations
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2017 Tornado Summit – Community Preparedness Session: FEMA
Lessons Learned – Hurricane Harvey in TXCombination Safe Rooms Designed and constructed to provide life-safety protection from both hurricanes
and tornadoes
FEMA requires Operations and Maintenance (O&M) Plans for funded safe rooms to address both events whenever different measure apply
Main O&M Plan differences between tornado and hurricane:● Protected Populations ~ Warning Times● Space, essential features/accessories ~ Duration of Occupation
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2017 Tornado Summit – Community Preparedness Session: FEMA
Lessons Learned – Hurricane Harvey in TXCombination Safe Rooms: Protected Populations
Hurricane-vulnerable populations include those who must remain in the area or are unable to evacuate:● Emergency response personnel ● People with access and functional
needs ● Those lacking transportation● Those without a place to evacuate to
Tornado-vulnerable populations include the whole community● Short warning times typical;
evacuation not possible● Tornado safe room populations are
limited by projected travel times that are often a function of potentially short warning times
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2017 Tornado Summit – Community Preparedness Session: FEMA
Combination Safe Rooms:Duration of OccupancyTornadoes = 2 hours
If tornado warnings overlap, then occupancy duration may exceed 2 hours
5 SF / each standing or seated occupant
Hurricanes = 24 hours
The longer expected occupancy demands additional considerations, supplies, and needs
20 SF / each standing or seated occupant
Higher criteria for ventilation, lighting, stand-by power, sanitation, potable water
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2017 Tornado Summit – Community Preparedness Session: FEMA
Community Sheltering and Preparedness: Lessons Learned - Hurricane Harvey in TX
Adapting to Rapidly Intensifying Threat
Harvey strengthened from Tropical Storm to Cat 4 Hurricane in less than 36 hours
Sheltering at home: no longer a viable option for most near landfall
Shelters space limited and evacuation routes jammed
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2017 Tornado Summit – Community Preparedness Session: FEMA
Lessons Learned – Hurricane Harvey in TXSafe Room: Protected PopulationsFEMA safe room in Woodsboro, Texas
Small community: population 1512 (2010)
Multi-purpose building on elementary / high school campus
Protected Population:● Tornado: open to whole community● Hurricane: depends on event-specific
county plan
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2017 Tornado Summit – Community Preparedness Session: FEMA
Lessons Learned – Hurricane Harvey in TXSafe Room: Protected Populations
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Sheltering Guidelines for Harvey
Shelters on west side of Highway 77 to be occupied according to local officials
Shelters on east side of Highway 77 are reserved for emergency personnel only
2017 Tornado Summit – Community Preparedness Session: FEMA
Lessons Learned – Hurricane Harvey in TXSafe Room: Policy Outreach
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Notifying community: Not open to public
Limited time for community outreach
Prior to storm when evacuation still feasible, prospective occupants turned away
Woodsboro SR Harvey Population
5 fire department, 4 EMS, chief of police, county commissioner, county judge, and custodian
Plus…three families that arrived during the storm
2017 Tornado Summit – Community Preparedness Session: FEMA
Lessons Learned – Hurricane Harvey in TXSafe Room: Operational Concerns
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Opening the safe room
Custodian opened safe room with keys
Other safe room staff have keys as back-up
Redundancy critical - especially for tornado
Other options include: ● Remote operated locks● Keys kept in onsite ‘Knox Box’
2017 Tornado Summit – Community Preparedness Session: FEMA
Lessons Learned – Hurricane Harvey in TXCombination SRs: Operational Concerns
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Security: enforcing admittance policy
Some unwelcomed public were angry…
Policy excepted: emergency conditions● Occupants safety compromised● Safe room door damage possible
Baffled entry systems can provide options for late-arriving people
2017 Tornado Summit – Community Preparedness Session: FEMA
Lessons Learned – Hurricane Harvey in TXCombination SRs: Operational Concerns
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Standby Power
Only supplied power to lighting and A/C: minimum ICC 500 requirement and eligible for FEMA funding
No power for hot water heater or to recharge cell phones, other devices
Food and Water
Occupants brought their own food (and water)
Potable water available through fountains
2017 Tornado Summit – Community Preparedness Session: FEMA
Lessons Learned – Hurricane Irma in FLPreparedness Challenges
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State population approximately 21M
Evacuation routes limited by peninsula geography
Statewide sheltering system developed and implemented post-Hurricane Andrew
Irma’s changing landfall forecast strained shelter system and evacuation efforts
According to State: 6.5 M residents evacuated prior to Irma landfall
2017 Tornado Summit – Community Preparedness Session: FEMA
Lessons Learned – Hurricane Irma in FLPost-event Shelter Findings & Recommendations
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FL House Committee Report: Hurricane Response and Preparedness
Florida’s capacity to shelter people with special needs was particularly challenged
Recommendations address:● Shelter management training at local level● Statewide special needs shelter registration ● Staffing resource plans● Fund shelter generators to accommodate special needs