community storm shelters and safe rooms – code changes

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!


Jim BellWindstorm CoordinatorASSA ABLOY Door Security Solutions

Recent and Upcoming Shelter Code and Standard Changes


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


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


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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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


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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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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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


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


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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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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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


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


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


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


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


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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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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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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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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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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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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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


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


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’


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


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


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


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

Questions?

community storm shelters and safe rooms – code changes

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