Poplar Bluff School District awarded $1.5M FEMA grant for tornado safe room

FOX23 News at 9 p.m

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo., (KBSI) — The Poplar Bluff School District has been awarded more than $1.5 million in federal funding to build a tornado safe room at Eugene Field Elementary School.

The grant, approved through the Federal Emergency Management Agency, requires a local match of about $500,000, which the Board of Education approved in March.

District officials said the safe room will be designed to withstand winds up to 250 mph and will be located on the Eugene Field campus, with final placement subject to adjustments based on design and use.

Superintendent Dr. Aaron Cornman said the project comes after last year’s tornado and reflects a continued focus on school safety.

The facility will also be open to the public during severe weather events outside of school hours, following protocols used at other district safe rooms.

Officials said the project is part of the district’s long-range facilities plan and must be completed within two years.

The grant was originally proposed for another campus but was relocated to Eugene Field after eligibility issues related to flood zone requirements.