Safe Rooms for Tornadoes 

and Hurricanes

Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

FEMA P-361, Third Edition / March 2015
All illustrations in this document were created by FEMA or a FEMA contractor unless otherwise noted. 

All photographs in this document are public domain or taken by FEMA or a FEMA contractor, unless 

otherwise noted.

Portions of this publication reproduce excerpts from the 2014 ICC/NSSA Standard for the Design and 

Construction of Storm Shelters (ICC 500), International Code Council, Inc., Washington, D.C. Reproduced 

with permission. All rights reserved. www.iccsafe.org

Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication do not necessarily 

reflect the views of FEMA. Additionally, neither FEMA nor any of its employees makes any warrantee, 

expressed or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or 

usefulness of any information, product, or process included in this publication. Users of information 

contained in this publication assume all liability arising from such use.
Safe Rooms for 

Tornadoes and 

Hurricanes

Guidance for Community 

and Residential Safe Rooms

FEMA P-361, Third Edition / March 2015 
Safe Rooms for Tornadoes and Hurricanes i Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

Preface

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) publications presenting design and construction guidance 

for both residential and community safe rooms have been available since 1998. Since that time, thousands 

of safe rooms have been built, and a growing number of these safe rooms have already saved lives in actual 

events. There has not been a single reported failure of a safe room constructed to FEMA criteria. 

Nevertheless, FEMA has modified its Recommended Criteria as a result of post-disaster investigations into the 

performance of safe rooms and storm shelters after tornadoes and hurricanes. Further, FEMA’s changes also 

consider the 2014 update to the consensus standard from the International Code Council® (ICC®) and the 

National Storm Shelter Association (NSSA®), the ICC/NSSA Standard for the Design and Construction of Storm Shelters

(ICC 500). 

This third edition of FEMA P-361 presents updated and refined criteria for safe rooms compared to the second 

edition’s 2008 criteria. The criteria presented in this publication address how to design and construct a safe room 

that provides near-absolute protection from wind and wind-borne debris for occupants. 

FEMA continues to support the development of consensus codes and standards that establish minimum acceptable 

requirements for the design and construction of hazard-resistant buildings. FEMA also supported and participated 

in the development of the original ICC 500 and the 2014 edition. Although the ICC 500 took much of what was 

presented in the first edition of FEMA P-361 and updated and codified it through the consensus standard process, 

some differences remain between the two documents. The differences between criteria are described at the 

beginning of each chapter of Part B of this publication. There are also differences in scope; for example, FEMA 

P-361 includes emergency management considerations and risk assessment commentary that are beyond the scope 

of ICC 500. 

When safe room designers, operators, and emergency managers implement FEMA’s Recommended Criteria in 

their projects, they can feel confident that they are using the best available information to guide the design and 

construction of a safe room (public or private) that provides near-absolute protection from the deadly winds and 

wind-borne debris associated with extreme-wind events. Additionally, if the safe room is being constructed with 

FEMA grant funds, adherence to the FEMA Recommended Criteria described in Part B of this publication is 

required.
Safe Rooms for Tornadoes and Hurricanes iii Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

Table of Contents

Preface ................................................................................................................................................................................... i

Introduction to FEMA P-361.............................................................................................................................................. xi

Part A

A1 . Purpose and Background........................................................................................................................................A1-1

A1.1 Purpose .......................................................................................................................................A1-2

A1.2 Background on FEMA Safe Room Design History and ICC Code Development .................A1-3

A1.2.1 Development of FEMA Safe Room Guidance..............................................................A1-3

A1.2.2 Development of ICC 500................................................................................................A1-4

A1.2.3 ICC 500 Comparison with FEMA P-361 .......................................................................A1-4

A1.2.4 FEMA Safe Room Grant Funding Program.................................................................A1-5

A1.3 Safe Room Terminology ............................................................................................................A1-5

A1.3.1 Terminology ...................................................................................................................A1-6

A1.3.2 Types of Safe Rooms ......................................................................................................A1-7

A1.4 Deciding Whether to Install a Safe Room................................................................................A1-8

A2 . Extreme-Wind Risk Assessment and Analysis.........................................................................................................A2-1

A2.1 Risk Assessment..........................................................................................................................A2-2

A2.1.1 Assessing Threat.............................................................................................................A2-2

A2.1.2 Assessing Vulnerability ..................................................................................................A2-9

A2.2 Risk Analysis .............................................................................................................................A2-11

A2.2.1 Analyzing Risk..............................................................................................................A2-11

A2.2.2 Considering Multi-Hazards in Safe Room Design.....................................................A2-11
Safe Rooms for Tornadoes and Hurricanes iv Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

A3 . Costs and Benefit-Cost Analysis ..............................................................................................................................A3-1

A3.1 Safe Room Costs.........................................................................................................................A3-1

A3.1.1 Design Parameters That Affect Safe Room Costs........................................................A3-1

A3.1.2 Cost and Size Data from Constructed and Proposed Safe Room Projects............... A3-3

A3.1.3 New Construction versus Retrofit ................................................................................ A3-3

A3.1.4 Cost of Hurricane Community Safe Room versus Combined Tornado and 

Hurricane Community Safe Room.............................................................................. A3-4

A3.2 Benefit-Cost Analysis................................................................................................................. A3-4

A3.2.1 Benefit-Cost Analysis Software..................................................................................... A3-4

A3.2.2 Determining Project Benefits....................................................................................... A3-5

A4 . Operation and Maintenance Considerations for Community Safe Rooms.........................................................A4-1

A4.1 Safe Room O&M Plan Objectives and Parameters..................................................................A4-2

A4.1.1 Safe Room Design..........................................................................................................A4-2

A4.1.2 Multi-Use versus Single-Use...........................................................................................A4-2

A4.1.3 Duration of Occupancy .................................................................................................A4-3

A4.1.4 Intended Occupants ......................................................................................................A4-4

A4.2 Staffing and Personnel Considerations....................................................................................A4-5

A4.2.1 Roles and Responsibilities .............................................................................................A4-5

A4.2.2 Contact Lists...................................................................................................................A4-5

A4.2.3 Staff Training .................................................................................................................A4-6

A4.2.4 Work Shifts......................................................................................................................A4-7

A4.3 Community Outreach and Notification ...................................................................................A4-7

A4.3.1 Identifying Potential Safe Room Occupant Population and Providing 

Information ....................................................................................................................A4-7

A4.3.2 Signage............................................................................................................................A4-8

A4.3.3 Expectation of Safe Room Use during Off-Hours.......................................................A4-9

A4.3.4 Information on the Access and Functional Needs of Potential Safe Room 

Occupants.......................................................................................................................A4-9

A4.3.5 Alert Signals and Drills..................................................................................................A4-9

A4.3.6 Pets ................................................................................................................................A4-10

A4.4 Emergency Provisions..............................................................................................................A4-11

A4.4.1 Food and Water ............................................................................................................A4-11

A4.4.2 Communications Equipment ......................................................................................A4-11

A4.4.3 Emergency Supplies (ICC 500 Sec 702.4 and 703.7).................................................A4-11
Safe Rooms for Tornadoes and Hurricanes v Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

A4.5 Access and Entry.......................................................................................................................A4-12

A4.5.1 Parking..........................................................................................................................A4-12

A4.5.2 Entering the Safe Room ..............................................................................................A4-12

A4.5.3 Registering Occupants.................................................................................................A4-13

A4.5.4 Locking Down the Safe Room ....................................................................................A4-13

A4.6 Operations during an Event....................................................................................................A4-14

A4.6.1 Security .........................................................................................................................A4-14

A4.6.2 First Aid and Health Services......................................................................................A4-14

A4.6.3 Communication ...........................................................................................................A4-15

A4.7 Post-Event Operations..............................................................................................................A4-15

A4.8 Maintenance .............................................................................................................................A4-15

Figures

Figure A1-1. ICC 500 (2014) .......................................................................................................................................A1-1

Figure A1-2. Safe room decision-making flowchart..................................................................................................A1-9

Figure A2-1. Typical tornado damage descriptions to one- and two-family dwellings and their 

corresponding intensity according to the EF Scale (Source: NOAA National Weather Service, 

Storm Prediction Center, www.spc.noaa.gov/faq/tornado/ef-scale.html)........................................A2-4

Figure A2-2. Recorded EF3, EF4, and EF5 tornadoes in the United States from 1950 to 2013 

(Source: NOAA National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Storm Prediction Center, 

www.spc.noaa.gov/gis/svrgis/).............................................................................................................A2-5

Figure A2-3. Basic wind speeds for Occupancy Category III and IV buildings and other structures (Source: 

Figure 26.5-1B of ASCE 7-10, used with permission)..........................................................................A2-7

Figure A2-4. Typical hurricane damage descriptions to one- and two-family dwellings and their 

corresponding intensity according to the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale (Source: NOAA 

National Weather Service, National Hurricane Center, www.nhc.noaa.gov/aboutsshws.php) .......A2-8

Figure A4-1. Example of a multi-purpose safe room................................................................................................A4-3

Figure A4-2. Example of a tornado protection zone map for a safe room (Source: Joplin School 

website, http://www.joplinschools.org/domain/635) ........................................................................A4-8

Figure A4-3. Example of a sign showing location for safe room entrance(Source: Joplin School website, www.

Joplinschools.Org/domain/635) .........................................................................................................A4-8

Figure A4-4. Example of a site plan clearly identifying safe room access routes 

(Source: Hollister R-V School District 2013) .....................................................................................A4-10

Figure A4-5. Interior operated safe room shutters in multi-purpose classroom/safe room ...............................A4-14
Safe Rooms for Tornadoes and Hurricanes vi Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

Tables

Table A1-1. Terminology Matrix...............................................................................................................................A1-7

Table A2-1. Approximate Relationship between Wind Speeds in ASCE 7-10 and Saffir-Simpson 

Hurricane Wind Scale ...........................................................................................................................A2-6

Table A3-1. Community Safe Room Costs: Location-Dependent Design Parameter Examples..........................A3-2

Table A3-2. Increase in Cost of Community Safe Room over Minimum Code Compliance .............................. A3-3

Part B

B1 . Application and Administration .............................................................................................................................B1-1

B1.1 Criteria ........................................................................................................................................ B1-1

B1.2 FEMA Supplemental Commentary........................................................................................... B1-2

B1.2.1 Single-Use and Multi-Use Safe Rooms (Reference: ICC 500 Sec 104)....................... B1-2

B1.2.2 Permitting, Review, and Inspections (Reference: ICC 500 Sec 105 and 106) ...........B1-5

B1.2.3 Construction Documents (Reference: ICC 500 Sec 107) ...........................................B1-8

B1.2.4 Design Information Signage and Labeling (Reference: ICC 500 Sec 108)...............B1-9

B2 . Definitions................................................................................................................................................................B2-1

B3 . Structural Design .....................................................................................................................................................B3-1

B3.1 Criteria ........................................................................................................................................B3-1

B3.2 FEMA Supplemental Commentary...........................................................................................B3-1

B3.2.1 General Approach to the Structural Design of Safe Rooms 

(Reference: ICC Sec 301) ..............................................................................................B3-2

B3.2.2 Load Combinations (Reference: ICC 500 Sec 302) ....................................................B3-4

B3.2.3 Non-Wind Load Considerations (Reference: ICC 500 Sec 303) ................................B3-4

B3.2.4 Wind Loads and Design (ICC 500 Sec 304) ............................................................... B3-6

B3.2.5 Debris Hazards (Reference: ICC 500 Sec 305)..........................................................B3-23

B3.2.6 Component Design and Testing (Reference: ICC Sec 306) .....................................B3-30

B4 . Siting.........................................................................................................................................................................B4-1

B4.1 Criteria ........................................................................................................................................B4-1

B4.2 FEMA Supplemental Commentary.......................................................................................... B4-4

B4.2.1 General Siting Considerations..................................................................................... B4-4

B4.2.2 Flood Hazards (Reference: ICC 500 Sec 401 and Sec 404)....................................... B4-8

B5 . Occupancy, Means of Egress, Access and Accessibility ..........................................................................................B5-1

B5.1 Criteria ........................................................................................................................................B5-1
Safe Rooms for Tornadoes and Hurricanes vii Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

B5.2 FEMA Supplemental Commentary...........................................................................................B5-1

B5.2.1 Community Safe Rooms (Reference: ICC 500 Sec 501) .............................................B5-2

B5.2.2 Residential Safe Rooms (Reference: ICC 500 Sec 502) ..............................................B5-7

B5.2.3 Locks and Latching (Reference: ICC 500 Sec 503) ....................................................B5-8

B5.2.4 Signage for Community Safe Rooms (Reference: ICC 500 Sec 504).........................B5-9

B6 . Fire Safety .................................................................................................................................................................B6-1

B7 . Essential Features and Accessories..........................................................................................................................B7-1

B7.1 Criteria ........................................................................................................................................ B7-1

B7.2 FEMA Supplemental Commentary...........................................................................................B7-2

B7.2.1 Occupancy Duration......................................................................................................B7-2

B7.2.2 Ventilation (Reference: ICC 500 Sec 702.1 and 703.1) ...............................................B7-2

B7.2.3 Sanitation Management (Reference: ICC 500 Sec 702.2 and 703.2).........................B7-3

B7.2.4 Lighting (Reference: ICC 500 Sec 702.3 and 703.4) ...................................................B7-4

B7.2.5 Standby (Emergency) Power (Reference: ICC 500 Sec 702.3, 703.4, 703.5 

and 703.6).......................................................................................................................B7-5

B7.2.6 Water Supply (Reference: ICC Section 703.3) .............................................................B7-5

B8 . Test Methods for Impact and Pressure Testing......................................................................................................B8-1

B8.1 Criteria ........................................................................................................................................B8-1

B8.2 FEMA Supplemental Commentary...........................................................................................B8-1

B8.2.1 Wind-borne Debris in Tornadoes and Hurricanes......................................................B8-2

B8.2.2 Resistance to Test Missile Loads and Successful Testing Criteria ............................B8-10

B8.2.3 Performance of Wall and Roof Assemblies during Tornado Missile 

Impact Tests..................................................................................................................B8-15

B8.2.4 Performance of Door, Glazed Openings, and Impact Protective Systems during 

Debris Impact and Pressure Tests...............................................................................B8-21

B8.2.5 Test Laboratory Accreditation ....................................................................................B8-23

B9 . References and Resources.......................................................................................................................................B9-1

B9.1 Storm Surge Inundation Data...................................................................................................B9-5
Safe Rooms for Tornadoes and Hurricanes viii Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

Figures

Figure B1-1. School addition designed to serve as a multi-use safe room (Wichita, KS) ...................................... B1-2

Figure B1-2. Prefabricated steel single-use community safe room (Brookwood, AL) ...........................................B1-4

Figure B1-3. Single-use residential safe room after an EF5 tornado (Newcastle, OK) ..........................................B1-4

Figure B1-4. Safe room with items stored inside (Joplin, MO) ...............................................................................B1-5

Figure B1-5. Example of signage with safe room design information .................................................................. B1-10

Figure B1-6. Examples of design information signs ............................................................................................... B1-10

Figure B1-7. Example door label for a product that has been tested to safe room criteria................................. B1-10

Figure B3-1. Safe room design wind speeds for tornadoes (Source: ICC 500 Figure 304.2(1); 

used with permission) ...........................................................................................................................B3-7

Figure B3-2. Safe room design wind speeds for hurricanes (Source: ICC 500 [2014] Figure 304.2(2); 

used with permission) ...........................................................................................................................B3-8

Figure B3-3. Comparison of tributary and effective wind areas............................................................................B3-18

Figure B3-4. MWFRS combined loads and C&C loads acting on a safe room wall section ................................B3-19

Figure B3-5. Critical connections for providing a continuous load path in a typical masonry, concrete, 

or metal-frame building wall ..............................................................................................................B3-20

Figure B3-6. Continuous load path in a reinforced masonry building with a concrete roof deck .....................B3-20

Figure B3-7. Internal pressurization and resulting building failure due to design winds entering an 

opening in the windward wall.............................................................................................................B3-21

Figure B3-8. Load path failed between the bond beam and the top of the unreinforced masonry wall 

when struck by an F4 tornado (Moore, OK 1999) (Source: FEMA P-342) ....................................B3-22

Figure B3-9. Two steel columns failed at their connection to the foundation......................................................B3-23

Figure B3-10. View of a community shelter that is partially below grade (Wichita, KS, 1999 tornado)

(Source: FEMA P-342) ........................................................................................................................B3-26

Figure B3-11. Soil cover over a safe room relieving the requirement for debris impact-resistance ......................B3-26

Figure B3-12. Lay-down hazard: large communications tower onto a building (Joplin, MO, 2011 tornado) 

(Source: FEMA P-908, Recovery Advisory 5).....................................................................................B3-29

Figure B3-13. Vehicle rollover hazard (Greensburg, KS, 2007 tornado) ................................................................B3-29

Figure B3-14. Collapse hazard: The story above an Emergency Operations Center collapsed 

(Tuscaloosa, AL, 2011 tornado) (Source: FEMA P-908, Recovery Advisory 6) ..............................B3-29

Figure B3-15. Flying debris hazard: School gymnasium’s steel truss and steel deck roof assembly 

displaced approximately 230 feet (Cleveland, TN, 2011) .................................................................B3-30

Figure B3-16. Collapse hazard: Tall precast wall panels collapsed onto the floor slab 

(Midwest tornado, 2003) .....................................................................................................................B3-30

Figure B3-17. The primary door of the safe room is protected by a debris-resistant barrier................................B3-32
Safe Rooms for Tornadoes and Hurricanes ix Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

Figure B4-1. Example illustration of acceptable community safe room locations...............................................B4-13

Figure B4-2. Example illustration of typical riverine cross section and shoreline transect showing 

stillwater and wave crest elevations and associated flood zones for acceptable community 

safe room siting....................................................................................................................................B4-13

Figure B4-3. Illustration of a community safe room example that meets flood elevation criteria .....................B4-14

Figure B4-4. Example illustration of acceptable residential safe room locations. ...............................................B4-15

Figure B4-5. Example illustration of typical riverine cross section and shoreline transect showing 

stillwater and wave crest elevations and associated flood zones for acceptable residential 

safe room siting....................................................................................................................................B4-16

Figure B4-6. Illustration of a residential safe room example that meets flood elevation criteria.......................B4-17

Figure B8-1. Metal door breached by wind-borne debris. (Tuscaloosa, AL, 2011 tornado) 

(Source: FEMA P-908) ..........................................................................................................................B8-2

Figure B8-2. Medium debris: Pieces of a built-up roof from Hurricane Katrina (MS, 2005)

(Source: FEMA P-424)...........................................................................................................................B8-3

Figure B8-3. Medium debris: Double 2x6 wood boards sticking out of the roof. (Moore, OK, 1999 tornado)

(Source: FEMA P-342) ......................................................................................................................... B8-4

Figure B8-4. Large debris: Steel beam that blew into a school (Greensburg, KS, 2007 tornado) ...................... B8-4

Figure B8-5. Large debris: Steel roof trusses that blew off a school (U.S. Virgin Islands, 1995 Hurricane 

Marilyn)(Source: FEMA P-424)...........................................................................................................B8-5

Figure B8-6. Large debris: Roof precast twin tees blew off a hospital and struck another portion of the 

building. (Greensburg, KS, 2007 tornado)(Source: FEMA P-577)....................................................B8-5

Figure B8-7. Large debris: Propane tank that was blown from its original location. 

(Midwest tornadoes, 2007)................................................................................................................... B8-6

Figure B8-8. Large debris: A school bus was lifted atop a school. (Caledonia, MS, tornado, 2008) ................... B8-6

Figure B8-9. Large debris: Laydown of a large tree onto a nursing home. (Tuscaloosa, AL, 2011 tornado)

( FEMA P-908, Recovery Advisory 6) .................................................................................................. B8-6

Figure B8-10. Representative quantity, size, and type of debris that is often generated by a strong or violent 

tornado. (Greensburg, KS, 2007) (Source: FEMA P-577)..................................................................B8-7

Figure B8-11. Refrigerator pierced by a 2x6. (Oklahoma City, OK, 1999 tornado)(Source: FEMA P-342) ..........B8-9

Figure B8-12. Impact of structural wood members in the gable end from a neighboring house 

(Pine Island, FL) (Source: FEMA P-488) ..........................................................................................B8-11

Figure B8-13. Variations of impact impulse as a function of impact angle.............................................................B8-13

Figure B8-14. Raw and filtered forcing functions measured using impact plate for the impact from a 

4.1-pound 2x4 moving at 42.3 fps (Souce: Sciaudone 1996)............................................................B8-14

Figure B8-15. Impulse as a function of initial momentum for a 2x4 test missile ...................................................B8-15

Figure B8-16. Impact test locations for a panel or framed roof or wall assembly (Source: ICC 500 

Figure 804.9.1(2); used with permission) ..........................................................................................B8-15

Figure B8-17. Use of steel sheet metal in wall assemblies.........................................................................................B8-17
Safe Rooms for Tornadoes and Hurricanes x Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

Figure B8-18. CMU wall assemblies ...........................................................................................................................B8-17

Figure B8-19. Steel porch column debris from an apartment complex (Tuscaloosa, AL, 2011 tornado)............B8-19

Figure B8-20. Steel beam debris (Greensburg, KS, 2007 tornado) .........................................................................B8-19

Figure B8-21. Reinforced concrete wall [a] and reinforced concrete “flat” wall constructed with 

insulating concrete forms [b] .............................................................................................................B8-20

Figure B8-22. Steel tube that perforated a waffle grid ICF wall. (Moore, OK, 2013 tornado)

(Source: FEMA P-1020).......................................................................................................................B8-20

Figure B8-23. Metal door damaged by wind-borne debris generated by a weak tornado. (St. Louis, MO, 

2013 tornado).......................................................................................................................................B8-22

Tables

Table B1-1. Comparison of ICC 500 Requirements to FEMA Recommended Criteria ....................................... B1-1

Table B3-1. Comparison of ICC 500 Requirements to FEMA Recommended Criteria .......................................B3-1

Table B3-2. Tornado Frequencies in the United States (1950-2006).....................................................................B3-9

Table B3-3. Tornado Missile Impact Criteria.........................................................................................................B3-24

Table B3-4. Hurricane Missile Impact Criteria......................................................................................................B3-25

Table B3-5. Residential Safe Room Test Missile Impact Criteria .........................................................................B3-25

Table B4-1. Comparison of ICC 500 Requirements to FEMA Recommended Criteria .......................................B4-2

Table B5-1. Occupant Density for Tornado Community Safe Rooms ...................................................................B5-3

Table B5-2. Occupant Density for Hurricane Community Safe Rooms ............................................................... B5-4

Table B5-3. Occupant Density for Residential Safe Rooms ....................................................................................B5-8

Table B7-1. Comparison of ICC 500 Requirements to FEMA Recommended Criteria ....................................... B7-1

Table B8-1. Wind-borne Debris Classifications for Tornadoes and Hurricanes...................................................B8-3

Formulas

Formula B3-1: Velocity Pressure ..................................................................................................................................B3-13

Formula B3-2: Pressure on MWFRS for Buildings ....................................................................................................B3-15

Formula B3-3: Pressures on C&C and Attachments..................................................................................................B3-16

Formula B8-1: Impact Momentum..............................................................................................................................B8-12

Appendices

Appendix A Acronyms 

Appendix B Acknowledgments 

Appendix C Designer Checklist

Appendix D Comparison Matrix of Differences Between ICC 500 Requirements and FEMA 

Recommended Criteria
Safe Rooms for Tornadoes and Hurricanes xi Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

Introduction to FEMA P-361

This publication provides guidance from the Federal 

Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) about the 

planning, design, construction, and operation of safe 

rooms. It presents important information about the design and 

construction of residential and community safe rooms that will 

protect people during extreme-wind events such as tornadoes and 

hurricanes. 

The guidance in FEMA P-361 is intended for architects, engineers, 

building officials, local officials and emergency managers, and 

prospective safe room owners and operators. FEMA P-361 was first 

published in 2000, and a second edition was released in 2008. 

Since the second edition of FEMA P-361 was published, several 

significant tornado and hurricane events have occurred, 

considerable research has been conducted, and the ICC®

has released a consensus standard to codify the design and 

construction requirements of extreme-wind storm shelters. 

This standard, the Standard for the Design and Construction of 

Storm Shelters, is known as ICC 500 and was produced by ICC in 

cooperation with the NSSA®. The 2000 edition of FEMA P-361 

served as a legacy document for the development of ICC 500. The 

ICC 500 was completed in 2008 and recently updated in 2014. 

This edition of FEMA P-361 is presented in two parts: Part A 

and Part B. 

 FEMA 361 (2008)

FEMA 361 (2000) 
Safe Rooms for Tornadoes and Hurricanes xii Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

Part A Content and Organization 

Part A presents information that safe room designers, owners, and emergency management officials may 

find useful in planning, designing, and operating a safe room. Information includes FEMA’s guidance and 

recommendations related to safe room design and construction oversight, risk assessment and analysis, costs, and 

benefit-cost analysis (BCA); also included are operation and maintenance (O&M) considerations for community 

safe rooms. Specific content consists of the following topics: 

• Purpose and Background (Chapter A1) 

• Extreme-Wind Risk Assessment and Analysis (Chapter A2)

• Costs and Benefit-Cost Analysis (Chapter A3)

• Operation and Maintenance Considerations for Community Safe Rooms (Chapter A4)

Part B Content and Organization

Part B consists of eight chapters that correspond to the chapters of ICC 500 (2014), the referenced standard for 

each topic area. Each chapter presents a comparison of the ICC 500 requirements with FEMA Recommended 

Criteria that should be adopted to maximize life-safety protection, and supplemental FEMA commentary.

FEMA Recommended Criteria and Supplemental Commentary

Safe rooms should be designed and constructed in accordance with the provisions of ICC 500. In addition, FEMA 

provides Recommended Criteria that are more conservative than code and standard minimum requirements. 

Based on field investigation and research, FEMA believes these Recommended Criteria are necessary to provide 

near-absolute protection during extreme-wind events. Part B Chapters (aside from B2, Definitions) of this 

publication begin by describing any FEMA Recommended Criteria that exceed the requirements found in the 

corresponding chapter of the 2014 version of the ICC 500. 

Safe rooms constructed with FEMA grant funds are required to adhere to FEMA Recommended Criteria 

described at the beginning of Part B chapters as well as the corresponding ICC 500 requirements.

The supplemental commentary provides background information on provisions addressed in the corresponding 

chapter of ICC 500 where applicable. Additionally, the supplementary commentary explains best practice 

considerations that are not listed as FEMA Recommended Criteria and, in some cases, describes the justification 

for listed criteria. 

FEMA P-361

SECOND EDITION VS THIRD EDITION

The most apparent difference between this edition of FEMA P-361 and the second edition is that this edition is rearranged so the chapter order and content of Part B are in sequence with the first eight chapters of ICC 500. The third 

edition of FEMA P-361 also features clarified guidance and revised commentary to reflect 6 more years of post-damage 

assessments and lessons learned, including those based on many safe rooms directly impacted by tornadoes. 

Note
Safe Rooms for Tornadoes and Hurricanes xiii Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

Organization

Part B includes the following chapters, which follow the nomenclature and general content of Chapters 1 through 

8 of ICC 500:

• Application and Administration (Chapter B1)

• Definitions (Chapter B2)

• Structural Design (Chapter B3)

• Siting (Chapter B4)

• Occupancy, Means of Egress, Access, and Accessibility (Chapter B5)

• Fire Safety (Chapter B6)

• Essential Features and Accessories (Chapter B7)

• Test Methods for Impact and Pressure Testing (Chapter B8)

• References and Resources (Chapter B9)

Appendices

Appendices include:

• Acronyms (Appendix A)

• Acknowledgments (Appendix B)

• Designer Checklist (Appendix C)

• Comparison Matrix of Differences between ICC 500 Requirements and FEMA Recommended Criteria 

(Appendix D)
Part A
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES A1-1 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART A PART A

CHAPTER A1

Purpose and Background

Tornadoes and hurricanes are among the most destructive 

forces of nature. Unfortunately, these types of wind storms 

continue to cause injury and death to people who are unable 

to safely evacuate or find shelter from these events. FEMA has long 

supported the development of hazard-resistant codes and standards by 

assessing how structures respond in a disaster. Assessment conclusions 

and recommendations are applied through active participation in 

the process of creating and developing building codes and standards, 

including the Standard for the Design and Construction of Storm Shelters,

known as ICC 500.

This third edition of FEMA P-361 references much of the design 

criteria of the 2014 edition of the ICC 500 with some exceptions, all 

of which are identified at the beginning of Chapters B1 through B8 in 

Part B of this publication, and summarized in Table D-1 (Appendix D). 

The ICC 500 is referenced in the 2009, 2012, and 2015 International 

Building Code® (IBC®) and International Residential Code® 

(IRC®), and is therefore part of the building code (incorporated 

by reference) as a readily enforceable design standard. The best 

practices and Recommended Criteria described in FEMA P-361 

are guidance; they are not code or standard enforceable in a 

jurisdiction unless they have been adopted as a standard for tornado 

or hurricane safe rooms. This publication supersedes the FEMA 

National Performance Criteria for Tornado Shelters, 1999, as well as all 

earlier versions of FEMA P-361.

Figure A1-1. ICC 500 (2014)
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES A1-2 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART A PART A

A1.1 Purpose 

The primary purpose of FEMA P-361 is to provide guidance on best practices related to the design, construction, 

and operation of community and residential safe rooms. Specifically, this publication describes the criteria for any 

safe room, private or public, to be constructed so that it is capable of providing near-absolute protection for its 

occupants during tornadoes and hurricanes. 

FEMA P-361 presents Recommended Criteria and emergency 

management considerations for following best practices that are 

consistent with and, in some cases, more conservative than the 

corresponding ICC 500 requirements. Safe rooms being constructed 

with FEMA grant funds must comply with ICC 500 requirements, 

the corresponding FEMA recommendations described in Part B of 

this publication, and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, 

including Section 504, Programs, Services and Activities (29 U.S.C. 

§ 794). Federal agencies and those receiving Federal assistance must 

ensure that their programs are usable and accessible to persons with 

disabilities (see Section B5.2.1.4). 

FEMA P-361 provides guidance on the planning and engineering 

issues for design and construction of stand-alone safe room 

buildings, constructing safe rooms within a new building, and 

adding a safe room to an existing building. The guidance in 

this publication builds on knowledge gained through field 

investigations and research, represented in FEMA’s technical 

reports and publications, as well as information from other 

national and State agencies and universities that have studied the performance of the built environment during 

tornadoes and hurricanes. More history related to the development of this publication is provided on the FEMA 

safe room website, “FEMA P-361 History and Relevant FEMA Building Science Activities,” at www.fema.gov/

fema-p-361-history-and-relevant-fema-building-science-activities.

FEMA P-361 

RECOMMENDED CRITERIA 

If safe rooms are constructed with 

FEMA funds, the design must comply 

with the FEMA Recommended Criteria 

described in Part B of this publication. 

FEMA’s criteria were developed to provide near-absolute protection for safe 

room occupants. Refer to “Recognized 

Design Standards” in the latest edition of Hazard Mitigation Assistance 

(HMA) Unified Guidance for the most 

current FEMA policy statement on safe 

room implementation. 

See: www.fema.gov/

hazard-mitigation-assistance.

Note

THE DEVASTATION OF TORNADOES

The National Weather Service did not start keeping organized records of tornadoes in the United States until 

1950. Since then, the deadliest year for tornadoes was 

2011, which claimed 553 lives. The single deadliest tornado to date was in Joplin, MO, on May 22, 2011, with 

161 fatalities.

Compared with hurricanes and earthquakes, single tornado events typically affect smaller geographical areas 

but occur more often and cause more deaths. From 1950 

through 2011, tornadoes caused about 5,600 fatalities in 

the United States, more than hurricanes and earthquakes 

combined over the same time period (NIST 2014). This photograph taken by FEMA on February 5, 2008, 

in Lafayette, TN shows the vivid reality of how lives are 

impacted by tornadoes. 

(SOURCE: JOCELYN AUGUSTINO/FEMA)

Note
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES A1-3 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART A

This third edition of FEMA P-361 includes the ICC 500 requirements, but also identifies the specific technical 

criteria for which the FEMA guidance exceeds the minimum requirements of the ICC 500. This approach is 

consistent with past FEMA guidance publications. FEMA publications provide guidance on best practices that 

are above and beyond the minimum criteria and scope of the consensus codes and standards for design and 

construction of structures to resist natural and manmade hazards where knowledge or science justify those 

practices. FEMA guidance publications also address emergency management considerations not covered in the 

codes and standards.

Some aspects of the planning necessary for very-high-occupancy safe rooms that may be required in large, 

public venues such as stadiums or amphitheaters are beyond the scope of this publication. Although an owner 

or operator of such a venue should follow the applicable requirements presented in this publication, detailed 

guidance for operational aspects concerning very-high-occupancy safe rooms is not provided. The design of such 

safe rooms requires attention to human factor engineering issues that affect the life safety of a large number of 

people. Egress timing for thousands of people in a stadium, how to manage a large group of individuals in a safe 

room, and security within a safe room are examples of human behavioral issues that should be addressed when 

protecting a large group of people. 

A1.2 Background on FEMA Safe Room Design 

History and ICC Code Development

The first edition of FEMA P-361, released in July 2000, set forth comprehensive design and construction criteria 

for tornado and hurricane shelters. These criteria were used as the basis for the design and construction of many 

safe rooms funded by FEMA in communities across the Nation since 2000. The second edition, published in 2008, 

updated and expanded the recommendations by referencing much of ICC 500. This third edition of FEMA P-361 

continues to provide guidance for the design and construction of tornado and hurricane safe rooms, and includes 

updates to incorporate code and standard changes (IBC, IRC, ASCE 71, and ICC 500) and lessons learned 

through post-disaster investigations since 2008. 

A1.2.1 Development of FEMA Safe Room Guidance

When a hurricane, tornado, earthquake, or terrorist attack results in a catastrophic natural or manmade disaster 

of national significance in the United States or one of its territories, FEMA may deploy a technical building 

sciences team to document the performance of the built environment during the event. The objectives of these 

teams are to observe and assess the performance of buildings, evaluate design and construction practices, and 

evaluate building code requirements and enforcement in light of the observed building performance. The teams 

then make recommendations for improving building performance in future disasters. Post-disaster studies 

have been conducted since the early 1970s to determine design parameters for safe rooms intended to provide 

protection from tornadoes and hurricanes. 

In 1998, using the results of research conducted by Texas Tech University’s (TTU’s) National Wind Institute 

(NWI),2 FEMA developed construction plans for small in-residence safe rooms and prepared the publication, 

Taking Shelter from the Storm: Building a Safe Room for Your Home or Small Business (FEMA P-320). FEMA P-320 was 

subsequently updated in 1999, 2008, and 2014. 

1 ASCE, Minimum Design Loads for Buildings and Other Structures

2 Formerly called the Wind Science and Engineering Research Center (WISE) and before that, the Wind Engineering Research Center.
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES A1-4 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART A

A1.2.2 Development of ICC 500

Using the first edition of FEMA P-361 (2000) as guidance, the ICC, in partnership with FEMA and the NSSA, 

formed a national committee that developed and released a consensus standard to codify the design and 

construction requirements of tornado and hurricane shelters. This standard, the ICC 500, was completed in the 

summer of 2008 and updated in 2014. 

Since 2009, the IBC and IRC have incorporated ICC 500 by reference to regulate the design and construction of 

buildings, or portions thereof, designated as storm shelters to provide life-safety protection from tornadoes and 

hurricanes. Under the 2009, 2012, and 2015 IBC and IRC, whenever storm shelters are constructed, whether stand 

alone or part of a structure, the ICC 500 standard must be met. In addition, Sections 423.3 and 423.4 of the 2015 

IBC requires ICC 500 storm shelters to be incorporated when any of the following are constructed: K-12 school 

buildings with an occupant load of 50 or more; 911 call stations; fire, rescue, ambulance, and police stations; and 

emergency operation centers. The requirement applies only in the 250 mile per hour (mph) tornado wind speed 

zone (see Figure B3-1 for wind speed zone details), and some exceptions are allowed. 

The purpose and scope of the ICC 500 are:

ICC 500, Section 101.1 Purpose. The purpose of this standard is to establish minimum requirements 

to safeguard the public health, safety, and general welfare relative to the design, construction, and 

installation of storm shelters constructed for protection from high winds associated with tornadoes 

and hurricanes. This standard is intended for adoption by government agencies and organizations for 

use in conjunction with model codes to achieve uniformity in the technical design and construction of 

storm shelters.

ICC 500, Section 101.2 Scope. This standard applies to the design, construction, installation, and 

inspection of storm shelters constructed for protection from high winds associated with tornadoes and 

hurricanes. Storm shelters may be separate detached buildings or rooms and areas within buildings. 

Shelters designed and constructed to this standard shall be designated as either hurricane shelters, 

tornado shelters, or combined hurricane and tornado shelters.

A1.2.3 ICC 500 Comparison with FEMA P-361

Although similar, FEMA P-361 and ICC 500 have important differences between the requirements and criteria 

described in each, as well as in the terminology used. 

• The purpose and scope of ICC 500 is to establish minimum requirements for the design, construction, 

installation, and inspection of storm shelters that provide life safety.

FEMA P-361 VS FEMA P-320 

FEMA P-361 provides design and construction guidance for community and residential safe rooms primarily intended 

for registered design professionals, whereas FEMA P-320 (2014) provides residential and small business safe room 

guidance specifically aimed at homeowners, builders, and contractors, though it can also be used by registered design 

professionals and local officials. FEMA P-320 includes prescriptive site-built safe room design drawings developed using 

the design criteria presented in FEMA P-361.

A copy of FEMA P-320 may be downloaded from: 

www.fema.gov/safe-room-resources/fema-p-320-taking-shelter-storm-building-safe-room-your-home-or-small-business.

Note
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES A1-5 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART A

• The purpose and scope of FEMA P-361 is to provide guidance—including emergency management 

considerations – for safe rooms that provide near-absolute protection. 

From a technical standpoint, the ICC 500 successfully standardizes and codifies much of the design guidance 

provided in the 2000 edition of FEMA P-361. However, some of the criteria in FEMA P-361 were modified during 

the consensus process that produced the ICC 500. FEMA acknowledges the rationale behind some of the changes 

and has accepted the new criteria with some exceptions, all of which are described in Part B of this publication 

and summarized in Table D-1 in Appendix D. 

FEMA regularly reviews its safe room design criteria and believes some issues related to the design wind speed for 

residential tornado safe rooms, flood hazards, and operating a safe room warrant a more conservative approach 

than the one agreed upon in the ICC 500 consensus standard process. FEMA’s recommendations and best 

practices related to these topics are described in FEMA P-361. In addition to the technical differences between 

ICC 500 and FEMA P-361, users should note that FEMA P-361: 

• Defines a safe room differently than ICC 500 defines a storm shelter (refer to text box above and Section A1.3)

• Includes best practices, while ICC 500 is a minimum standard

• Includes operational issues and concerns not addressed by ICC 500

• Includes guidance for emerging issues and concerns from lessons learned by FEMA from assessment 

conducted after extreme-wind events 

A1.2.4 FEMA Safe Room Grant Funding Program

FEMA is committed to the development of design and construction 

criteria and guidance for safe rooms and continues to advocate 

designing and constructing safe rooms as evidenced by its continuing 

support of safe room initiatives through several grant programs.

As of January 2015, FEMA grant programs have provided 

approximately $984 million in Federal funds towards the design and 

construction of nearly 25,000 residential and 2,000 community safe 

rooms in 25 States and Territories. 

A1.3 Safe Room Terminology 

The terms “safe room” and “storm shelter” have been used interchangeably in past publications, guidance 

documents, and other shelter-related materials. However, to distinguish between shelters that meet the ICC 500 

HMA UNIFIED GUIDANCE

The FEMA HMA Unified Guidance is 

updated periodically. For information on FEMA grant programs and 

safe room eligibility, download the 

most current policy HMA Unified 

Guidance from: www.fema.gov/

hazard-mitigation-assistance.

Note

SAFE ROOMS AND STORM SHELTERS

FEMA defines “safe rooms” as buildings or portions thereof that comply with the criteria described in this publication. 

ICC 500 defines “storm shelters” as buildings or portions thereof that comply with ICC 500.

Though similar, there are important differences. All safe room criteria in FEMA P-361 meet the storm shelter requirements of the ICC 500, but FEMA P-361 includes a few design and performance criteria that are more conservative than 

those in the ICC 500.

Refer to Section A1.3 for definitions and terminology. 

Note
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES A1-6 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART A

standard and those that meet the more stringent FEMA criteria for life-safety protection, this publication refers to 

all shelters constructed to meet the FEMA criteria (whether for individuals, residences, small businesses, schools, or 

communities) as safe rooms. All safe room criteria in this publication meet or exceed the storm shelter requirements 

of ICC 500. This section describes FEMA’s safe room terminology and the different types of safe rooms.

A1.3.1 Terminology 

FEMA has developed specific terminology to differentiate types of tornado refuge areas from other types of 

“shelters.” An understanding of these specific terms and the historic guidance is important because the terms 

FEMA uses to describe sheltering options have slightly different meanings (see text box on terminology and Table 

A1-1). Furthermore, the term “shelter” is used in different ways by different agencies and entities. For instance, the 

American Red Cross uses the term “shelter” to refer to temporary recovery areas. 

FEMA safe rooms

A safe room is an interior room, a space within a building, or an entirely separate building, designed and 

constructed to provide near absolute life-safety protection for its occupants from tornadoes or hurricanes. Safe 

rooms are designed and constructed to meet the criteria in this publication or the most current edition of 

FEMA P-320.

Our knowledge of tornadoes and hurricanes is based on substantial 

meteorological records as well as extensive investigation of damage 

from extreme winds. However, although it has not been observed, 

extreme-wind events may occur or could have occurred in the past 

that exceed the maximum design criteria in this publication. For this 

reason, the protection provided by these safe rooms is called nearabsolute rather than absolute.

ICC storm shelters

Storm shelters provide life-safety protection; they are designed and 

constructed to meet ICC 500 criteria.

Best available refuge area

Best available refuge areas are areas in an existing building that 

have been deemed by a registered design professional to be least 

vulnerable to tornado damage. The existing building may or may not 

have been built to meet code. It is important to note that, because 

these areas were not specifically designed as tornado safe rooms, 

their occupants may be injured or killed during a tornado. However, 

people in best available refuge areas are less likely to be injured or 

killed than people in other areas of a building. Selection of these 

areas is described in FEMA P-431, Tornado Protection: Selecting Refuge 

Areas in Buildings.

TERMINOLOGY

Near-absolute protection: Based on 

our current knowledge of tornadoes 

and hurricanes, the occupants of a 

safe room built according to this guidance will have a very high probability of 

being protected from injury or death. 

CROSS-REFERENCE

Refer also to Section A2.1.2.1 for 

information on best available refuge 

areas. 

MORE INFORMATION

A copy of FEMA P-431 may be downloaded from: 

www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/

documents/2246.
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES A1-7 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART A

Table A1-1. Terminology Matrix

BEST AVAILABLE 

REFUGE AREA

ICC 500 STORM 

SHELTER

FEMA SAFE ROOM

Designed to minimum building code requirements Maybe Yes Yes

Evaluated by a registered design professional and 

identified as least vulnerable area/room in building

Yes

Designed specifically to provide life-safety protection 

per ICC 500

Yes Yes

Designed specifically to provide near- absolute 

protection per FEMA P-361 criteria (including 

operational and emergency planning criteria)

Yes

A1.3.2 Types of Safe Rooms

This publication includes information on residential and community safe rooms, stand-alone and internal safe 

rooms, as well as public versus specific-occupant safe rooms. 

Residential versus community safe rooms

Safe rooms may be classified into two categories: residential and community safe rooms.

• Residential safe room. Serves occupants of dwelling units and has an occupant load not exceeding 16 persons. 

Tornado and hurricane residential safe rooms, whether in-residence or external, are spaces designed and 

constructed to the criteria set forth in this publication.

• Community safe room. Any safe room not defined as a residential safe room. These safe rooms include not 

only public but also private safe rooms for business and other types of organizations. Tornado and hurricane 

community safe rooms are buildings or portions thereof that have been designed and constructed to the 

criteria set forth in this publication.

Stand-alone versus internal safe rooms

The two types of safe rooms covered by the guidance in this publication include:

• Stand-alone safe room. A separate building (i.e., not within or attached to any other building) that is designed 

and constructed or retrofitted to withstand extreme winds and the impact of wind-borne debris during 

tornadoes, hurricanes, or other extreme-wind events.

• Internal safe room. A specially designed and constructed room or area within or attached to a larger building. 

An internal safe room (room or area) should be designed and constructed or retrofitted to be structurally 

independent of the larger building, but provide the same wind and wind-borne debris protection as a standalone safe room.

These safe rooms are intended to protect occupants during a short-term extreme-wind event (i.e., an event that 

normally lasts no more than 24 hours) such as a tornado or hurricane. (Minimum safe room occupancy times 

are 2 and 24 hours for tornadoes and hurricanes, respectively.) They are not recovery shelters intended to provide 

services and housing for people whose homes have been damaged or destroyed by fires, disasters, or catastrophes.
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES A1-8 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART A

General public versus specific-occupant safe room

Safe rooms open to the general public present unique planning and operational challenges compared to safe 

rooms that are open only to specific occupants. This topic is covered in detail in Sections A4.2 and A4.3 of this 

publication. 

A1.4 Deciding Whether to Install a Safe Room 

Many factors may influence the decision to construct a safe room. They include:

• The likelihood of an area being threatened by an extreme-wind event (see Chapter A2)

• The vulnerability of a structure to an extreme-wind event (see Chapter A2)

• The risk or potential losses (including deaths and injuries) associated with an extreme-wind event (see 

Chapter A2)

• The cost of constructing a safe room (see Chapter A3)

In addition to the above factors, the following indirect factors may influence the decision to build a safe room:

• The safe room is required by Section 423.3 or 423.4 of the 2015 IBC

• The potential for death or injury may be reason enough to build a safe room at a given site

• The benefit-cost ratio (BCR) of a safe room (see Section A3.2) may be a factor in the decision, or a minimum 

BCR may be required by the funding source

• Residents feel unsafe without a safe room

• A business wants to provide protection for its workers

• A safe room would allow faster business recovery after an extreme-wind event by protecting employees from 

injuries or fatalities

• The building is a government-owned building that is required to have a safe room

• Local ordinances require a safe room

• There may be insurance benefits associated with having a safe room

The flowchart in Figure A1-1 presents the decision-making process that should take place when considering 

whether to install a safe room. The main steps of this process are discussed throughout Part A.
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES A1-9 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART A

Figure A1-2. Safe room decision-making flowchart
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES A2-1 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART A PART A

CHAPTER A2

Extreme-Wind Risk Assessment 

and Analysis

Unless safe room installation is required by the building code 

or the authority having jurisdiction (AHJ), the safe room 

decision-making process should begin with risk assessment. 

The final decision to move forward with a safe room project may 

hinge on a single factor, consequence, or on an array of factors and 

consequences (refer also to Section A1.4). Single factors may be 

related to building stock vulnerability or the potential for loss of life 

or injury (e.g., at a hospital that cannot move patients housed in an 

intensive care unit or at a school that takes care of a large number 

of children). Nevertheless, FEMA recommends a comprehensive risk 

assessment process that includes the following considerations:

• Type of extreme-wind hazard (tornado, hurricane or both)

• Threat or probability and potential severity of the hazard based 

on historic occurrences

• Vulnerability of the building or buildings in the community 

intended to be served by a community safe room

• Size of the population that is vulnerable

• Community-specific consequences that may result from the 

hazard’s occurrence 

Risk assessment should be followed by risk analysis to determine 

protection needs and prioritize subsequent mitigation activities. 

If a comprehensive risk assessment and risk analysis indicates the 

need for protection from tornadoes and hurricanes, individuals and 

communities should identify the best opportunities to provide nearabsolute protection for themselves and their community by installing 

safe rooms. When constructing a new safe room is not a feasible 

solution to serve an existing building, retrofitting a portion of the 

building with a safe room may be the best solution.

TERMINOLOGY

Hazard: Event that has the potential to 

cause damage or losses including injury or death. 

Risk: Potential losses – both the shortand long-term effects – associated 

with a hazard. Risk is associated with 

threat and vulnerability.

• Threat: The probability that an 

event of a given recurrence interval 

will affect a specific location within 

a specified period.

• Vulnerability: Weaknesses in the 

building or site location that may result in losses or damages

MORE INFORMATION

FEMA P-320, Section 2.5, presents 

a simplified approach to risk assessment for homeowners and small 

businesses.
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES A2-2 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART A PART A

A2.1 Risk Assessment 

The risk of death or injury from tornadoes or hurricanes is not evenly distributed throughout the United States. 

The safe room risk assessment process for any given location has two major elements: (1) the threat or the 

probability of the occurrence of an extreme-wind event, and (2) the vulnerability of the community’s building(s) 

and population to the hazard. Potential community-specific consequences from the extreme-wind hazard may 

then be developed from the results of the threat and vulnerability assessments. Potential consequences may be 

further informed from available statistics such as annual averages of injuries and fatalities from the hazard. The 

following section guides the reader through the process of performing risk assessment. 

A2.1.1 Assessing Threat 

After determining the site-specific extreme-wind hazard (tornado, hurricane or both), assessing the level of threat 

is the next step in risk assessment. The level of threat is determined by the probability of a specific magnitude 

event occurring at the location under consideration. The probabilities of occurrence are statistical estimates 

drawn from historical records of previous hazard events or computer simulations that describe not only the time 

and location, but also the intensity, size, duration, general circumstances, and effects of the event. 

Much of this information has been compiled by FEMA and other 

entities, such as American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), 

into risk assessment tools, such as wind speed maps and hazard 

event frequency maps and tables. Since the threat differs greatly 

in various parts of the country, tornado and/or hurricane wind 

speed maps can be used to gauge the site-specific level of threat 

for either event as related to other geographical areas. The ICC 

500 wind speed maps should be used for safe room design even 

when the base building in which the safe room is constructed 

was built in accordance with the ASCE 7 wind speed map. Both 

tornado and hurricane ICC 500 wind speed maps and additional 

commentary on their development may be found in Section B3.2.4. 

The remaining sections on tornado and hurricane threat provide 

additional commentary and guidance on using wind speed maps 

for assessing threat.

A2.1.1.1 Tornado Threat

Modeling and mapping the tornado hazard is more challenging 

than the hurricane hazard because currently available data are 

relatively incomplete. The information available on tornadoes 

is limited by a shorter records-keeping period, minimum data 

archival requirements, and the inability to accurately measure 

tornado wind speeds. Furthermore, because the area of land 

directly affected by tornadoes is relatively small, tornado-related 

winds have a significantly lower probability of occurrence at 

a specific point than the high winds associated with other 

meteorological events (frontal systems, thunderstorms, and 

hurricane winds). Accordingly, the basic wind speed maps in ASCE 

7-10 do not include tornado hazard data and therefore cannot be 

used for assessing the tornado threat.

DESIGN WIND SPEED MAPS

Designers using this publication 

should note the difference between 

references to the ASCE 7 wind speed 

maps and the ICC 500 wind speed 

maps. 

While the base building must be designed to resist the wind speeds 

designated in ASCE 7, a safe room 

must be designed to resist the higher 

wind speeds designated in ICC 500. 

Refer also to Section B3.2.4.1 for information on design wind speeds.

Note

MEASURING TORNADO 

INTENSITY

EF Number Wind Speed 

(3-second gust)

EF0 65-85 mph

EF1 86-110 mph

EF2 111-135 mph

EF3 136-165 mph

EF4 166-200 mph

EF5 >200 mph

Source: NOAA, www.spc.noaa.gov/efscale/

ef-scale.html

EF = Enhanced Fujita

mph = miles per hour

Note
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES A2-3 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART A

The severity of a tornado is categorized by the Enhanced Fujita Scale (EF Scale) shown in Figure A2-1. Despite 

their rarer occurrence in comparison with weaker tornadoes, strong tornadoes are responsible for most tornado 

fatalities (refer to Table B3-3 to see the percentage of the occurrence of different rated tornadoes). During 

the period of 1950-2011, 86 percent of all tornado fatalities were caused by tornadoes rated EF3 and greater 

(NIST 2013). To capture tornado threat as a function of tornado severity, National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration (NOAA) has developed maps to show areas historically subjected to the highest number of strong 

tornadoes. Figure A2-2 shows the areas of the United States with the highest frequency of recorded strong and 

violent tornadoes, those designated as EF3, EF4, or EF5. 

The ICC 500 tornado wind speed map (see Figure B3-1) was developed using a deterministic analysis of NOAA 

tornado data to correlate the mapped frequency of strong tornadoes with four tornado wind speed zones: 250 

mph, 200 mph, 160 mph, and 130 mph. The higher the tornado wind speed zone associated with any given 

location, the greater the threat from strong tornadoes. However, the ICC 500 tornado wind speed map does not 

show a high level of detail and therefore the design wind speed may not be clear when a safe room is to be sited 

and constructed near a tornado wind zone contour line. Designers and code officials should recognize that the 

mapped design wind speed contour lines were not drawn or intended to be interpreted as precise geographic 

coordinates. When planning or designing safe rooms, designers should remember that the intended purpose of a 

safe room is to protect people from death or injury. Accordingly, a prudent approach would be to assume the site 

lies within the higher tornado wind speed zone.

For more commentary on tornado probability related to the ICC 500 wind speed maps, please refer to 

Section B3.2.4.1.2.
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES A2-4 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART A

Figure A2-1. Typical tornado damage descriptions to one- and two-family dwellings and their corresponding intensity according to the EF Scale (wind speeds are estimated 3-second-gust wind speeds) (SOURCE: NOAA NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE, STORM PREDICTION CENTER, WWW.SPC.NOAA.GOV/EFSCALE/EF-SCALE.HTML)
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES A2-5 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART A

Figure A2-2. Recorded EF3, EF4, and EF5 tornadoes in the United States from 1950 to 2013 (SOURCE: NOAA NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE, STORM PREDICTION CENTER, WWW.SPC.NOAA.GOV/GIS/SVRGIS/)
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES A2-6 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART A

A2.1.1.2 Hurricane Threat

Hurricane frequency and intensity varies with geographic location. Wind speed maps published by ASCE 

incorporate hurricane hazard data and can be used to assess hurricane threat (see Figure A2-3). Regions of the 

country with the greatest mapped speeds have the highest level of threat from hurricane winds.

Hurricane intensity is assessed using the National Hurricane Center (NHC) Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale 

comprising five categories, 1 through 5, category 5 being the most intense. Figure A2-4 shows the wind speed 

ranges and typical damage for each of the five hurricane categories. The wind speeds used in the Saffir-Simpson 

Hurricane Wind Scale have a different basis than ASCE 7-10 wind speeds, which are used in engineering design of 

buildings. Hurricane categories are defined in terms of sustained wind speeds over open water, while ASCE 7-10 

uses peak gust wind speeds over land in flat, open terrain, as shown in Table A2-1.

Table A2-1. Approximate Relationship between Wind Speeds in ASCE 7-10 and Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale

SAFFIR-SIMPSON 

HURRICANE CATEGORY

SUSTAINED WIND SPEED 

OVER WATER(a) GUST WIND SPEED OVER LAND(b)

mph mph

1 74–95 81-105

2 96–110 106-121

3 111–129 122-142

4 130–156 143-172

5 > 157 >173

Notes:

(a) 1-minute average wind speed at 33 feet above open water

(b) 3-second gust wind speed at 33 feet above open ground in Exposure Category C. (see also Figure A2-3).

Source: Adapted from Table C26.5-1 of ASCE 7-10 Commentary.

NOAA maintains a hurricane database associated with a tool1 that maps hurricane tracks, which allows 

investigation of the historical hurricane record. Records for the Atlantic Basin extend as far back as 1851. ASCE 

7-10 wind speed maps are based on hurricane mean recurrence intervals (MRIs) ranging up to 1,700 years 

(3 percent probability of exceedance in 50 years). The ICC 500 hurricane wind speed map in this publication 

(see Figure B3-2) was developed using the same methodology used to model hurricane wind speeds for the ASCE 

7 wind speed map, but uses instead a 10,000-year MRI (0.5 percent probability of exceedance in 50 years). 

When assessing hurricane threat using wind speed maps, it may be helpful to consider information presented 

in both maps (ASCE 7 and ICC 500) depending on location within the hurricane-prone region. Care should be 

taken to reference the specific maps used for the risk assessment. Only the ICC 500 wind speed map for hurricanes 

should be used to design hurricane safe rooms. 

For more commentary on hurricane probability related to ICC 500 wind speed maps, refer to Section B3.2.4.1.3.

1 A NOAA track mapping tool can be found here: http://coast.noaa.gov/hurricanes/.

HURRICANE-PRONE REGION

The ASCE 7-10, Minimum Design Loads for Buildings and Other Structures, defines the hurricane-prone region as the U.S. Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of 

Mexico coasts where the design wind speed is greater than 115 mph for Category II Buildings (120 mph for Category III and IV Buildings as shown in 

Figure A2-3), as well as Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Guam, Virgin Islands, and American Samoa.

Note
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES A2-7 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART A

Figure A2-3. Basic wind speeds for Occupancy Category III and IV buildings and other structures (SOURCE: FIGURE 26.5-1B OF ASCE 7-10, USED WITH PERMISSION)
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES A2-8 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART A

Figure A2-4. Typical hurricane damage descriptions to one- and two-family dwellings and their corresponding intensity according to the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale(SOURCE: NOAA NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE, NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER, WWW.NHC.NOAA.GOV/ABOUTSSHWS.PHP)
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES A2-9 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART A

MORE INFORMATION

FEMA’s Best Available Refuge Area 

Checklist and FEMA P-431, Tornado 

Protection: Selecting Refuge Areas 

in Buildings, can be found at: www.

fema.gov/media-library/assets/

documents/2246.

A2.1.2 Assessing Vulnerability

After assessing the tornado or hurricane hazard threat for the specified location, vulnerability should be assessed. 

In addition to assessing the vulnerability of buildings to damage from extreme-wind events, this publication 

also recommends that vulnerable populations be identified. For safe room risk assessment purposes, vulnerable 

populations are considered to be those who are unable to be evacuated from the area likely to be impacted by the 

impending storm. 

A2.1.2.1 Assessing Building Vulnerability 

After evaluating the threat level, the second step is to assess the 

potential vulnerability of the community’s (or building owner’s) 

building stock to wind damage that could cause casualties. This step 

is especially critical for high-occupancy buildings and buildings that 

house vulnerable populations.

FEMA’s Best Available Refuge Area Checklist may be useful in identifying 

vulnerable buildings. In addition to this checklist, the wind 

commentary section of ASCE 7-16 is expected to be expanded to 

address building vulnerabilities to tornado hazard. Both resources 

may be helpful in identifying building vulnerabilities. A vulnerability assessment of a building can be performed 

using the steps described below.

Identifying building vulnerabilities

Building owners should have a registered design professional conduct an inventory and ranking of the owner’s 

building stock. This can be done in two parts: 

1. The first part should comprise an assessment of the building vulnerabilities; this architectural/engineering 

assessment should include building-specific factors such as structural integrity, age, condition, building 

materials, design, and quality of construction to identify components vulnerable to the identified hazard.

2. The second part involves ranking the buildings according to the level of potential risk of serious injury or 

death to building occupants. This part is an especially important component of a vulnerability assessment to 

assist the building owner in prioritizing their safe room needs. 

Identifying options for providing safe rooms

After ranking the building stock according to the level of vulnerability, the building owner should identify 

opportunities to build stand-alone safe rooms or to build safe room additions to existing buildings. In some 

instances it may be cost effective to retrofit a portion of an existing 

building to meet safe room criteria. 

Identifying best available refuge areas within buildings 

FEMA recommends that best available refuge areas be identified by 

a registered design professional. Best available refuge areas in each 

building to be used for a tornado or hurricane (refer to A2.3) can be 

identified during the first part of the vulnerability assessment. The 

best available refuge area should be regarded as an interim measure 

only until a safe room is made available to the building occupants. 

It is important to note that, because these areas were not specifically 

designed as tornado safe rooms, their occupants may be injured or 

BEST AVAILABLE REFUGE AREAS

The term “best available refuge area” 

refers to areas in an existing building 

that have been deemed by a registered 

design professional to be the least vulnerable during a tornado. If the best 

available refuge area is intended to 

serve as a storm shelter, then the area 

must meet ICC 500 requirements. 

See FEMA P-431 for guidance in selecting best available refuge areas.

Note
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES A2-10 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART A

killed during a tornado. However, people in the best available refuge areas are less likely to be injured or killed 

than people in other areas of a building.

A2.1.2.2 Assessing Vulnerable Population 

Safe rooms have a single purpose: to protect the lives of the 

population vulnerable during a tornado or hurricane. Some 

considerations related to determining the population vulnerability 

are described below. As previously noted, the emergency 

management measures necessary to afford protection to thousands of 

occupants of large, public venues such as stadiums or amphitheaters 

are beyond the scope of this publication. 

Identifying the vulnerable population is required not only to evaluate 

risk (i.e., determine potential losses as a result of a disaster), but 

also for effective mitigation; this information is used to determine 

the location and optimal size/capacity of a community safe 

room. Because the warning times for approaching hurricanes are 

considerably longer than for tornadoes, the vulnerable population 

for hurricane safe rooms might include those who must remain in 

the area, such as emergency response personnel, and those who 

are unable to evacuate on time either because of their access and 

functional needs, lack of transportation, a suitable place to go, or 

other reasons. 

The installation of any safe room in a hurricane-prone region 

should be coordinated with local emergency management and law 

enforcement personnel to ensure its use during extreme-wind events 

is not a violation of any local or State evacuation plan. In the case of 

approaching tornadoes evacuation is not possible, so the definition of 

vulnerable population is extended to include all people in buildings 

deemed vulnerable to failure from tornadoes. 

The occupancy criteria in this publication (see Chapter B5) are 

defined using a minimum floor area per occupant approach to 

ensure that adequate space is provided for the safe room population, 

no matter who comprises that population. However, State and local 

agencies responsible for emergency management and developing and 

executing evacuation plans should be consulted when identifying 

a population in need of protection, particularly as it relates to the 

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Refer also to Section B5.2.1.4.

According to FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Assistance (HMA) Unified Guidance (2015), the following are the 

minimum components in determining the eligible safe room population:

• Population to be protected within the area at risk of impact by tornado and/or hurricane hazards;

• Warning capabilities, logistics, and operation components that support basic safe room functions;

VULNERABLE POPULATION

According to (FY15) HMA Unified 

Guidance, the vulnerable (or susceptible) population encompasses those 

who must remain behind or will not have 

time to leave and must face an imminent threat of a tornado or hurricane or 

both. This includes individuals with access and functional needs as well as 

those who must maintain access to impacted area, such as first responders. 

HMA Unified Guidance is updated periodically. For information on FEMA grant 

programs and safe room eligibility, 

download the most current policy HMA 

Unified Guidance from: www.fema.

gov/hazard-mitigation-assistance.

Note

CROSS-REFERENCE

Information about planning for vulnerable population in the area around 

public safe rooms is provided in 

Section A4.3.

CROSS-REFERENCE

Additional information on occupancy 

duration is provided in Section B7.2.1.
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES A2-11 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

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• Travel times and routes for the population to be protected to reach the safe room so that people are not 

exposed to additional hazards when moving to the protected area;

• Hazard mitigation time of protection: approximately 2 hours for tornado and 24 hours for hurricane; and

• Relationship of the population to be protected by the safe room to State or local emergency evacuation 

requirements.

• Effective and accessible warnings (alerts) that address the needs of individuals with access and functional 

needs and/or individuals who have limited English proficiency. For additional information, reference the 

FEMA document, Alerting the Whole Community (2013).

A2.2 Risk Analysis

Risk analysis brings together findings of the risk assessment to determine protection needs and prioritize 

mitigation activities. 

A2.2.1 Analyzing Risk

Risk analysis should be performed for each proposed safe room project to make sure the safe room will serve 

those most vulnerable. The risk analysis compares the potential severity of damage based on the vulnerability of a 

building from a tornado or hurricane of a certain magnitude with the probability of occurrence of such an event 

at that location. Possible long- and short-term consequences of the extreme-wind event should also be considered 

during the risk analysis. 

It is crucial to conduct a careful risk analysis, identify all design constraints, and prioritize all design parameters. 

Commentary presented in Section B3.2.2, Load Combinations, may be helpful when considering safe room design 

issues, especially when multiple hazards are present.

A2.2.2 Considering Multi-Hazards in Safe Room Design

Most safe rooms are built with a single purpose in mind: to protect the local population from tornadoes and/or 

hurricanes. This singular objective, however, should not divert the designers’ and local decision-makers’ attention 

from the all-too-real presence of other hazards, both natural and manmade. For this reason, designers and local 

officials alike should adopt a multi-hazard approach from the very beginning of their safe room deliberations. 

Considering multi-hazards in building design has gained prominence and the support of FEMA, other 

government agencies, and professional associations. This is not only because a multi-hazard approach ensures a 

comprehensive risk analysis and appropriate mitigation responses, but because it will produce more cost-effective 

design solutions over the life cycle of a building.

 The potential adverse effects of other hazards on the functionality of safe rooms should be identified, evaluated, 

and documented. The final risk analysis should include these multi-hazard considerations to produce as 

comprehensive a list of design requirements as possible.

 Multi-hazard design can be both an advantage and a disadvantage for the designer; on the one hand, two or more 

hazards may pose design requirements that reinforce each other, thus reducing costs and improving protection. 

On the other hand, design requirements for some hazards may be conflicting, thereby making them difficult to 

reconcile. For example, wind-resistant structures benefit from more rigid design, while earthquake resistance 

is enhanced through greater structural flexibility. Massive reinforced concrete roof sections, typically specified 

to resist extreme wind pressures and debris impact, are detrimental for earthquake-resistant design. Another 
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES A2-12 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART A

example of multi-hazard conflict is when a safe room is needed in an area where a flood hazard is present. 

Guidance for addressing safe room siting challenges related to the flood hazard are presented in 

Chapter B4, Siting.

As noted in Section A1.4, the above described risk analysis process – including consideration of site-specific 

consequences and multi-hazards – should inform the decision of whether to pursue the installation of one or 

multiple safe rooms. 
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES A3-1 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART A

CHAPTER A3

Costs and Benefit-Cost Analysis

This chapter addresses cost and BCA considerations for safe rooms. Cost guidance is primarily directed toward 

community safe rooms, but may also be useful background information for residential safe room projects. 

Cost guidance specific to residential safe rooms can be found in Section 3.10 of FEMA P-320 (2014).

A3.1 Safe Room Costs 

The cost of designing, constructing, and maintaining a safe 

room can be affected by factors such as location, design, new 

construction versus retrofit, and design wind speed. This section 

presents information on safe room cost and the effect of design and 

construction choices on cost. Cost estimates should be prepared 

by a registered design professional for each proposed safe room 

alternative.

A3.1.1 Design Parameters That Affect Safe Room Costs

The design parameters that have the most effect on the cost of a 

community safe room are:

• Single-use versus multi-use. Whether a safe room is single- or multi-use (i.e., used for more purposes than just 

as a safe room) can affect the cost of building components, finishes, furnishings, and other occupancy-driven 

design parameters. A simple design for a single-use, tornado community safe room will probably cost less per 

square foot than a large, multi-use hurricane community safe room with higher walls and a long-span roof 

assembly.

• Design complexity. The simpler the safe room (e.g., short walls, short roof spans, minimal interior partitions 

and finishes), the lower the cost. Safe rooms with long-span roof assemblies and/or high roof heights (such as 

a gymnasium) cost more.

• Safe room design wind speed. The safe room design wind speed affects the strength criteria. The higher the 

design wind speed, the greater the cost. The cost to construct a multi-purpose safe room in any given location 

is a function of the model building code requirements for the building’s non-safe room use; the cost to 

construct the building will be higher in areas with higher basic wind speeds regardless of whether it includes a 

safe room. Examples for community safe room costs are shown in Table A3-1.

COST ESTIMATES

To be helpful with decision-making, 

cost estimates developed for design purposes and grant applications 

should be as detailed as possible to 

minimize delays in the grant implementation process.

Note

PART A
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES A3-2 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

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• Safe room debris impact-resistance design criteria. Debris impact-resistance design criteria can increase costs 

more than the other design parameters. Common building materials are readily available for hardening wall 

and roof systems to make them debris impact-resistant, but protection systems for openings and devices for 

doors, windows, vents, and other elements are not as readily available. As a result, safe room cost increases as 

the number of openings increases.

• Foundation. The foundation of a safe room may be simple and relatively low cost. A new in-ground safe room 

may cost more because of the required excavation, designing for lateral earth pressures, and ADA compliance, 

but the surrounding soils provide wind-borne debris protection. In comparison, an above-ground safe room 

located in a flood-prone area may require an elevated foundation, which is more expensive than other 

foundation types.

• Resistance to large wind-borne debris loads. Designing a safe room to resist large wind-borne debris loads (as 

discussed in Section B3.2.5.5) can increase costs.

• Resistance to seismic loads. Designing safe rooms to resist seismic loads may increase the cost of the safe 

room, and seismic detailing may be required in areas with high seismicity.

Table A3-1. Community Safe Room Costs: Location-Dependent Design Parameter Examples

WIND 

HAZARD

ASCE 

7-10 RISK 

CATEGORY

ASCE 7-10 REQUIREMENTS FOR BASE 

BUILDING DESIGN WIND SPEED/

DEBRIS IMPACT PROTECTION

ICC 500 DESIGN 

WIND SPEED

COMPARISON OF 

DESIGN WIND SPEEDS 

(ASCE 7-10 FOR BASE 

BUILDING VS FEMA 

SAFE ROOM DESIGN)

Tornado II 115 mph (e.g., Oklahoma City); Not 

required to meet wind-borne debris 

criteria

250 mph Significant difference

Tornado III/IV 200 mph (e.g., South Florida); Protected 

glazing required; cost differential 

between protected glazing and safe 

room glazing not large

200 mph No difference, though 

FEMA design parameters 

are higher than ASCE 7 

requirements

Hurricane III/IV 120 mph (e.g., New York City); Not 

required to meet wind-borne debris 

criteria

160 mph Moderate difference

Hurricane III/ IV 200 mph (e.g., Florida); Protected glazing 

required; cost differential between 

protected glazing and safe room glazing 

not large

225 mph Moderate difference

Additionally, based on recent data compiled by FEMA, many other factors can affect safe room costs. These 

other factors include the number and size of interior walls; size requirements for heating, ventilation, and air 

conditioning (HVAC) and/or sprinkler systems; land acquisition costs; and moisture protection requirements 

based on roof type. Other factors that can affect cost, depending on funding sources and building owner 

requirements, include:

• Safe room construction verification requirements per HMA Unified Guidance

• Safe room engineering design review requirements per ICC 500 and Chapter B1 of this publication

• Eligibility requirements, such as pre-award costs

• ADA compliance needs

• Outreach needs

• The need to perform an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Finding of No Significant Impact study, if 

required
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES A3-3 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART A

A3.1.2 Cost and Size Data from Constructed and Proposed Safe Room Projects

Community wind hazard shelters were designed and constructed long before the first edition of FEMA P-361 

was released in July 2000. Since then, thousands of community safe rooms have been designed and constructed 

throughout the United States with FEMA funding assistance. Safe rooms constructed with FEMA grant assistance 

must meet FEMA P-361 design criteria as presented in Part B of this publication.

Table A3-2 shows relative cost and size data from community safe room projects based on recent data. In 

particular, Table A3-2 shows the percent range of cost increase to construct a new safe room compared with the 

cost of constructing a building of the same size that complies with the minimum building code.

Table A3-2. Increase in Cost of Community Safe Room over Minimum Code Compliance 

DESCRIPTION

PERCENT COST 

INCREASE (PER 

SQUARE FOOT)

EXPLANATION OF COST INCREASE

Design and construct a portion of a new 

building to resist 250 mph winds from a 140 

mph basic wind speed (ASCE 7-05)

5% – 7% Associated primarily with additional cost of 

structural elements and envelope opening 

protection

Design and construct a portion of a new 

building to resist 250 mph winds from a 90 mph 

basic wind speed (ASCE 7-05)

15% – 20% Associated primarily with additional cost of 

structural elements and envelope opening 

protection

Design and construct a portion of a new 

building to resist debris impact from a 15-pound 

2x4 board missile traveling horizontally at 100 

mph and impacting vertical surfaces, and the 

same missile traveling vertically at 67 mph and 

impacting horizontal surfaces

5% – 27% Associated with additional cost of safe room 

exterior walls, roof structure, and openings 

(debris impact resistance only; wind pressure 

resistance was considered in the rows above). 

The cost increase is highly dependent on a 

number of factors including but not limited 

to size of the safe room, materials, strength 

of wall and roof systems, percentage of the 

building exterior allocated for openings, and 

number of egress points to be protected. The 

safe room projects that were considered had 

minimal exterior doors and glazing, ranging 

from 0% to 10% of the total building exterior.

Design and construct a portion of a new 

building to resist 250 mph winds from a 90 mph 

basic wind speed (ASCE 7-05) and provide safe 

room debris impact protection

20% – 32% Associated primarily with cost of structural 

elements and envelope opening protection.

A3.1.3 New Construction versus Retrofit 

The most cost-effective way to design and construct a safe room is to include it in a new building. The cost of 

retrofitting an existing building (or portion thereof) is higher due to the additional design and construction 

constraints. In FEMA-funded safe room projects in Midwestern and Southeastern States, the construction cost of a 

retrofitted safe room was approximately 10 to 15 percent higher than the construction cost of a safe room in a new 

building.

In large, new building projects, the increase in cost for adding a safe room is relatively small. Many safe rooms 

constructed as part of a new school, each protecting 200 to 300 occupants, have added only 1 to 2 percent to the 

total project cost when the safe room was included in the design process from the beginning of the project.
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES A3-4 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART A

A3.1.4 Cost of Hurricane Community Safe Room versus Combined 

Tornado and Hurricane Community Safe Room

The difference in cost of a FEMA P-361-compliant hurricane community safe room and a FEMA P-361-compliant 

combined tornado and hurricane community safe room has not been determined, but is estimated to be less 

than 5 percent. The estimate is based on the project data in Table A3-2. As the table shows, cost per square foot 

increases as little as 5 to 7 percent to improve building wind resistance from the level of a Risk Category III or 

IV facility constructed to the building code in a hurricane-prone region with 140 mph design wind speed (ASCE 

7-05) versus the 200 mph safe room design wind speed criteria. It follows that there would not be a dramatic 

change in cost if the design parameters for a typical hurricane safe room were increased to meet the minimum 

criteria for a typical tornado safe room with a slightly higher wind speed (e.g., 200 to 250 mph) and the heavier 

debris impact test missile (15 pounds instead of 9 pounds).

A3.2 Benefit-Cost Analysis 

A BCA is used to estimate the cost-effectiveness of proposed projects.

The result of a BCA is the BCR. Mitigation projects funded under FEMA’s HMA programs are required to have a 

BCR of 1.0 or greater (i.e., the benefits, defined as losses that are avoided, must exceed the project costs).

A3.2.1 Benefit-Cost Analysis Software

Consistent with the intent of FEMA P-361 safe rooms, the reduction 

of injuries and deaths (life-safety benefits) are the basis for the FEMA 

BCA software analysis. The Tornado Safe Room BCA module and 

the Hurricane Safe Room BCA module are included in the current 

version of the BCA Tool.

The design of the early version of the BCA software was based on 

the presumed need to fund community safe rooms that were either 

retrofits of existing buildings or included in a new building. Project cost inputs were based on the costs of building 

construction and any additional maintenance costs incurred by the project, while project benefits (avoided losses) 

were based on the reduction of casualties (injuries and deaths) resulting from the construction of the safe room.

The current version of the Tornado Safe Room BCA module was designed with grant programs such as the PreDisaster Mitigation program in mind, and asks a number of questions to help identify features of the proposed 

safe room. Users can now choose among the following safe room projects:

• New versus retrofit

• Stand-alone versus internal

• Community versus residential

A3.2.2 Determining Project Benefits

Benefits (avoided losses) are calculated as the difference between injuries that would occur without the safe room 

and the reduced potential for injuries after the safe room is fully operational. The injuries before mitigation 

(safe room construction) are determined on the basis of potential damage to different types of buildings where 

potential occupants would be taking refuge during the storm.

BCA TOOL

The current BCA Tool can be found at 

the FEMA BCA website: 

www.fema.gov/benefit-cost-analysis. 

Note
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES A3-5 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

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In many cases, a community safe room that is open to the public serves an off-site population. The potential safe 

room occupants would need to travel to the safe room from the surrounding area within the minimum allowed 

time period. The methodology incorporates warning response times and travel times to the safe room in the 

calculation of project benefits.

The current FEMA BCA software for tornado and hurricane safe rooms remains focused exclusively on the 

reduction of injuries and deaths (life-safety benefits) as the basis for project benefits. The three factors used to 

calculate the benefits in the current software are the same as in earlier versions: 

• Values associated with injury and death calculated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) 

• Safe room occupancy and probability of injury and death due to tornado or hurricane winds 

• Probability of tornado or hurricane wind events

However, the way each factor is calculated has changed in the Tornado Safe Room module, as follows:

• Values associated with injury and death. In 2007, FEMA convened an outside panel of building performance 

experts (with significant knowledge in tornado and hurricane damage assessments) and life-safety experts 

from consulting firms, research organizations, and academia. The expert panel evaluated the existing 

methods for calculating benefits and recommended updated methods. As a result, the values associated with 

casualties are now divided into three injury levels (self-treat, treat and release, hospitalized) and death, based 

on updated tables from the FAA, in 2007 dollars.

• Safe room occupancy and probability of injury and death due to tornadoes. The occupancy load in the new 

software has been simplified to account for three intervals during a 24-hour period: day, evening, and night. 

Since most of the potential occupants of the community safe room will come from the surrounding areas, the 

new methodology allows the user to select up to two before-mitigation structure types to represent the level of 

risk to which the potential occupants would be exposed in conditions without a safe room. The two types can 

be selected from eight pre-defined structure types provided in the model, which are based on the categories 

used in the development of the EF Scale. The casualty rates for each damage state were defined on the basis of 

damage indicators (DI) and degree of damage (DOD) published in the report titled, A Recommendation for an 

Enhanced Fujita Scale (EF-Scale) (TTU 2006).

• Probability of tornado events. In the current software, the probability of a tornado striking a safe room is 

based on NOAA’s historical tornado records. NOAA keeps tornado records with recorded paths or start and 

end points covering the period from 1950 to 2008. This information was used as part of a geospatial analysis, 

based on tornado probability research, to produce tornado occurrence maps for each Enhanced Fujita class. 

In the current software, tornado probability is calculated using published average national tornado length and 

width values. When the user selects the county where the safe room will be located, the pre-calculated tornado 

probabilities are accessed from the software database.

• Probability of hurricane winds. The current version of the Hurricane Safe Room module incorporates the 

wind speed maps developed for ASCE 7-10 to determine the potential risk of hurricanes at the safe room 

location. Wind speed maps are included for the recurrence intervals for the 10-, 25-, 50-, 100-, 300-, 700-, and 

1700-year events. The recurrence interval and associated wind speed are determined using the wind speed 

maps, and then the software associates these wind speeds with the FAA injury and death values for the presafe room buildings used for shelter and compares them with the reduced probability for injuries and deaths 

resulting from the construction of a safe room.

Project costs (initial project costs and maintenance) in the BCA Tool can be developed using cost estimation 

tools that are included in the module. The Tornado Safe Room and Hurricane Safe Room BCA modules were 

developed to provide a defensible and user-friendly way to calculate life-safety benefits for community and large 

residential tornado and hurricane safe rooms.
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES A4-1 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART A

CHAPTER A4

Operation and Maintenance 

Considerations for Community 

Safe Rooms

This chapter describes the operations and maintenance (O&M) considerations for community safe rooms. 

O&M for residential safe rooms is not discussed in this chapter, though owners of a safe room may find 

some of the information pertinent. For information on operating and maintaining residential safe rooms, 

please refer to Section 4.4 of FEMA P-320 (2014). 

Disaster preparedness is crucial for quick and effective responses during emergency situations. Accordingly, every 

community safe room should have an O&M plan that is reviewed and updated on a regular basis. This chapter 

discusses some factors that should be considered when developing an effective O&M plan. 

When determining how to optimize emergency management performance for a community safe room before, 

during, and after a hurricane or tornado event, communities should have reasonable flexibility to implement 

management practices that are appropriate for their local area. The purpose of this chapter is to help communities 

identify issues requiring careful consideration and planning so they can find appropriate solutions tailored to 

their specific needs. It would not be appropriate to provide a one-size-fits-all set of criteria for operating and 

maintaining safe rooms everywhere in the United States. For example, urban, suburban, and rural areas typically 

have different modes of transportation, communication, and local resources, all of which should be considered 

specifically when preparing an effective O&M plan. FEMA provides sample O&M plans on its safe room website; 

these sample plans can be used as a starting point for creating tailored community plans for new safe rooms. 

FEMA SAFE ROOM GRANT REQUIREMENTS 

Safe rooms constructed with FEMA grant funds must meet the minimum requirements for O&M plans as described in the 

most current edition of FEMA’s HMA Unified Guidance. The FEMA HMA Unified Guidance is updated periodically. To review 

or download the most current HMA Unified Guidance, refer to: www.fema.gov/hazard-mitigation-assistance.

Safe room issues covered in the HMA Unified Guidance include eligibility parameters, and implementation guidance covering issues such as eligible and ineligible costs, recognized design standards, and other important guidance items. 

Note

PART A
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES A4-2 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

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A4.1 Safe Room O&M Plan Objectives and Parameters

The O&M plan should identify how the safe room will be operated and maintained in a way that achieves the 

objective of providing life-safety protection from a tornado or hurricane given the expected warning time and 

duration for the event. If the community safe room is a combined safe room (i.e., designed to provide life-safety 

protection from both hurricanes and tornadoes), the O&M plan should cover both events whenever different 

measures apply. 

Owners and operators of tornado and hurricane safe rooms should 

be ready and able to open the safe room for immediate and efficient 

use in response to an impending tornado or hurricane. The best way 

to accomplish this is twofold: (1) create an effective plan adapted to 

the needs of the intended occupants of the facility, and (2) provide 

redundancy for critical responsibilities. 

The O&M plan should provide details on staffing and personnel 

roles and responsibilities (Section A4.2), notification procedures for 

potential occupants (Section A4.3), emergency provisions (Section 

A4.4), access and entry (Section A4.5), operation procedures during 

an event (Section A4.6), post-event operations (Section A4.7), and 

maintenance (Section A4.8). 

Before developing the safe room O&M plan, the following safe room 

parameters should be clearly defined by the safe room owner and 

operator and other stakeholders. 

A4.1.1 Safe Room Design 

The siting, size, configuration, access points, support areas, and many other aspects of the design will greatly 

influence the O&M of the safe room. Therefore, it is important for all stakeholders (e.g., owner/operator, 

planners, designers, community) to understand the issues raised in this chapter and consider how the O&M plan 

can best address them, along with any other location-specific issues. 

A4.1.2 Multi-Use versus Single-Use

O&M plans should include steps to ensure safe room readiness. The 

approach outlined will vary as a function of whether the safe room 

is single- or multi-use. Single-use safe rooms are intended to be 

occupied only during an extreme-wind event, whereas multi-use safe 

rooms are designed to serve as functional space for other uses such as 

offices, classrooms or a gymnasium (as shown in Figure A4-1) when 

not needed as a safe room. Multi-use safe room O&M plans need to 

demonstrate that normal daily usage of the space will not interfere 

with timely safe room operations. O&M plans for single-use safe 

rooms should demonstrate that readiness will be maintained through 

measures designed to prevent the safe room from being misused or 

neglected. For example, using the safe room for storage decreases 

usable floor space and occupant capacity.

MORE INFORMATION

Sample O&M plans can be found at:

www.fema.gov/example-operations-andmaintenance-plans-for-communitysafe-rooms. 

EXAMPLE

On April 27, 2011, occupants spent 

most of the day at a community safe 

room in Brookwood, AL. The town was 

in the warning areas for the tornadoes 

that day, but was not directly struck. 

Because the safe room was in the 

town park, most residents who used 

the safe room drove there on the day 

of the event. Town officials stated that 

the safe room was filled to “standing 

room only” for a good portion of the 

day (FEMA 2012).

ANNUAL REVIEW

O&M plans should be considered to 

be working documents. As such, they 

should be reviewed and updated regularly, at least every year and after 

every use.

PART A

Note
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES A4-3 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

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A4.1.3 Duration of Occupancy 

The anticipated duration of safe room occupancy also drives O&M considerations. Safe rooms are different 

from other types of shelters in that they are designed to safeguard people only during windstorm events. FEMA 

considers this to be approximately 2 hours for tornadoes and approximately 24 hours for hurricanes. However, as 

documented in FEMA P-908, Mitigation Assessment Team (MAT) Report Spring 2011 Tornadoes: April 25-28 and May 22 

(FEMA 2012), it is not unusual for tornado safe rooms to be occupied longer on active storm days when warning 

periods overlap. 

The longer duration of occupancy for hurricane safe rooms and combined safe rooms demands additional 

consideration related to occupant needs. As a result, O&M plans for community hurricane safe rooms usually 

need additional roles, responsibilities, supplies and services. Where relevant, the discussion in this chapter 

addresses the differences between tornado and hurricane considerations.

Figure A4-1. Example of a multi-purpose 

safe room also used as a gymnasium 

HURRICANE COMMUNITY SAFE ROOM

When developing plans for hurricane community safe rooms, designers should consider other hazard-specific constraints 

that may be governed by local emergency management or law enforcement requirements, mandatory evacuations, and 

other related emergency plans that affect the movement of at-risk populations.

For some communities, when there is sufficient warning time, a large proportion of the population may be expected to 

leave the area of anticipated immediate impact and seek shelter outside the at-risk area. However, people such as first 

responders and those who are physically unable to leave the area would remain in harm’s way. Therefore, for hurricane 

hazards, FEMA only considers providing grant funding for extreme-wind mitigation projects that are designed for populations that cannot remove themselves from harm’s way during a hurricane.

To obtain the current FEMA guidance on safe rooms, contact your FEMA regional office, or review and download the 

latest HMA Unified Guidance from here: www.fema.gov/hazard-mitigation-assistance.

Note
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES A4-4 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART A

A4.1.4 Intended Occupants 

The characteristics of the intended safe room occupants (known or unknown) will significantly affect planning, 

design, and O&M considerations. For example, a school safe room that is intended for students and staff will 

require different design and O&M considerations than a safe room that is intended for first responders, pump 

station operators, hospital patients, retirement home residents, or the general public. Every safe room design 

and O&M plan must therefore be tailored to the anticipated needs of the intended occupants to maximize its 

effectiveness. 

The remainder of this chapter discusses safe rooms from the following two different occupancy considerations: 

• Safe rooms open to the general public. All safe rooms, including those open to the general public, are 

designed to accommodate a maximum number of occupants and are sited to protect a designated population. 

O&M plans for safe rooms open to the general public should anticipate health, security, and other possible 

situations that may arise when occupants unknown to each other and to safe room operators congregate in 

limited safe room spaces. Since occupants are not already on-site – as is typical with safe rooms for specific 

occupants – parking should be addressed to ensure sufficient parking is available for the intended number of 

occupants expected to arrive by automobile.

• Safe rooms for specific occupants. Safe rooms intended for 

specific occupants must be designed and sited in accordance 

with the needs of the intended occupants; all occupants need to 

be able to travel to and access the safe room within a reasonable 

amount of time. Similarly, O&M plans for safe rooms intended to 

protect only a specific set of occupants should be tailored for the 

needs of the intended population; the O&M plan should be able 

to accurately address the needs (medical, accessibility, security, 

parking, etc.) of the defined set of occupants. 

This breakdown – general public versus specific occupants – represents a starting point for considering emergency 

management practices for safe rooms, but does not encompass all potential factors to be considered. For example, 

a school safe room may be intended only for the students and staff of the school (making it a safe room for specific 

occupants), or it may also be intended to serve nearby residents and therefore falls into both categories (general 

public and specific occupants). The O&M plan for every safe room should address the anticipated occupancy 

conditions. 

The determination of who is allowed to use a safe room is made by the building owner and a discussion of this 

topic is outside the scope of this publication. However, many communities have recognized the value of safe rooms 

for saving lives and have sought to achieve optimal occupancy to target populations by increasing accessibility 

24 hours a day, year-round. 

SCHOOL SAFE ROOMS

Some school community safe rooms 

are made open to the general public 

only when school is out of session or 

during evening and overnight hours.

Note

EXAMPLE

In Joplin, MO, all new school safe rooms are being designed to accommodate not only the students, faculty, and staff of 

each school, but also the residents who live within a 5-minute walk and a 1/2-mile drive of them. Each will have an average capacity of 1,000 to 1,500 people.

“The safe rooms are designed for that general radius around each school,” according to Jason Cravens, Executive 

Director of Secondary Education. “We wouldn’t turn people away, obviously, but there was [an assumed] capacity in designing them” (Youker 2014).
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES A4-5 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

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A4.2 Staffing and Personnel Considerations

Once safe room objectives and parameters have been defined and the considerations described in this chapter 

have been reviewed, safe room roles and responsibilities can be identified in the O&M plan. Contact lists allow 

the identified staff to stay connected with each other, and quickly find both emergency and non-emergency phone 

numbers. Ensuring that staff and personnel will be equipped with the resources and knowledge for each task 

they need to complete during an event is essential for the effective operation of a safe room. These roles need 

to be clearly defined and those assigned to the roles need to be properly trained. Further, if the safe room is to 

be occupied for a long time, work shift procedures may need to be developed prior to an event. The following 

subsections describe these staffing and personnel considerations.

A4.2.1 Roles and Responsibilities

Identifying and describing specific roles and responsibilities are a primary component of the O&M plan. The roles 

required for adequate functionality and orderly use of the safe room will vary depending on the hazard type, safe 

room occupancy, access and functional needs, multi-use space usage, and other factors. Given this variability, no 

list of roles is provided in this guidance. However, sample O&M plans can be found at FEMA’s website www.fema.

gov/example-operations-and-maintenance-plans-community-safe-rooms.

It is critically important to have personnel assigned to the full range of O&M tasks and responsibilities before any 

safe room ever opens. Each role should include specific responsibilities to be performed before, during, and after 

the event. Backup personnel should also be identified in case the assigned person is absent or unable to complete 

his or her duties. The list of tasks to be completed and the list of people who perform each task will vary between 

safe rooms as a function of the safe room’s unique characteristics. Roles should be identified by role or title instead 

of by name in the plan because assignments will likely change over time as individuals leave the organization or 

community 

A4.2.2 Contact Lists 

Once primary and backup personnel are identified and assigned, the 

O&M plan should contain or reference a list of all current contact 

phone numbers and email addresses for each, and a copy should be 

kept in the safe room at all times. When referenced externally by 

the O&M plan, the contact list may be updated and re-circulated 

more efficiently than through revision of the entire O&M plan. Full 

contact information (i.e., home, work, and cell phone numbers and 

work and personal email addresses) for each person assigned a role 

and his or her designated backups should be provided for all safe 

room personnel as well. 

The O&M plan should include a current list of all emergency contact 

numbers. A copy of the list should be kept in the safe room. The 

following is a suggested list of what agencies/numbers should be 

included: 

• Emergency management contacts for the building

• Local fire department (both emergency and non-emergency 

numbers)

REGISTERING THE SAFE ROOM

Once the safe room is constructed or 

installed, it should be registered with 

local first responders (e.g., police, fire, 

rescue organizations).Registration information should facilitate search and 

rescue operations following an event, 

which is especially important if safe 

room occupants become trapped by 

debris blocking the safe room door. 

For this reason, coordinates to safe 

room door should be provided. 

Some cities and counties provide 

websites for owners and operators to 

register their safe rooms. It is best for 

safe room owners to contact local authorities for information on the best 

way to register in their area. 

Note
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES A4-6 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

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• Local police department (both emergency and non-emergency numbers)

• Local emergency medical services (EMS)

• Local emergency operations center (EOC)

• Appropriate security and medical personnel that can support the safe and effective functioning of a larger 

community safe room (refer also to Section A4.6); O&M plans may designate contacts on the local s police 

force and EMS agencies to support this function

• Local utilities (e.g., gas, electric, water, telephone)

• Emergency contractors (e.g., electrical, mechanical, plumbing, fire alarm and sprinkler service, window 

replacement, temporary emergency windows, general building repairs)

• Any services pertinent to continuation of operations for the organization(s) or company(ies) occupying the 

building (e.g., catastrophe preparedness unit, company cars, communications, mail center, maintenance, 

records management, purchasing/supply, data processing)

A4.2.3 Staff Training

Personnel training and drills should be conducted to ensure the operations of the safe room will run smoothly 

during an emergency. Personnel need to know all warning signals used, including the difference between a watch 

and a warning, what they mean, and what responses they trigger. This information should be emphasized in the 

O&M plan and reiterated through training so that it is retained and easily accessible for reference. Multiple levels 

of redundancy can ensure that each task will be covered if the primary person is unable to perform their duties 

at the time of the event. Personnel assigned to safe rooms in schools need to know what to do differently during 

school hours versus after school hours. If it is a combined safe room for hurricanes and tornadoes, then training 

needs to be provided for both types of hazards. After training, all personnel should be thoroughly familiar with 

the O&M plan.

Tornado or hurricane watch responses. When a watch is issued, 

the safe room staff should be placed on alert. The plan should 

specify the types of activities to be performed for each contingency 

depending on the type of safe room, the impending emergency, the 

timing of the watch announcement, and the availability of personnel 

responsible for safe room operations. Staff responsible for actions 

that should be completed before occupants arrive should be activated 

in advance of the warning. For example, a stand-alone tornado 

community safe room in a residential neighborhood should be 

opened and prepared for a possible emergency at this early stage.

Tornado or hurricane warning responses. When a warning is issued, 

the safe room staff should be activated and should begin performing 

the tasks specified in the O&M plan.

Periodically, the staffing and personnel list of duties should be 

evaluated and adjusted as needed for future events.

TERMINOLOGY

Watch: A tornado watch is issued 

when conditions are favorable for a tornado to form. 

Similarly, a hurricane watch is issued 

by the National Weather Service when 

a hurricane is possible in a given area. 

A hurricane watch is issued 48 hours 

in advance of the anticipated onset of 

tropical storm force winds.

Warning: A tornado warning is issued 

when a tornado is either occurring or 

is imminent based on weather radar. 

A hurricane warning means that hurricane conditions are expected in the 

specified area. The warning is issued 

36 hours in advance of the anticipated 

onset of tropical-storm-force winds.
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES A4-7 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

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A4.2.4 Work Shifts 

For hurricane safe rooms or anticipated long duration events, it may be necessary to assign certain roles to several 

individuals so that people can be relieved of responsibilities at the end of a designated time period or shift. 

Additional safe room management responsibilities may include coordinating role transitions when a new work shift 

begins or as otherwise needed because of fatigue or health-related issues.

A4.3 Community Outreach and Notification

Community safe room owners and operators should alert potential occupants of the presence and location of the 

safe room, procedures to access the safe room (via mass mailings, meetings, flyer distribution, and drill exercises), 

any new or changing policies, and general information such as the safe room pet policy. The recommended preevent notification considerations described in this subsection are not intended to be exhaustive.

A4.3.1 Identifying Potential Safe Room Occupant Population and Providing Information

Whether open to the general public or occupant-specific, all safe 

rooms are designed with maximum capacities and therefore protect 

a specified “at-risk” population. All potential occupants of a safe 

room should be notified of the safe room location and policies 

related to its use. Confusion about who may use a safe room can 

result in overcrowding, or worse, people being unable to access it due 

to overcapacity or the safe room doors having been locked to meet 

operational requirements. 

Potential users in a community should be informed of the 

community’s emergency plans well in advance of an event and 

should be prepared to seek refuge in their pre-assigned safe room. 

Neighborhoods that operate community safe rooms are encouraged 

to conduct regular exercises to test their operational preparedness 

and acquaint potential occupants with the safe room. 

For tornado safe rooms only intended for the portion of the public that falls within a given tornado protection (or 

intended occupant) zone (see Figure A4-2), safe room operators may consider coordinating with local officials to 

develop community-wide strategies for tornado protection awareness. This approach may prevent confusion and 

overcrowding. Although Figure A4-2 indicates a 1⁄2-mile radius for occupants walking to the safe room, a 1⁄2-mile 

radius typically applies to occupants driving to the site. For most adults, a 5-minute walking distance is about 1⁄4 

mile. Whether walking or driving to tornado safe room, anticipated travel time is the limiting factor, and while 

a safe room may be intended to serve occupants within a specific radius, travel time to the safe room depends 

upon the path prospective occupants take to reach the facility. Therefore, it may also be advisable to inform the 

residents of the best travel routes to the safe room location and provide corresponding signage. 

Hurricane safe rooms are usually designed and built to provide life-safety protection for first responders and 

critical and essential services personnel and facility occupants. Community outreach for hurricane safe rooms 

should inform the community that the safe room is intended for specified “at-risk” groups. Also, communities that 

intend potential occupants to bring sufficient food to last the anticipated duration of the hurricane should provide 

this information to the community well in advance of the hurricane.

CROSS-REFERENCE

Refer to Section B4.2.1.6, Siting 

Proximity to Occupants for Community 

Safe Rooms, for information on HMA 

Unified Guidance related to tornado 

safe travel time restrictions. Section 

A2.1.2.2, Assessing Vulnerable 

Population, also includes guidance on 

tornado and hurricane safe room population limits for FEMA grants eligibility. 
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES A4-8 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

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A4.3.2 Signage 

Placing information signs in clearly visible locations is important to alert communities to the presence of a safe 

room, the intended occupants and maximum occupancy of the safe room, the travel routes to the safe room, the 

location of the safe room entrance door, and other pertinent details. Depending on the population served, it may 

be necessary to include signs in languages other than English.

Safe rooms open to the general public. Signage is critical for occupants to be able to readily find and enter the 

safe room, especially when a safe room is inside a larger building (see Figure A4-3 for an example of a sign). In 

addition to directing potential occupants to the safe room, signs can also identify the area of the community 

the safe room is intended to serve, as shown in Figure A4-2, and can be posted to show the best travel routes to 

the safe room location. Signs can also inform the residents of the neighborhood served by a safe room about 

the occupancy limitations during any given event. Refer also to Section B5.2.4 of this publication for additional 

information on signage. 

Figure A4-2. Example of a tornado 

protection zone map for a safe room 

intended to serve a specific protection 

(or intended occupant) zone 

(SOURCE: JOPLIN SCHOOL WEBSITE, 

WWW.JOPLINSCHOOLS.ORG/DOMAIN/635)

Figure A4-3. Example of a sign showing 

location for safe room entrance 

(SOURCE: JOPLIN SCHOOL WEBSITE, 

WWW.JOPLINSCHOOLS.ORG/DOMAIN/635) 
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES A4-9 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

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Safe rooms for specific occupants. The presence of safe room signage on the outside of a building can easily 

cause surrounding residents to assume they may use the safe room during a tornado, even when the safe rooms 

is designated for use solely by the occupants of the building, such as at a school, hospital, or private business. 

This unintentional miscommunication may be mitigated through community outreach and carefully placed and 

specifically worded safe room signage. 

A4.3.3 Expectation of Safe Room Use during Off-Hours 

Safe rooms for specific occupants. It is important for safe room 

owners and operators to clearly indicate to potential safe room 

occupants when the facility will be open. For example, will the safe 

room at a school be accessible after the regular school hours? At 

places of business, will the safe room be accessible after normal 

work hours? At hospitals, can employees bring their families into the 

hospital safe room? These types of questions should be answered 

by the owner/operator, specified in the O&M plan, and clearly 

communicated to potential occupants. 

A4.3.4 Information on the Access and Functional 

Needs of Potential Safe Room Occupants

Some community safe room operators send access and functional needs request forms to those within the safe 

room protection zone to identify potential occupants with acute medical needs. The request forms can be used 

to prepare for the level of health care that may needed from the designated first aid or health services staff. 

Request forms can also be used to capture the potential number of service animals the safe room may need to 

accommodate. 

If such request forms are circulated, then the responders’ information should be maintained as part of the O&M 

plan and updated on a regular basis. All information gathered through access and functional needs request forms 

should be compiled and made available to appropriate safe room personnel for use during a high-wind event. Safe 

room staff registering arriving occupants can then use this information to notify personnel responsible for first aid 

and health services, as needed. 

A4.3.5 Alert Signals and Drills

Potential safe room occupants should be informed of the community’s emergency plans well in advance of an 

event and should be prepared to seek refuge in their pre-assigned safe room. It is extremely important that 

prospective safe room occupants recognize and understand the distinct warning signal that calls for them to 

proceed to the safe room. As noted in Section A2.1.2.2, warnings signals should be developed to reach individuals 

with access and functional needs and/or individuals who have limited English proficiency. 

Neighborhoods that operate community safe rooms are encouraged to conduct regular exercises to test their 

operational preparedness and acquaint potential occupants with the safe room. In schools, work places, hospitals, 

and similar areas with regular occupants, storm refuge drills should be conducted (at least annually) to test the 

effectiveness of the O&M plan. Such drills will also test the signage, accuracy of contact information, knowledge 

of procedures by those enlisted with roles to perform, and the ability of the intended occupants to get to the safe 

room within the time limits. Any deficiencies found from these drills should be addressed in the O&M plan to 

improve the response. These tactical issues of drilling and training should be the responsibility of the safe room 

owners and operators or governing organization. 

OFF-HOUR USE

Safe room owners and operators 

should notify intended occupants of a 

safe room as to when the safe room 

is or is not available for use. For example, a school may decide their safe 

room is only for students and faculty use during school hours, but will 

be available to the surrounding community after school hours. Whatever 

policy is adopted, it should be clearly 

communicated to the community.

Note
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES A4-10 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

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Clearly defined routes should be identified for safe room occupants as shown in Figure A4-4. Identified routes 

should be easily navigated and free of hazards (refer also to Section B4.2.1.6). 

Figure A4-4. Example of a site plan clearly identifying safe room access routes 

(SOURCE: HOLLISTER R-V SCHOOL DISTRICT 2013) 

A4.3.6 Pets

Many people do not want to leave their pets during a storm. However, tornado and hurricane safe rooms are 

typically not prepared to accommodate pets. The policy regarding pets in a community safe room should be 

clearly stated in the O&M plan and be communicated to prospective occupants through public outreach to avoid 

misunderstandings and hostility when individuals arrive at the safe room. While some safe rooms allow pets 

confined in owner-provided, airline-approved carriers, many safe rooms allow only service animals. As described 

in Section A4.3.4, safe room operators may wish to identify the potential number of service animals the safe room 

may need to accommodate by distributing access and functional needs request forms to those within the safe room 

protection zone.
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES A4-11 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

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If a safe room owner or operator chooses to provide protected space for pets, operational plans should be 

developed and coordinated with designers so any requirements for the specific types of animals expected at 

the safe room can be met. Special accommodations for the animals might include separation distances, readily 

cleanable areas with drainage, a quarantine area for sick animals, more space depending on the sizes of the 

animals, etc. 

A4.4 Emergency Provisions 

Emergency provisions needed vary for different wind events. In general, emergency provisions will include food 

and water, communications equipment, and emergency supplies. Safe rooms serve a different function from longterm recovery shelters; however, safe room managers may elect to provide supplies that increase the comfort level 

of safe room occupants. For additional information, refer to Chapter B7, especially Sections B7.2.3 and B7.2.6. The 

following discussion is relevant to all safe rooms, regardless of its intended use.

A4.4.1 Food and Water

For tornado safe rooms, because of the short duration of occupancy, 

stored food is usually not a primary concern, but provision of water 

should be addressed in the O&M plan. 

For hurricane safe rooms, since they can be occupied for 24 hours or 

more during a hurricane, food and water will be needed. Some O&M 

plans charge occupants with the responsibility of bringing enough 

food to last for the anticipated duration of the hurricane. Regardless, 

provision of food and water should be addressed in the O&M plan. 

A4.4.2 Communications Equipment 

FEMA recommends having a means of communication other than a landline telephone or cellular telephone in 

all safe rooms. Both tornadoes and hurricanes are likely to cause a disruption in either type of telephone service. 

At least one means of backup communication should be stored in or brought to the safe room such as a handheld 

amateur radio, citizens’ band radio, or emergency radios capable of reaching police, fire, or other emergency 

services. If cellular telephones are relied upon for communications, the owners/operators of the safe room 

should install a signal amplifier to send and receive cellular signals from within the safe room. Occupants should 

remember that cellular systems may be completely saturated in the hours immediately after an event because of 

the amount of cell phone traffic, or cellular service could be unavailable because of damaged cell phone towers.

FEMA also recommends that every safe room contain either a battery-powered radio transmitter or a signalemitting device that can signal the location of the safe room to local emergency personnel if occupants in the safe 

room become trapped by debris blocking the exit. The safe room owner/operator is also encouraged to register 

the safe room with police, fire, and rescue organizations after installation or construction. Providing geographic 

coordinates to the safe room entrance can facilitate post-event search and rescue operations.

A4.4.3 Emergency Supplies (ICC 500 Sec 702.4 and 703.7) 

Community safe rooms should contain emergency supplies for the safety and well-being of the occupants. At a 

minimum, community safe rooms should contain the following safety equipment:

• Flashlights with continuously charging batteries 

MORE INFORMATION

FEMA and American Red Cross publications concerning food and water 

storage in safe rooms may be found at 

www.fema.gov and www.redcross.org. 
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES A4-12 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

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• Fire extinguishers (number based on occupancy type) appropriate for use in a closed environment with 

human occupancy, either surface-mounted on the safe room wall or in a recessed cabinet in a partition wall 

(required per ICC 500 Section 602)

• First aid kits rated for the safe room occupancy (required per ICC 500 Section 703.7)

• NOAA weather radio with continuously charging batteries

• Radios with continuously charging batteries for receiving commercial radio broadcasts

• A supply of extra batteries to operate radios and flashlights

• A sounding device that continuously charges or operates without a power source (e.g., canned air horn) to 

signal rescue workers if safe room egress is blocked

• Tools to open inoperable or debris-blocked doors. A crowbar and sledgehammer should be kept in the safe 

room in case debris falls against the door and prevents exiting the safe room after an event 

A4.5 Access and Entry

Gaining access to the safe room can become a source of frustration for occupants seeking life-safety protection 

from an impending tornado or hurricane. The O&M plan should provide details on procedures for parking, 

entering the safe room, registering incoming occupants, and locking down the safe room before the tornado or 

hurricane strikes. As described in Section A4.3, the community needs to be informed well before an event occurs 

to avoid confusion and panic.

A4.5.1 Parking 

Safe rooms open to the general public. Parking problems can adversely affect safe room access, potentially 

preventing occupants from entering the safe room before a tornado or hurricane strikes. Reasonable assumptions 

should be made about parking for safe room occupants based on its intended operations, and planned for 

accordingly. If the planning assumptions are not reasonable, there might not be enough parking spaces during 

an actual event, which can prevent people from quickly accessing the safe room. For instance, parking capacity at 

community safe rooms can be a problem if neighborhood residents, who are expected to walk, drive to the safe 

room instead. Parking should be tested during a drill, per Section A4.3.5, to see if the planning assumptions are 

reasonable and the O&M plan is effective. If not, the planning assumptions and O&M plan should be modified 

accordingly.

A4.5.2 Entering the Safe Room

Safe rooms open to the general public. Confusion has occurred during past tornado events when residents 

evacuated their homes to go to a community shelter, but could not get in. For example, during the Midwest 

tornadoes of May 3, 1999, residents in a Wichita neighborhood went to their assigned tornado shelter only to 

find it locked. Eventually, the shelter was opened prior to the event, but had there been less warning time for the 

residents, people could have been injured or killed. 

The O&M plan should clearly state who is to open the safe room and identify backup personnel to respond 

during every possible emergency. Some community safe rooms have been installed with locks that can be 

operated remotely. When triggered by community alert signals, remote unlocking systems can improve safe room 

access efficiency. These can be set to open automatically whenever there is a watch issued for the area, sirens are 

activated, or at the discretion of the owner or operator of the safe room. They can also be set to turn on lights so 

that the occupants do not have to search for light switches. Remote unlocking can be beneficial during evening 
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES A4-13 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

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and nighttime hours when people are not likely to already be present 

and able to open the facility immediately. If the remote unlocking 

is not automatically triggered and requires human intervention, it is 

wise to provide a 24-hour facility, such as a sheriff’s office, with access 

to unlock the safe room. 

Safe rooms for specific occupants. When a safe room is open to 

only a select group of occupants, the safe room owner and operator 

should make sure the policy on who can enter the safe room is clearly 

communicated (refer also to Section A4.3). Contingencies should be 

in place for visitors that may be present on site during an event. As 

with safe rooms open to the general public, redundancy for opening 

the safe room should be provided by identifying backup personnel 

to arrive and unlock the safe room for entry. Some small community 

safe rooms and other safe rooms for specific occupants have given 

keys or access codes to all identified potential occupants. 

A4.5.3 Registering Occupants 

Registering and tracking all incoming occupants of a safe room is an important process. This will enable safe 

room operators to identify which occupants may need special medical attention or have other specialized needs 

(refer also to Section A4.3.4). Suggested information to collect would be the number of occupants, genders, ages, 

and relative location they came from and approximate travel time. The data collected can be used for post-event 

analysis of occupancy numbers, estimated travel distances, assumptions that may require modification, parking 

adequacy, and other related issues that may need to be updated in the O&M plan to improve future safe 

room use. 

In cases of extreme urgency, the registration process should not impede the occupants’ admission into the safe 

room, and may be conducted after the safe room has been secured. The registration process should not slow 

the movement of occupants into the safe room, but may be conducted near the entrance of the safe room, with 

signs posted to clearly direct people to the registration area. The list of occupants can be used to account for all 

occupants after the event. 

A4.5.4 Locking Down the Safe Room 

Locking down a safe room refers to the final preparations of the safe room that are vital to provide near-absolute 

occupant protection from the hurricane or tornado. Locking down the safe room includes tasks such as closing 

and latching all operable shutters (see Figure A4-5) and doors.

All safe rooms. The process of locking down the safe room needs to be done before tornado or hurricane 

conditions pose a threat to the occupants. A final check should be made before locking down the safe room to 

ensure no more citizens are approaching, but a judgment call may be necessary when a tornado strike is imminent. 

Warning times for hurricanes are typically much longer, so people have more time to prepare and get to a safe 

room than is the case with tornado warnings. As a result, locking down a hurricane safe room is generally 

less urgent.

EXAMPLE

The Joplin Schools Community Safe 

Room Shelter Operations Plan lists 

separate safe room operations and 

personnel for school hours versus 

non-school hours. 

According to the plan, when a tornado 

watch or warning is issued during nonschool hours, the “school district’s 

automation system will unlock [the 

safe room doors] and turn on the safe 

room lights.” 

Source: www.joplinschools.org/

saferooms (Refer to Shelter 

Operations Plan).
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES A4-14 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART A

Figure A4-5. Interior operated safe room shutters in multi-purpose classroom/safe room. Image on left is normal usage; image on 

right shows shutters in ‘lock down’ position where they are closed and latched

Safe rooms for specific occupants. O&M plans for schools may wish to include a step to ensure all students are 

accounted for prior to lockdown. 

A4.6 Operations during an Event 

Safe room operations during an event include maintaining security and safety, providing first aid, and establishing 

and maintaining communication to applicable entities outside the safe room. While not exhaustive, the operations 

described in the following section should be addressed in the safe room O&M plan.

A4.6.1 Security

Safe rooms open to the general public. Safe room security and safety must be maintained by controlling the 

movement of people and preventing unauthorized entry into hazardous or secured areas, or unauthorized exit 

before the event has passed. Some O&M plans may assign security responsibilities to members of the community 

police force to facilitate crowd control and enhance enforcement of safe room rules. Security operations and 

related responsibilities should increase with the safe room’s anticipated population.

Safe rooms for specific occupants. If the safe room is at a residential care facility such as a nursing home or 

hospital, additional areas within the facility may need to be protected. Such areas may include medical and 

pharmaceutical supply storage areas and intensive/critical care areas that house non-ambulatory patients. A safe 

room should meet the needs of all of its occupants.

A4.6.2 First Aid and Health Services 

All safe rooms. Safe room staff with the necessary training and 

certification should be designated in the O&M plan to administer 

first aid as needed (see A4.2.2). Tornado safe rooms should be 

prepared for occupants to arrive injured as people are often injured 

in their haste to access the safe room. Hurricane safe rooms may 

need to appoint personnel to administer first aid and address other 

health issues that may arise during the extended stay.

Information collected on the access and functional needs of potential occupants (refer to Section A4.3.4) should 

be made available at the user registration desk to identify arriving occupants with possible impending health 

service needs. 

FIRST AID SUPPLIES

The first aid supplies shown in Table 

B7-1.are required in all FEMA-funded 

safe rooms. 

Note
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES A4-15 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART A

A4.6.3 Communication 

All safe rooms. Communication between the safe room, local EOCs, and other components of the disaster relief 

operation are critical during an extreme-wind event. Depending on the event, the staff responsible for establishing 

initial (pre-event) contact and a working relationship with the local EOC may also need to monitor weather 

conditions remotely to provide occupants with updated information. Section A4.4.2 includes a discussion on 

alternate means of communication that may be needed when telephones are out of order or anticipated to be out 

of order.

Upon receiving confirmation that danger has passed, the designated decision-maker will need to alert occupants 

that it is safe to exit the safe room. 

A4.7 Post-Event Operations

Immediately after an event, all occupants should be accounted for, especially those that have medical needs to 

ensure they receive the care they need. Any equipment brought to the safe room for either medical or other 

reasons should be returned. Equipment used during the event, such as generators and backup utility sources, 

should be turned off as they are no longer needed.

Safe room operators need to coordinate closing down the safe room and preparing it for a future event. The safe 

room should be cleaned after an event and all the supplies should be inventoried and items replaced as needed, 

including food, water, and supplies. 

Safe room owners and operators should review the O&M plan after an event and incorporate any lessons 

learned so that improvements to the plan are tracked and implemented. The O&M plan should be reviewed, and 

preventable problems that occurred should be fixed for future events. In some cases, developing an action report 

outlining the successes and failures of safe room operation components may be helpful in improving the O&M 

plan through revision.

A4.8 Maintenance 

An effective maintenance plan will help ensure that the safe room equipment and supplies are fully functional 

during and after events. Each community safe room should include maintenance information in its O&M plan, 

including the following:

• Update schedule. A schedule for updating the O&M plan. Regardless of whether an event occurred, the safe 

room O&M plan should be reviewed and updated at least annually to ensure the most current information is 

included in the plan. 

• Inventory checklist. An inventory checklist of the emergency provisions described in Section A4.4. Inventory 

checklists for a variety of safe room examples are available on the FEMA safe room website O&M plan section 

available at www.fema.gov/example-operations-and-maintenance-plans-community-safe-rooms. 

• Redundant power. Information about the designated redundant power source(s) (e.g., batteries and/

or emergency generators) needed to satisfy the safe room stand-by power requirements for lighting and 

ventilation (refer to Sections B7.2.4 and B7.2.5).
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES A4-16 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART A

• Maintenance schedule. A schedule showing regular safe room maintenance to be performed by a designated 

party. Regular maintenance and periodic testing should be performed for the following:

– Designated stand-by power source. All batteries and fuel for emergency generators, flashlights, and 

emergency exit signs should be replaced, cycled out, or recharged according to schedule. 

– Door assembly. Testing the door assembly is especially important since specialized safe room door 

hardware can easily fall out of adjustment, rust or stick due to lack of lubrication resulting in and failure 

to quickly engage during an event. If door hardware needs to be replaced, it is important to make sure 

the replacement meets the performance criteria. 

– Ventilation, sanitation, and lighting systems.

• Perishable schedule. A schedule for checking perishable safe room items such as bottled water and food for 

their “use by” dates or scheduled cycling out.

• Inventory schedule. A schedule for inventorying and testing emergency equipment and tools to ensure they 

are in working condition.
Part B
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B1-1 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B

CHAPTER B1

Application and Administration

This chapter uses Chapter 1 of ICC 500 as the referenced 

standard and includes a list of Recommended Criteria 

FEMA has identified as more conservative than the 

provisions in Chapter 1 of ICC 500. This chapter also includes FEMA 

supplemental commentary on the application and administration 

of safe rooms based on many years of field observations and 

investigations related to safe room performance. 

B1.1 Criteria

The application and administration of safe rooms should be 

conducted in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 1 in ICC 500 

with the exception of FEMA’s Recommended Criteria as shown in Table B1-1.

Table B1-1. Comparison of ICC 500 Requirements to FEMA Recommended Criteria

ICC 500 REFERENCE ICC 500 REQUIREMENTS FOR 

STORM SHELTERS

FEMA RECOMMENDED CRITERIA 

FOR SAFE ROOMS(a)

Section 107.1 

General

Where required by the authority having 

jurisdiction, construction documents shall 

be prepared. Such documents shall contain 

information as required by the applicable 

building code and this section.

For all safe rooms construction documents 

shall be prepared and maintained. Such 

documents shall contain information as 

required by the applicable building code and 

this section.

Section 107.2.1 

Design Information

For the areas of a building designed for 

occupancy as a storm shelter, the following 

information shall be provided within the 

construction documents:

2. A statement that the wind design conforms 

to the provisions of the ICC/NSSA Standard 

for the Design and Construction of Storm 

Shelters, with the edition year specified.

2. A statement that the wind design conforms 

to the provisions of the ICC/NSSA Standard 

for the Design and Construction of Storm 

Shelters, with the edition year specified and 

to the provisions of FEMA P-361, with the 

edition year specified.

Bolded text denotes differences between the ICC 500 Requirement and the FEMA Recommended Criteria.

Table notes:

(a) Table only lists differences between FEMA P-361 and ICC 500 Chapter 1. All ICC 500 Chapter 1 requirements not listed in the table should also 

be met in their entirety.

FEMA SAFE ROOM GRANT 

REQUIREMENTS 

Whenever a safe room is constructed with FEMA grant funds, the 

Recommended Criteria in Section 

B1.1 become requirements in addition to the requirements of ICC 500 

Chapter 1. 
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B1-2 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B PART B

B1.2 FEMA Supplemental Commentary

FEMA offers the following commentary and background information as supplemental guidance to the registered 

design professional for the criteria referenced in ICC 500 Chapter 1.

B1.2.1 Single-Use and Multi-Use Safe Rooms (Reference: ICC 500 Sec 104) 

Safe rooms are used solely for sheltering (single-use) or have multiple purposes, uses, or occupancies (multiuse). Safe room uses (either single-use or multi-use1) may affect the type of safe room selected and its location. 

An internal or external safe room may be used for sheltering only, or it can have multiple uses. For example, a 

multi-use safe room at a school may also function as a classroom, a lunchroom, a laboratory, or an assembly room 

(Figure B1-1). Similarly, a multi-use safe room intended to serve a manufactured housing community or singlefamily-home subdivision may also function as a community center. 

The decision to design and construct a single-use or a multi-use safe room will likely be made by the owner or 

operator of the safe room. To help the designer respond to non-engineering and non-architectural needs of 

property owners, this section discusses how safe room use may affect the type of safe room selected.

B1.2.1.1 Multi-Use Safe Rooms (Reference: ICC 500 Sec 104.1) 

The ability to use a safe room for more than one purpose often makes a multi-use stand-alone or internal safe 

room appealing to a safe room owner or operator. Multi-use safe rooms also allow immediate return on investment 

since the safe room space is used for daily business when it is not being used during a tornado or hurricane. 

1 FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Assistance Unified Guidance (July 2013) calls multi-use safe rooms “dual-use” safe rooms. “Dual-use” means the same as 

“multiple-use” used in this publication. Contact the closest FEMA regional office for the latest FEMA policy on safe rooms.

Figure B1-1. The addition to this 

school was designed to serve as 

a multi-use safe room; it is also 

used as a cafeteria, gym, and for 

large group gatherings 

(Wichita, KS)
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B1-3 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B

Examples of multi-use safe rooms

The MAT investigations of the 2011 tornado outbreak (FEMA 

P-908), the May 3, 1999 tornadoes (FEMA P-342), and other 

tornado and hurricane events have found many examples of multiuse safe rooms (Figure B1-1). They include:

• Cafeterias, classrooms, hallways, music rooms, and laboratories in 

schools

• Cafeterias/lunchrooms, hallways, and bathrooms in public and 

private buildings

• Lunchrooms, hallways, and surgical suites in hospitals

Hospitals, assisted living facilities, and other healthcare centers 

are additional examples of buildings that may benefit from multi-use, internal safe rooms. For these facilities, 

constructing multi-use safe rooms in areas where there are occupants who cannot be evacuated rapidly, such as 

intensive care units or surgical suites, would provide immediate return on investment for the safe room space. 

Hospitals may also need to construct additional community safe rooms for staff, patients, and visitors who may 

not be allowed into specially controlled portions of the hospital. Internal multi-use safe rooms in these types of 

facilities allow space to be optimized while providing near-absolute protection with easy access for non-ambulatory 

persons.

Cost

FEMA-sponsored projects have been evaluated to identify the additional cost to design and construct a FEMA 

P-361-compliant safe room in a new building. The FEMA project evaluations indicate that, although the cost 

to construct this portion of a building to meet FEMA P-361 may be 5 to 32 percent higher than normal design 

and construction, this percent cost increase is often less than 5 to 10 percent of the entire building construction 

project. Therefore, modifying a portion of a large project to be a safe room should result in a minimal cost 

increase compared to adding a stand-alone safe room. 

B1.2.1.2 Single-Use Safe Rooms (Reference: ICC 500 Sec 104.2) 

Single-use safe rooms are, as the name implies, used only in the 

event of a tornado or hurricane. One advantage of single-use safe 

rooms is that they usually have a simplified design that may be 

readily accepted by a local building official or fire marshal. Single-use 

safe rooms typically have simplified electrical and mechanical systems 

because they are not required to accommodate the normal daily 

needs of occupants. Another advantage of single-use safe rooms is 

that, when managed properly, they are not cluttered with furnishings 

and other items taking up floor space that might be needed in an 

emergency, which can be an issue with multi-use safe rooms.

Examples of single-use safe rooms 

Many single-use safe rooms were observed during the MAT site visits 

after the 2011 tornado outbreak, in both residential and community 

applications (see FEMA P-908, 2011a). Below-grade residential safe 

rooms were common and were mostly single-use. Although some 

internal, above-ground residential safe rooms are single-use, it is 

CROSS-REFERENCE

Chapter B5 discusses criteria for calculating usable square footage for safe 

room areas. Auditoriums, laboratories, 

and libraries are examples of building 

uses that have permanent fixtures or 

furniture that reduce the available safe 

room area and must be accounted for 

when determining the maximum safe 

room population.

CODES AND STANDARDS 

For single-use community safe rooms 

with less than 50 occupants, ICC 500 

requires the designated occupancy to 

follow Section 303 of the IBC. For single-use community safe rooms with 

an occupant load of 50 or greater, 

the occupancy type should be A-3 (assembly). For multi-use safe rooms, the 

occupancy type should be that of the 

primary use of the protected space 

when not in use as a safe room.
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B1-4 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B

more common for them to be multi-use because of the ease of using the safe room for other functions, such as a 

closet. Figure B1-2 shows an example of a stand-alone single-use community safe room, and Figure B1-3 shows an 

example of a residential single-use safe room. 

Figure B1-2. Prefabricated steel 

single-use community safe room 

(Brookwood, AL)

Figure B1-3. Single-use residential 

safe room after an EF5 tornado 

(Newcastle, OK)
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B1-5 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B

Maintenance

The advantage of a readily available single-use safe room in an 

emergency can easily turn to a disadvantage if a proper O&M plan is 

not followed diligently. In the absence of regular use, the safe room 

may soon acquire other unintended functions (e.g., for temporary 

storage or similar uses) that can seriously impede its primary function 

(Figure B1-4). This problem can be avoided by adhering to a safe 

room O&M plan.

Cost

The cost of designing and constructing a single-use safe room is 

generally the same as for a multi-use safe room, or possibly lower 

because of the simplicity of the design requirements for a single 

function. However, the installation of single-use safe rooms can be 

perceived as having a much higher cost than a multi-use safe room 

because no other benefit is provided with the construction of the 

new building. This perception may also be related to the fact that 

the cost of operating and maintaining multi-use safe rooms can be 

incorporated into the cost of operating and maintaining the facilities’ 

alternate function for a small increase in overall cost, while the cost 

of operating and maintaining a single-use safe room would not be 

incurred if the safe room itself did not exist. 

B1.2.2 Permitting, Review, and 

Inspections (Reference: ICC 500 Sec 105 and 106) 

This section clarifies the permitting, compliance, and involvement of the registered design professional in the safe 

room design and permitting process, specifically permitting and code compliance, peer review, special inspections 

and acceptance, and structural observations.

Where requirements are not provided by FEMA P-361, the applicable provisions of the codes adopted by the 

AHJ apply to the safe room. Safe rooms constructed in jurisdictions where no applicable codes are adopted should 

be designed and constructed according to FEMA P-361 and the provisions of the 2015 or most current edition of 

the IBC.

Figure B1-4. Safe room with items stored 

inside; such items take up space and reduce 

occupant capacity (Joplin, MO)

CODES AND STANDARDS

Section 423.3 and 423.4 of 2015 IBC requires ICC 500 storm shelters to be incorporated when any of the following are 

constructed: 

• K-12 school buildings with occupant load of 50 or more; 

• 911 call stations; 

• fire, rescue, ambulance, and police stations; and 

• emergency operations centers. 

The requirement only applies in the 250 mph tornado wind speed zone (see Figure B3-1 for wind speed zone details) and 

limited exceptions are provided. 
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B1-6 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B

B1.2.2.1 Permitting and Code Compliance 

Before construction begins, all necessary State and local building and other permits should be obtained. The 

registered design professional should meet with the local code official to discuss any concerns the building official 

may have about the safe room design. This meeting would help ensure that the safe room is properly designed and 

constructed to local ordinances or codes in addition to the provisions of FEMA P-361. 

The requirement for the design and construction of storm shelters 

and safe rooms to meet or exceed the criteria in ICC 500 or FEMA 

P-361 is established by the AHJ. They establish this by either adopting 

the 2009 or later editions of the IBC and IRC that incorporate the 

ICC 500 standard by reference or by explicitly adopting FEMA P-361 

or ICC 500 as a design standard for safe rooms or storm shelters. 

Complete detailed plans and specifications should be given to the 

building official for each safe room design. The design parameters used in the structural design of the safe room, 

as well as all life-safety; ADA requirements if it is a public safe room; and mechanical, electrical, and plumbing 

recommendations should be shown on the construction documents and specifications (see Section B1.2.3 for 

additional information on documenting safe room information on construction documents).

Regarding code requirements not related to life-safety or structural requirements (typically those for mechanical, 

electrical, and plumbing systems), the designer should design for the normal use of a multi-use safe room unless 

otherwise directed by ICC 500 or the AHJ. The additional cost of providing mechanical, electrical, and plumbing 

equipment and facilities for the high-occupancy load that would occur only when people are using the safe room 

for tornado or hurricane protection might not be reasonable. For this reason, safe rooms designed to the criteria 

in this publication are for short-duration use, and the probability of their use at maximum occupancy is low. 

Minimum requirements for ventilation and sanitation management in safe rooms can be found in Chapter B7.

B1.2.2.2 Peer Review (Reference: ICC 500 Sec 106.1.1) 

Construction documents for community safe rooms designed for 

more than 50 occupants, as well as for safe rooms in an elementary 

school, secondary school, day care facilities with an occupant load 

greater than 16, or any Risk Category IV building should undergo 

a peer review by an independent registered design professional for 

conformance with the design criteria described in this chapter. 

This peer review should include review of elements associated with 

structural design (including missile impact resistance), occupancy, 

means of egress, access, and accessibility, fire safety, and essential 

features (such as ventilation, sanitation, and backup power). These 

issues correspond to Chapters 3, 5, 6, and 7 of ICC 500 and this 

publication. The registered design professional performing the peer 

review should not be the same registered design professional who 

provides the design oversight recommended in Section B1.2.2.4. 

A signed and sealed report should be submitted to the AHJ. This 

report should include detailed descriptions of the items reviewed, 

whether or not the items are compliant with the applicable standards 

and codes, whether or not the safe room design is acceptable, and if 

not, recommendations to make it acceptable. 

CODES AND STANDARDS 

This publication supersedes the FEMA 

National Performance Criteria for 

Tornado Shelters, 1999, as well as any 

earlier versions of FEMA P-361.

CODES AND STANDARDS 

Risk Category IV buildings are defined 

as essential facilities in the IBC; for 

more information, see Table 1604.5 of 

the 2015 IBC. 

IBC-consistent Risk Category classifications for buildings can be found in 

Table 1.5-1 of ASCE 7-10.

PEER REVIEW CRITERIA

FEMA P-361 and ICC 500 peer review 

criteria are now both triggered when 

safe rooms or storm shelters are designed for more than 50 occupants. 

Note
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B1-7 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B

B1.2.2.3 Special Inspections and Acceptance (Reference: ICC 500 Sec 106.2, 106.3)

Inspection of post-installed anchors

As more safe rooms and storm shelters are installed, many units (including prefabricated safe rooms or 

shelters) are being installed directly onto existing slab-on-grade foundations through post-installed anchor 

applications. These existing foundations are typically not adequate to resist the extreme-wind loads that a safe 

room or storm shelter must be designed for. Therefore, in addition to the slab being checked for compliance 

with the minimum slab thickness and minimum steel reinforcement requirements found in Section 308.1.1.1 

of ICC 500, engineering calculations need to be provided to verify the adequacy of the existing slab (refer 

to Section B3.2.4.3.3). Post-installed anchors typically depend on adhesive bonding for pull-out resistance, 

making the performance of the connection highly dependent on the installation. Post-installed anchors must 

be appropriately selected by the designer and installed in accordance with the manufacturer’s installation 

instructions as required in Chapter 17 of the American Concrete Institute (ACI) standard ACE 318-14, 

Building Code Requirements for Structural Concrete (ACI 2014 or later edition). As a best practice, any installer 

of post-installed epoxy anchors should be certified as an ACI-CRSI Adhesive Anchor Installer.2

ICC 500 requires a special inspection to be performed when anchors are post-installed into hardened concrete 

or masonry for shelter (or shelter component) anchorage. The special inspection is intended to verify the 

anchor installation and capacity, as well as the foundation adequacy as detailed above. The special inspection 

requirements in Section 106.3.1 of ICC 500 can be bypassed on residential safe rooms only if the AHJ verifies 

that the foundation and anchoring complies with the installation requirements for the safe room or storm 

shelter. 

FEMA strongly recommends that building officials or other AHJ parties ensure that the installation of the 

safe room complies with the design plans or the manufacturer’s installation instructions (in the case of 

prefabricated safe rooms) before granting a waiver for the special inspection. This can be done by having the 

installer provide the AHJ with the necessary information ahead of the construction process, including the 

engineering calculations verifying the adequacy of the slab and any existing conditions, such as the thickness 

of the slab and the presence of any required steel reinforcement. 

B1.2.2.4 Structural Observations (Reference: ICC 500 Sec 106.4) 

The building owner should employ a registered design professional during the construction of a community 

safe room. The registered design professional should be licensed in the State in which the safe room will be 

constructed or installed. The task for the registered design professional is to visually observe the construction 

of the structural system for general conformance to the approved construction documents at significant 

construction stages and when the structural system is completed. Structural observation does not eliminate 

the need for other inspections or testing as specified by this publication, ICC 500, or the applicable building 

code (e.g., IBC Chapter 17, Special Inspections and Tests).

Deficiencies should be reported in writing to the owner and the AHJ. At the conclusion of the work, the 

registered design professional who made the structural observations should submit a written statement to 

the AHJ that the site visits have been made and describing any identified deficiencies that, to the best of the 

structural observer’s knowledge, have not been resolved.

2 ACI and CRSI (Concrete Reinforcing Steel Institute) operate a program to train and certify Adhesive Anchor Installers (www.concrete.org/

certification/certificationprograms.aspx).
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B1-8 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B

B1.2.3 Construction Documents (Reference: ICC 500 Sec 107) 

Although not all jurisdictions require detailed construction 

documents, compliance with the FEMA criteria presented in this 

publication requires that construction documents be prepared and 

maintained. Such documents should contain information as required 

by the applicable building code, the AHJ, and Section 107 of ICC 500 

with the exceptions shown in Table B1-1 of this chapter.

The location of the safe room, the design criteria for the safe room, 

the product testing information, and similar information should 

be clearly identified on the construction drawings. In addition, 

every safe room should have signage clearly identifying it as a safe 

room designed to provide life-safety protection to its occupants at a 

specified performance level as described in Section B1.2.4. The ICC 500 now requires all impact protective systems 

to have a label indicating that they have passed testing and comply with the standard. There is no universal format 

for labels at this time; manufacturers only need to say that the product has been tested for specific functions and 

performance characteristics.

B1.2.3.1 Quality Assurance / Quality Control (Reference: ICC 500 Sec 107.3) 

Because a tornado or hurricane safe room is expected to provide near-absolute protection, quality assurance and 

quality control (QA/QC) for the construction of safe rooms should be more stringent than that used for normal 

building construction. Submittals should be thoroughly scrutinized for accuracy and compliance with contract 

documents. A registered design professional should prepare a quality assurance plan for the construction of the safe 

room. The construction documents for any tornado or hurricane community safe room should contain a quality 

assurance plan. 

Quality assurance plan (Reference: ICC 500 Sec 107.3.1) 

A quality assurance plan should be provided for all items required in Section 107.3 of ICC 500. The registered 

design professional should supply enough information to facilitate the safe room being built in accordance with the 

design and performance criteria of this publication. The quality of both construction materials and methods should 

be ensured through the development and application of a quality control program.

Contractor’s responsibility (Reference: ICC 500 Sec 107.3.3) 

Each contractor responsible for the construction, fabrication, or installation of a main wind-force resisting system 

(MWFRS), doors, and windows, or any component listed in the quality assurance plan should submit a written 

statement of responsibility to the AHJ, the responsible registered design professional, and owner before beginning 

work on the system or component. The contractor’s statement of responsibility should contain:

• Acknowledgement of awareness of the special criteria contained in the quality assurance plan

• Acknowledgement that control will be exercised to obtain conformance with the contract documents

• Procedures for exercising control within the contractor’s organization, and the method and frequency of 

reporting and distributing reports

• Identification and qualifications of the person(s) exercising such control and their position(s) in the 

organization

• Information on the installation and construction of the MWFRS

• Acknowledgement of proper installation of the impact protective systems

TERMINOLOGY

Construction Documents: IBC defines 

construction documents as written, 

graphic, and pictorial documents 

prepared or assembled for describing the design, location, and physical 

characteristics of the elements of a 

project necessary for obtaining a building permit.
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B1-9 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B

While contractors should not be held responsible for whether components manufactured by others meet safe room 

criteria, they should be held responsible for purchasing and installing components that are consistent with the 

contract documents and instructions provided by the manufacturer so that they provide the appropriate level of 

protection.

B1.2.4 Design Information Signage and Labeling (Reference: ICC 500 Sec 108) 

For additional information on signage criteria and 

recommendations for community safe rooms, see Section B5.2.4 

and Section A4.3.2. 

Design Information Signs

All safe rooms should have a visible and legible sign outside or inside 

the safe room, as illustrated in Figures B1-5 and B1-6. Signs should 

include the following information:

• Name of the manufacturer or builder of the safe room 

• Its purpose (i.e., the storm type: tornado or hurricane) 

• The design wind speed

Labeling

Any products, materials, or systems specified for occupant protection should be labeled by the agency that 

approved them to show the name of the manufacturer and performance characteristics, such as the test missile 

size and speed, and test pressure. While ICC 500 requires protective systems for openings to be labeled indicating 

compliance with the standard, there is no universal format for such labels. A representative example is shown in 

Figure B1-7.

TERMINOLOGY

Signage: Refers to physical signs 

placed on or in a safe room to convey 

information about safe room properties and location. 

Label: An independent certification 

permanently affixed to a product to 

identify key characteristics of the 

product. 
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B1-10 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B

Figure B1-5. Example of signage with safe room design 

information

Figure B1-6. Examples of design information signs; though 

these include Missile Impact Resistance information, such 

information is not required

Figure B1-7. Example door label for a product that has been 

tested to safe room criteria
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B2-1 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B

CHAPTER B2

Definitions

This chapter defines certain “terms of art” and phrases that are used in this publication to mean something 

specific. Any term not defined here should be understood as having a commonly accepted meaning as 

implied by its context. Definitions are taken from FEMA publications and guidance materials as well as 

from Chapter 2 of ICC 500. 

Definitions reprinted from ICC 500 are referenced accordingly; the definitions are reprinted here with permission 

from the ICC. For ICC 500-sourced definitions, references to storm shelters also apply to safe rooms. 

Applicable code (ICC 500)

The regulation for design and construction of buildings and structures adopted by the authority having 

jurisdiction over the construction of the specific shelter.

Areas of concentrated furnishings (ICC 500) 

The areas of a storm shelter with furniture or fixtures which cannot be easily moved, including areas such as 

bathrooms, locker rooms, and rooms with fixed seating or fixed tables.

Areas of open plan furnishings (ICC 500) 

The areas of a storm shelter which are generally free of furniture or fixtures which cannot be easily moved and of 

interior partitions or other features which block movement through or otherwise subdivide the space.

Areas of unconcentrated furnishings (ICC 500) 

The areas of a storm shelter with furniture or fixtures which can be easily moved, including areas such as 

classrooms and offices.

Authority having jurisdiction (ICC 500)

The organization, political subdivision, office, or individual charged with the responsibility for administering and 

enforcing the provisions of building codes and code-adopted standards such as ICC 500. 

Best available refuge area 

Areas in an existing building that have been deemed by a registered design professional to likely offer the greatest 

safety for building occupants during a tornado. These areas were not specifically designed as tornado safe rooms, 

and as a result, occupants may be injured or killed during a tornado. However, people in best available refuge 

areas are less likely to be injured or killed than people in other areas of a building (text modified from FEMA 

P-431, Tornado Protection: Selecting Refuge Areas in Buildings [October 2009]).
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B2-2 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B PART B

Collapse hazards (ICC 500)

See “Hazards, collapse.” 

Community safe room 

Any safe room not defined as a residential safe room.

Consensus standard 

A standard developed by professional societies or by national and international standards-setting organizations 

through specific procedures and requirements that govern the consensus development process. The process is 

conducted to provide a consensus agreement among representatives of various interested or affected individuals, 

companies, organizations, and countries. 

Critical support systems (ICC 500)

Structures, systems, and components required to ensure the health, safety, and well-being of occupants. Critical 

support systems include, but are not limited to, potable and waste water systems, electrical power systems, life 

safety systems, and HVAC systems.

Design wind pressure (ICC 500)

The wind pressure on a specific location of the shelter envelope, as determined in accordance with Section 304 [of 

ICC 500] Wind Loads, which controls the design of components and cladding (C&C) of the shelter envelope or 

the MWFRS for the shelter.

Design wind speed

• ASCE 7 basic wind speed (ASCE 7-10): The 3-second gust speed at 33 feet (10 meters) in Exposure C (see 

Section 26.7.3) as determined in accordance with Section 26.5.1. 

• ICC 500 design wind speed (ICC 500): Values shall be the nominal 3-second gust wind speed in miles per 

hour (km/h) at 33 feet (10 meters) above ground for open terrain (Exposure C).

Fire barrier (ICC 500)

A fire-resistance-rated vertical assembly of materials designed to restrict the spread of fire in which openings are 

protected. 

Hazards (ICC 500)

• Collapse. Debris from wind damage to adjacent, taller structures which could fall onto the shelter.

• Laydown. Nearby structures such as towers or large trees that could fall onto the shelter, if the shelter is within 

the laydown radius of the structure.

• Rollover. Vehicles and small buildings, such as temporary classroom buildings, that could roll over due to 

extreme winds and impact the shelter.

Host building (ICC 500)

A building which is not designed or constructed as a storm shelter that totally or partially encloses a storm shelter 

or is connected to a storm shelter.

Impact-protective system (ICC 500)

System or device such as a shutter, door, or other device mounted on the inside or outside of the exterior wall of 

a shelter and which has been demonstrated by testing to be capable of withstanding the impact of test missiles as 

detailed in [ICC 500].
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B2-3 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B

Interior surface of the shelter component (ICC 500)

The inside surface of any structural component of the storm shelter envelope. 

Label (ICC 500) 

An identification applied on a product by the manufacturer that contains the name of the manufacturer, the 

function and performance characteristics of the product or material, and the name and identification of an 

approved agency and that indicates that the representative sample of the product or material has been tested and 

evaluated by an approved agency. 

Labeled (ICC 500)

Equipment, materials, or products to which has been affixed a label, seal, symbol, or other identifying mark 

of a nationally recognized testing laboratory, approved agency, or other organization concerned with product 

evaluation that maintains periodic inspection of the production of the above-labeled items, and whose labeling 

indicates either that the equipment, material, or product meets identified standards or has been tested and found 

suitable for a specified purpose. 

See also “Label.”

Laydown hazards 

See “Hazards, laydown.”

Local emergency planning committee (ICC 500) 

A group of citizens defined by the community as having responsibility for local emergency planning. The 

committee shall be recognized by the governing body as having this responsibility. 

Natural ventilation (ICC 500)

Passive ventilation, not requiring a power source, resulting from convection of heated air, movement of inside air, 

and movement of outside air over and around the storm shelter, resulting in air exchange through vent openings. 

Near-absolute protection 

Level of protection afforded to the occupants of a safe room built according to the guidance in the most current 

edition of FEMA P-361. Our current knowledge of tornadoes and hurricanes indicates that safe room occupants 

will have a very high probability of being protected from injury or death.

Occupant support areas (ICC 500) 

The areas required to ensure the health, safety, and well-being of occupants. Occupant support areas include, 

but are not limited to, shelter management, food preparation, water and food storage, electrical and mechanical 

rooms, toilet and other sanitation rooms, and first-aid stations. 

Occupied shelter areas (ICC 500)

The designated storm shelter area. 

On-site (ICC 500)

Either inside, immediately adjacent to, or on the same site as the designated storm shelter facility, and under the 

control of the owner or lawful tenant. 

Peer review (ICC 500)

A review of the storm shelter in accordance with Section 106.1.1 of the ICC 500 by a registered design 

professional(s) independent from the registered design professional(s) in responsible charge of the storm shelter 

design. The peer review includes checking the construction documents, calculations, and quality assurance plan 

for the storm shelter design. 
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B2-4 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B

Penetration 

When a building component is impacted by debris and the debris enters the component but not to the extent that 

it enters the protected space. Penetration of a safe room component may be considered a failure when it results in 

excessive spalling, permanent deformation, dislodgement, or disengagement of that component. 

Perforation 

Failure of a safe room component from wind-borne debris that occurs when a missile impacts a safe room 

component and passes through it and into the protected space of the safe room by any amount.

Prefabricated safe room 

A safe room that has been assembled off-site and transported to the site where it will be installed.

Protected occupant area (ICC 500) 

The portions of the shelter area that are protected from intrusion of storm debris by alcove or baffled entry 

systems in accordance with Section 804.9.7 of ICC 500. 

Rebound impact (ICC 500)

The rebound impact by a test missile, or fragments thereof, on a portion of the shelter protective envelope after 

the test missile has impacted another surface of the shelter protective envelope. 

Residential safe room. 

A safe room serving occupants of dwelling units and having an occupant load not exceeding 16 persons.

Rollover hazards 

See “Hazards, rollover.” 

Safe room 

A storm shelter specifically designed to meet FEMA safe room Recommended Criteria and provide near-absolute 

protection in extreme-wind events, including tornadoes and hurricanes. 

See also “near-absolute protection.”

Shelter entry system, alcove (ICC 500) 

An entry system that uses walls and passageways to allow access and egress to the shelter interior while providing 

shielding from wind-borne debris in accordance with Section 306.5 of ICC 500. 

Shelter entry system, baffled 

See “Shelter entry system, Alcove.” 

Shelter envelope (ICC 500) 

The protective walls, roofs, doors, and other protected openings which are designed to meet the requirements of 

Chapter 3 of ICC 500 to provide protection to occupants during a severe windstorm. 

Special inspection (ICC 500) 

Inspection of construction requiring the expertise of an approved special inspector in order to ensure compliance 

with the ICC 500 standard and the approved construction documents. 

Special inspector (ICC 500) 

A qualified person employed or retained by an approved agency and approved by the building official as having 

the competence necessary to inspect a particular type of construction requiring special inspection. 
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B2-5 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B

Storm shelter (ICC 500) 

A building, structure, or portion(s) thereof, constructed in accordance with [ICC 500], designated for use during 

a severe wind storm event such as a hurricane or tornado. 

• Community storm shelter (ICC 500). Any storm shelter not defined as a residential storm shelter. 

• Residential storm shelter (ICC 500). A storm shelter serving occupants of dwelling units and having an 

occupant load not exceeding 16 persons. 

Storm shelter design wind speed (ICC 500) 

The maximum wind speed for which the shelter has been designed. Values shall be the nominal 3-second gust 

wind speed in miles per hour (km/h) at 33 feet (10 m) above ground for open terrain (Exposure C). 

Storm shelter occupant load (ICC 500) 

The occupant load intended for a room or space when that space is in use as a storm shelter. 
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B3-1 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B

CHAPTER B3

Structural Design

This chapter uses Chapter 3 of ICC 500 as the referenced 

standard and includes a list of Recommended Criteria FEMA 

has identified as more conservative than the provisions in 

Chapter 3 of ICC 500. This chapter also includes FEMA supplemental 

commentary on structural design of safe rooms based on many 

years of field observations and investigations related to safe room 

performance. 

B3.1 Criteria

The structural design of safe rooms should be in accordance with 

the provisions of Chapter 3 in ICC 500 with the exception of FEMA’s 

Recommended Criteria as shown in Table B3-1. 

Table B3-1. Comparison of ICC 500 Requirements to FEMA Recommended Criteria

ICC 500 REFERENCE ICC 500 REQUIREMENT FOR STORM SHELTERS FEMA RECOMMENDED CRITERIA 

FOR SAFE ROOMS(a)

Section 304.2 

Design Wind Speed

For tornado shelters, the design wind speed 

shall be in accordance with Figure 304.2(1). 

For hurricane shelters, the design wind 

speed shall be in accordance with Figure 

304.2(2).(b)

For all residential safe rooms, the design 

wind speed shall be 250 mph, regardless 

of location.

Bolded text denotes differences between the ICC 500 Requirement and the FEMA Recommended Criteria. 

Table notes:

(a) Table only lists differences between FEMA P-361 and ICC 500 Chapter 3. All ICC 500 Chapter 3 requirements not listed in the table should also 

be met in their entirety.

(b) ICC 500 tornado wind speeds for all storm shelters range from 130 mph to 250 mph. ICC 500 hurricane wind speeds for all storm shelters 

range from 160 mph to 235 mph.

B3.2 FEMA Supplemental Commentary

Chapter B3 supports the design and performance criteria for the structural systems and envelope systems 

(including openings and opening protection assemblies) for tornado and hurricane safe rooms. The intent 

FEMA SAFE ROOM GRANT 

REQUIREMENTS

Whenever a safe room is constructed using FEMA grant funds, 

the Recommended Criteria shown in 

Section B3.1 become requirements 

in addition to the requirements of ICC 

500 Chapter 3.
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B3-2 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B PART B

of this chapter is to present the “how and why” of the structural design criteria, including, where appropriate, 

the discussion of how the criteria presented in this publication differ from the ICC 500 requirements. The 

performance criteria include some discussion on debris impact-resistance, which is augmented by the commentary 

in Chapter B8 of this publication. 

FEMA offers the following commentary and background information as supplemental guidance to the registered 

design professional for the criteria referenced in ICC 500 Chapter 3. 

B3.2.1 General Approach to the Structural Design of Safe Rooms (Reference: ICC Sec 301) 

The design criteria presented in this chapter are based on the best information available at the time this 

publication was published. The wind loads a safe room is designed to resist are primarily based on the load 

determination criteria in ASCE 7, with modifications as required by ICC 500 and in some cases, additional 

changes as described in Section B3.1. Please note that ICC 500 modifies some of the other loads, e.g., rain loads 

and roof live loads, beyond the requirements of ASCE 7 and the IBC. Wind loads should be combined with the 

appropriate gravity loads and other prescribed loads acting on the safe room as required by the load combinations 

presented in Chapter 3 of ICC 500 and described in Section B3.2.2.

The commentary discussions in this chapter are based on codes and standards available for adoption by any 

jurisdiction. Specifically, the criteria are based on the ICC 500-2014, ASCE 7-10, ASCE 24-14, the 2015 IBC, and 

the 2015 IRC unless otherwise noted. For design and construction criteria not provided in this publication or in 

the ICC 500, the IBC and IRC (as appropriate) should be used to determine the requirements for completing the 

safe room. Should a designer, builder, or manager have any questions regarding design criteria presented in this 

publication, the following approach should be taken:

1. When questions arise pertaining to the difference between FEMA P-361 criteria and another code or standard 

(such as the ICC 500), the criteria in FEMA P-361 should govern. If not, the safe room cannot be considered to 

be a FEMA-compliant safe room.

2. When questions arise pertaining to design and construction criteria not presented in FEMA P-361, but 

provided in the ICC 500, the criteria of the ICC 500 should be used.

3. Where the purpose of a safe room is to provide protection from both tornadoes and hurricanes, the entire safe 

room should be designed and constructed using the more conservative of the two sets of criteria.

4. When questions arise pertaining to criteria or requirements not addressed by this publication or the ICC 

500, the 2015 IBC (with references to ASCE 7-10 and ASCE 24-14) and 2015 IRC should be used to determine 

the design and construction criteria. When these codes or standards have conflicting criteria, the most 

conservative criteria should apply. 

B3.2.1.1 Design Considerations and Safe Room Types 

This publication offers design guidance on two types of safe rooms:

• Stand-alone safe rooms

• Internal safe rooms: shelter areas that are located inside of or 

connected to a larger building, which is called a host building. 

The guidance in this publication is intended for the design and 

construction of new safe rooms, as well as for the addition of 

RETROFITS

The registered design professional 

performing retrofit work on existing 

buildings should apply the new design 

guidance presented in this publication 

to the retrofit design.

Note
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B3-3 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B

safe rooms to existing buildings by hardening an existing room or area (i.e., retrofitting). When considering 

retrofitting an existing building, the retrofit safe room must be designed to the same requirements and provide 

an equal level of protection as a new safe room. The wide variety of structural systems and large number of 

different configurations of existing buildings preclude a comprehensive review of all retrofit options, so limited 

guidance is provided on modifying buildings to create a safe room where none previously existed. However, a 

registered design professional engaged in a safe room retrofitting project should be able to use the guidance in 

this publication to identify the appropriate hazards at the site, determine the risk, and calculate the loads acting 

on the building that is the subject of the safe room retrofit. 

B3.2.1.1.1 Stand-Alone Safe Rooms 

The results of the risk assessment discussed in Chapter A2 may show that the best solution for protecting large 

numbers of people is to build a new, separate (i.e., stand-alone) building specifically designed and constructed to 

serve as a tornado or hurricane safe room.

Potential advantages of a stand-alone safe room include the following:

• The safe room can be constructed away from potential laydown 

or collapse hazards

• The safe room will be structurally separate from any building and 

therefore not vulnerable to being weakened by way of connection 

or debris loading if part of an adjacent structure collapses

• The safe room does not need to be integrated into an existing 

building design

B3.2.1.1.2 Internal Safe Rooms 

The results of the risk assessment discussed in Chapter A2 may show that a safe room area specifically designed 

and constructed within or connected to a building is a more attractive alternative than a stand-alone safe room, 

especially when the safe room is to be used mainly by the occupants of the building. Potential advantages of an 

internal safe room include the following:

• A safe room that is partially shielded by the surrounding building may not experience the full force of the 

tornado or hurricane wind. (Note, however, that any protection provided by the surrounding building cannot 

be considered in the determination of wind loads and debris impact for safe room design.)

• A safe room designed to be within a new building can be constructed in an area of the building that the 

building occupants can reach quickly, easily, and without having to go outside during the storm.

• Incorporating the safe room into a planned renovation or building project may reduce the safe room cost.

One potential disadvantage of an internal safe room is the risk of surrounding building debris collapsing on it. 

However, when this risk is properly considered by the registered design professional, a safe room constructed 

within a building is an acceptable application of the safe room concept. See next “Codes and Standards” text box 

for more information on how ICC 500 addresses considerations related to loading from the host structure; access 

considerations resulting from host structure debris around or atop the safe room – both ingress and egress – are 

described in Section B5.2.1.2.

CROSS-REFERENCE

The information in Chapter A2, 

Extreme-Wind Risk Assessment and 

Analysis, may be useful in determining what type of safe room should be 

constructed. 
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B3-4 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B

B3.2.1.2 Structural and Building Envelope Characteristics of Safe Rooms 

The primary difference in a building’s structural system when designed for use as a safe room, as compared to 

conventional use, is the magnitude of the wind forces and wind-borne debris it is designed to withstand. Safe 

rooms are designed for greater wind speeds (and corresponding greater wind pressures) and larger and more 

energetic wind-borne missiles than conventional (normal) buildings. 

The design of door and glazing assemblies of safe rooms are typically governed by wind-borne debris requirements 

(wind-borne debris causes many of the injuries and much of the damage from tornadoes and hurricanes). Exterior 

glazing in conventional buildings is not required to resist wind-borne debris, except when the buildings are 

located in the wind-borne debris regions within hurricane-prone regions (see Section 26.10.3.1 in ASCE 7-10). Per 

the IBC, glazing in buildings in wind-borne debris regions must be impact-resistant glazing systems or protected 

with an impact-protective system. These systems include laminated glass, polycarbonate, or “hurricane shutters.” 

The ASCE 7 wind-borne debris criteria were developed to minimize property damage and improve building 

performance by reducing the risk of internal pressurization. They do not require unglazed doors, walls, and roofs 

to be debris impact-resistant. To provide a life-safety level of protection, the safe room design criteria include 

substantially greater resistance to penetration from wind-borne debris. 

To provide adequate life-safety protection, in addition to the glazing, the roof, wall, and door assemblies of a safe 

room must resist the specified wind-borne debris impacts. Sections B3.2.5.1, B3.2.5.2, and B3.2.5.3 present the 

debris impact-resistance performance criteria for the tornado, hurricane, and residential safe rooms, respectively.

B3.2.2 Load Combinations (Reference: ICC 500 Sec 302)

For Strength Design or Load and Resistance Factor Design (LRFD), ICC 500 states that load combinations should 

be used in accordance with Section 2.3 of ASCE 7, with the wind load (W) determined in accordance with Section 

304. ICC 500 specifies that Exception 1 to ASCE 7 Section 2.3.2 (reduction of load factor for live loads) shall not 

apply. For Allowable Stress Design (ASD), the load combinations should be in accordance with ASCE 7 Section 

2.4. ICC 500 provides specific requirements for storm shelter loads other than wind loads, including roof live loads 

and rainfall loads. Although not explicitly stated in ICC 500 Section 302, these other loads modified by ICC 500 

should be used in the ASCE 7 load combinations.

B3.2.3 Non-Wind Load Considerations (Reference: ICC 500 Sec 303) 

Section 303 of ICC 500 includes modifications to several types of non-wind related loads, including rain loads, roof 

live loads, and flood loads.

CODES AND STANDARDS

The ICC 500 provisions make some distinctions between 

stand-alone (separate detached buildings) and internal 

(rooms or areas within buildings) shelters. It should be noted 

that Sections 304.8 and 304.9 of the ICC 500, Shielding 

of storm shelters by host and adjacent buildings and Storm 

shelters connected to host buildings, respectively, provide 

specific design criteria for shelters that are connected to 

existing structures or new structures surrounding the shelter to specify the interaction between the two structures 

(the shelter and the non- shelter). Even though the host 

building may fail, the requirements of Section 304.9 of the 

ICC 500 are intended to prevent damage to the host building from compromising the safe room.
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B3-5 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B

B3.2.3.1 Rain Loads

ICC 500 requires rain loads for structural design to be determined in accordance with ASCE 7, but additionally 

specifies that the rainfall rate for hurricane shelters be determined by adding a rate of 6 inches per hour to 

the rainfall rate established in Figure 303.2 of ICC 500. The rainfall rate maps in Figure 303.2 are from the 

International Plumbing Code® and correspond to the 100-year, 1-hour rainfall rate. The additional 6 inches per 

hour accounts for more intense rainfall rates possible in hurricanes

B3.2.3.2 Roof Live Loads

ICC 500 requires roof live loads applied to the shelter to be as specified in ASCE 7, but not less than 100 pounds 

per square foot for tornado shelters and not less than 50 pounds per square foot for hurricane shelters. In the 

event of a collapsing host building or other surrounding structures onto the safe room, roof live load conditions 

may well exceed the required minimum. Furthermore, impact loading from collapse or laydown hazards may need 

to be taken under specific consideration. As with all code- and standard-required minimum loads, it is important 

for designers to consider actual site conditions and increase minimum loads as appropriate.

B3.2.3.3 Flood Loads

Flood hazard design criteria for safe rooms are discussed in Section B4.2.2. Note that these criteria define where 

a safe room may be sited. FEMA recommends that safe rooms be sited outside of any area subject to flooding. For 

safe rooms that follow this recommendation, it is possible there would be no flood loads to consider. However, 

if the safe room meets all applicable siting criteria per Section B4.1, and has building elements (such as its 

foundation) below the design flood elevation, those elements should be designed in accordance with the flood 

loading provisions of ASCE 7 and any applicable provisions of ASCE 24. The lowest floor used for safe room 

space and/or safe room support areas should be elevated to the 

higher of the minimum floor elevations described in Section B4.1, 

which should be used as the design flood elevation for flood load 

calculations. There are minor differences between the ICC 500 

requirements and FEMA P-361 Recommended Criteria related to 

determining the minimum floor elevation (refer to Section B4.1 for 

additional information). 

B3.2.3.4 Seismic Loads and Seismic Detailing 

In some locations around the United States, the risk of seismic events may be substantial enough that the building 

code requires seismic design and detailing. In some cases, the building code may require seismic detailing even 

when the structural design of the safe room is found to be controlled by the wind loads. Any seismic design and 

detailing requirements of the prevailing code or AHJ must be met, and should be reviewed for compatibility with 

other design parameters and prioritized according to the design program.

Wind and seismic loads differ in the mechanics of loading (i.e., the way the load is applied). In a wind event, the 

load is applied to the exterior of the envelope of the structure, and internal building elements that are not part 

of the MWFRS of the building will not typically receive loads unless there is a breach of the building envelope. 

Earthquakes, however, induce loads based on force acceleration relationships. These relationships require that 

all objects of mass develop loads. Therefore, all structural elements and non-structural components within and 

attached to the structure will be loaded. As a result, seismic loading requires both exterior building elements and 

internal building elements (including non-load-bearing elements and fixtures) to be designed for the seismically 

induced forces.

CROSS-REFERENCE

Refer to Section B4.1 for safe room 

minimum floor elevations.
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B3-6 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B

B3.2.4 Wind Loads and Design (ICC 500 Sec 304)

To resist wind loads, the design of a safe room relies on the basic wind load determination approach taken 

in ASCE 7, with modifications as described in this section and Section 304 of ICC 500. When wind loads are 

considered in the design of a building, lateral and uplift loads must be properly applied to the building elements 

along with all other loads. 

B3.2.4.1 Design Wind Speeds for Safe Rooms

The prevailing wind hazard along the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic coasts, in the Caribbean, and for some Pacific 

islands is a hurricane (some regions of the Pacific refer to hurricanes as “cyclones” or “typhoons”). Tornadoes are 

the greatest wind hazard in interior areas of the United States. 

The maps in Figures B3-1 and B3-2 present tornado and hurricane safe room design wind speeds, respectively. 

The four zones on Figure B3-1 have corresponding tornado safe room design wind speeds of 130 mph, 160 mph, 

200 mph, and 250 mph. Similarly, Figure B3-2 shows the hurricane safe room design wind speed contours, which 

range from 160 to 220 mph for the U.S. mainland. Hurricane speeds range from 165 to 235 mph for Hawaii and 

the U.S. Territories.

B3.2.4.1.1 Background on Safe Room Design Wind Speed Maps

Safe room design wind speeds are 3-second gust speeds at 33 feet 

above grade in Exposure C (which is consistent with the definition 

of basic wind speeds used in ASCE 7). Consequently, the safe 

room design wind speeds can be used in the wind pressure 

calculation formulas from ASCE 7 to determine wind loads, as 

required in ICC 500 Section 304. The hurricane safe room design 

wind speeds shown in Figure B3-2 are valid for most regions of the 

country. However, the Special Wind Regions (e.g., mountainous 

terrain, river gorges, ocean promontories) shown on the ASCE 

7 basic wind speed maps are susceptible to local effects that may 

cause substantially higher wind speeds at safe room sites. 

 SAFE ROOM DESIGN WIND 

SPEED MAPS 

Tornado: The ICC 500-2014 tornado 

wind speed map (Figure B3-1) is similar 

to the map that first appeared in FEMA 

P-361 (2000), which was slightly modified, subsequently adopted by ICC 500, 

and also included in the second edition 

of FEMA P-361 (2008). 

Hurricane: The ICC 500-2014 hurricane wind speed map (Figure B3-2) was 

revised by ICC 500 from the original 

version in ICC 500-2008. FEMA P-361 

(2008) adopted the original map as this 

edition has adopted the revised one. 

Note
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B3-7 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B

Figure B3-1. Safe room design wind speeds for tornadoes (SOURCE: ICC 500 FIGURE 304.2(1); USED WITH PERMISSION)
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B3-8 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B

Figure B3-2. Safe room design wind speeds for hurricanes (SOURCE: ICC 500 [2014] FIGURE 304.2(2); USED WITH PERMISSION)
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B3-9 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B

B3.2.4.1.2 Tornado Design Wind Speed Map (Reference: ICC 500 Sec 304.2) 

The safe room design wind speed map for tornadoes is shown in 

Figure B3-1, which is identical to the ICC 500 tornado shelter design 

wind speed map. As described in this section, the map was developed 

from an analysis of historic tornadoes and represents a deterministic 

map of maximum tornadic wind speeds likely to occur in different 

regions of the country. 

Development of the Safe Room Design Wind Speeds for Tornadoes

The NOAA Storm Prediction Center data used to develop the Figure B3-1 wind speed zones covered the years 

1950 through 2006. The current map is nearly identical to the first edition FEMA P-361 safe room wind speed 

map which was developed in conjunction with TTU using data collected from 1950 through 1998. Tornado 

occurrence statistics prior to 1950 are available, but they are lower quality. From 1950 through 2006, a total of 

50,096 tornadoes were recorded in the contiguous United States. Each of these tornadoes was assigned an F Scale 

level. Table B3-2 shows the number of recorded tornadoes and percentages for each F Scale level, as well as the 

cumulative percentages. As noted in Table B3-2, less than 2 percent of the tornadoes were in the F4 category and 

less than 1 percent were in the F5 category.

Table B3-2. Tornado Frequencies in the United States (1950-2006)

Fujita Scale Percentage Number of Tornadoes Percentage Cumulative

F0 20,728 43.68 43.68

F1 16,145 34.03 77.71

F2 7,944 16.74 94.45

F3 2,091 4.41 98.86

F4 491 1.03 99.89

F5 50 0.11 100

Totals 47,449 100

Source: Data is from NOAA Storm Prediction Center

To develop wind speed zones, NOAA tallied the occurrences of 

tornadoes between 1950 and 2006 and plotted them on a grid map 

of the United States composed of 80 km x 80 km squares (2,470 

square miles). Tornadoes rated using the F Scale were reclassified as 

EF Scale events (same corresponding scale number) and the number 

of combined EF3, EF4, and EF5 tornado occurrences within each 

2,470-square mile square was tabulated for the whole country. These 

frequencies of occurrence data were used to develop the location of 

the contours shown in Figure B3-1. 

250 mph wind speed zone: The 250 mph wind speed zone includes all 2,470-square mile grid squares with two 

or more EF5 tornadoes recorded between 1950 and 2006. The 250 mph zone also includes areas with 10 or more 

EF4 and EF5 tornado occurrences combined during this same period. In Figure B3-1, the darkest zone covers the 

middle part of the United States, where the most intense tornado damage has occurred. 

200 mph wind speed area: The 200 mph wind speed area was developed using the statistics of EF3 tornado 

occurrences. Most areas with 20 to 30 EF3 tornadoes in a 2,470-square mile grid square also had enough EF4 and 

EF5 tornadoes to be included in the 250 mph wind speed zone. To be conservative, the 200 mph wind speed zone 

was extended to cover areas where more than five EF3 tornadoes were identified within a single square. This zone 

CROSS-REFERENCE

Information on tornadoes, tornado 

hazards, and the Fujita and Enhanced 

Fujita Scales is presented in Section 

A2.1.1, Assessing Threat. 

 HISTORICAL OCCURRENCES

There were 56,221 recorded tornadoes between 1950 and 2011. Of 

these, the NWS rated 95 percent as 

EF0-EF2, 4 percent as EF3, and 1 percent as EF4-EF5. 

Note
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B3-10 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B

extends along the Gulf and lower Atlantic coastal areas to include hurricane winds. There are a couple of grid 

squares in New York and Massachusetts that fall outside of this zone even though they have more than five EF3 

tornado occurrences. They are considered outliers and have had less than 10 EF3 occurrences.

160 mph wind speed area: The 160 mph wind speed area was developed for the remaining areas east of the Rocky 

Mountains. The western border for this zone approximately follows the Continental Divide. The 160 mph area 

covers all tornadoes of EF2 or lower intensity. 

130 mph wind speed areas: In the area west of the Rocky Mountains, there are relatively few tornado occurrences, 

and none have been rated EF5. From 1950 to 2006, only two tornadoes were rated EF4, and only 10 were rated EF3. 

For the 2008 edition of FEMA P-361, it was determined that a wind speed of 130 mph is sufficient for this zone.

B3.2.4.1.3 Hurricane Design Wind Speed Map (Reference: ICC 500 Sec 304.2) 

FEMA P-361 uses the shelter design wind speeds identified in Figure 304.2(2) of the ICC 500 as hurricane safe 

room design wind speeds (Figure B3-2). The ICC 500 map was 

developed using the same probabilistic methodology used to model 

hurricane wind speeds for the ASCE 7 wind speed maps, but for a 

10,000-year MRI (0.5 percent probability of exceedance in 50 years). 

Hurricane safe room design wind speeds range from 160 to 235 mph.

Development of hurricane wind speeds

The hurricane shelter design wind speed map used in the 2008 

version of ICC 500 was a 10,000-year MRI map generated using the 

hurricane simulation models described in Vickery et al. (2000) and Vickery et al. (2006), which were also used to 

create the hurricane contours in the ASCE 7-05 wind speed maps. When developing the first edition of the ICC 

500 standard in 2008, the ICC 500 Storm Shelter Standard Committee considered wind speed maps with MRIs 

ranging from 1,700 to 10,000 years (1,700 years is the MRI associated with the ASCE 7-05 Occupancy Category 

IV buildings, which includes hurricane shelters). Hurricane wind speeds were found to rapidly increase for lower 

MRI values and flatten out for higher MRIs (longer return periods). The committee decided that the 10,000-year 

MRI map was the most appropriate for hurricane shelters, given life safety considerations and uncertainties in the 

estimation of wind speeds. 

After a thorough review of the information used to prepare the initial ICC 500 hurricane shelter design wind 

speed map and coordination with the ICC 500 Standards Committee, FEMA adopted the ICC 500 hurricane storm 

shelter map for the second edition of FEMA P-361 (2008). (The first edition FEMA P-361 (2000) used a single 

wind speed map for tornadoes and hurricane safe room). 

The hurricane shelter design wind speed map used in the 2014 edition of ICC 500 and this publication (as shown 

in Figure B3-2) is slightly different. The current wind speed map is based on the updated hurricane modeling 

methods used in the ASCE 7-10 standard. Improvements in the modeling process for ASCE 7-10 included improved 

representation of the hurricane wind field and new models for hurricane weakening after landfall, described in 

Vickery et al. 2010 and in Section C26.5.1 of ASCE 7-10. The net effect of the modeling improvements was a slight 

decrease in hurricane shelter design wind speeds in most locations, typically on the order of 5-10 mph.

B3.2.4.1.4 Wind Speeds for Alaska 

The State of Alaska does not get hurricanes and is not prone to tornadoes, but it does experience extratropical 

cyclone winds and thunderstorms. The safe room design wind speeds are based on contours shown on the ASCE 

CROSS-REFERENCE

Information on hurricanes and hurricane hazards is presented in Section 

A2.1.1, Assessing Threat. 
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B3-11 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B

7-10 maps. The 160 mph safe room wind speed zone is designated for coastal areas that experience basic wind 

speeds of 130 mph or higher as shown on the ASCE 7-10 Occupancy Category II basic wind speed map. For 

interior, inland areas, where the ASCE 7-10 basic wind speeds are less than 130 mph, the safe room design wind 

speed is 130 mph. Safe room design wind speeds are shown in Figure B3-1.

B3.2.4.1.5 Potential for Exceeding Design Wind Speed 

The design wind speeds chosen by FEMA for safe room guidance were determined with the intent of specifying 

near-absolute protection with an emphasis on life safety. Historically, most tornado deaths have occurred during 

tornadoes classified as F3/EF3, F4/EF4, or F5/EF5. While the number of fatalities per single tornado increases 

steadily with EF number, the total number of tornado fatalities for EF3 tornadoes is about the same as the total 

for EF4 and EF5 events, on the order of 1000-2000 for each of F3/EF3, F4/EF4, and F5/EF5 during the period of 

1950-2011. For hurricanes, the largest storms have typically been the deadliest; however, most hurricane deaths are 

associated with storm surge inundation, not high winds. For both hazards, such intense storms are rare. Even in 

those areas of the middle of the country where the risk of EF4 and EF5 tornadoes is greatest, the likelihood that a 

particular building will be struck by an EF4 or EF5 tornado is extremely low. Though rare, safe room design must 

stand up to these extremely rare events if they are to provide near-absolute protection. Furthermore, community 

safe rooms protect occupants from surrounding buildings and neighborhoods, so the area protected is much 

greater than the area of the single building.

Tornado probabilities 

Tornado probability estimates have typically been based on historical records of tornado observations and 

classifications within large areas surrounding the site. These areas have ranged from 80 km (49.71 miles) by 80 km 

(49.71 miles) squares to 1 degree latitude and longitude squares. Consequently, they are subject to considerable 

uncertainty, particularly for the rare EF4 and EF5 storms. Although analysis of historical records provides some 

insight into areas of the United States where there is higher risk of tornado activity, the length of the historic 

record is relatively short; furthermore, tornado intensity has been determined through observed damages, so 

tornadoes in areas with lower populations may have gone undetected, unrated, or underrated. Registered design 

professionals should understand that the safe room design wind speed contours on the map shown in Figure B3-1 

have been smoothed and rounded upward because of the low number of observations and large variability that 

occurs when using a deterministic analysis. 

During development of the EF Scale, tornado wind speeds were reanalyzed to better correlate with observed 

damages. The reanalysis resulted in a decrease in wind speeds assigned to EF Scale-rated events in comparison 

with F Scale-rated events. ICC 500 uses the 250 mph 3-second gust design wind speed for the areas with greatest 

risk from the most intense tornadoes, which corresponds to the fastest observed tornado wind speeds occurring 

within close proximity to the ground. A 250 mph wind speed is near the upper end of the F4 Scale and would be 

considered a strong EF5 tornado (refer to Table B3-2). This approach provides a conservative design wind speed 

for the riskiest region and allows reductions in wind speeds for other east coast zones based on relative risks while 

maintaining the lowest tornado design wind speed for that region close to the bottom of the EF4 range.
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B3-12 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B

Hurricane probabilities 

The hurricane shelter design wind speeds in the ICC 500 standard represent an MRI of 10,000 years. This 

corresponds to a 0.01-percent-annual probability of exceedance, or 0.5 percent probability of exceedance in 50 

years, and provides a consistent risk-based design approach for hurricane shelters and safe rooms. The lower 

limit of the hurricane safe room and shelter design wind speed was set by ICC at 160 mph, which is close to the 

upper wind speed limit of an EF3 tornado. Since nearly all observed tornadoes spawned by hurricanes have been 

classified as EF3 or lower, this lower limit is a reasonable and conservative design criteria for safe rooms intended 

for use during a hurricane.

B3.2.4.2 Calculating Wind Loads 

The following section provides guidance and commentary on steps taken to calculate wind loads for any safe 

room by examining safe room design parameters, application of the ASCE 7-10 “Directional Procedure,” and how 

to combine different wind load effects that act simultaneously on the building. It is important for designers to 

remember that other effects, such as debris impact, may control the design of an element rather than the direct 

wind pressure.

The wind load design methodology for the MWFRS described in 

this publication is based on the use of the ASCE 7-10 “Directional 

Procedure” with additional modifications of specific coefficients as 

specified in ICC 500 and in this publication. Designers are permitted 

to use the ASCE 7-10 “Envelope Procedure” (Chapter 28) and “Wind 

Tunnel Procedure” (Chapter 31) subject to the ASCE scope limits 

for each procedure. The provisions of the ASCE 7-10 “Directional 

Procedure” and the “Envelope Procedure” should not be combined or mixed (e.g., the designer should not use the 

“Directional Procedure” to calculate lateral loads and the “Envelope Procedure” to calculate uplift on the roof).

Designers should not reduce the calculated wind pressures or assume a lower potential for wind-borne debris 

impacts on the exterior walls and roof surfaces of an internal safe room. Although a safe room inside a larger 

building or otherwise shielded from the wind is less likely to experience the full wind pressures and wind-borne 

debris impacts, it should still be designed for the design wind pressures and potential wind-borne debris impacts 

that would apply to a stand-alone safe room. This is because it should be assumed that the structure surrounding 

the internal safe room and any adjacent structures providing shielding may sustain substantial damage or collapse 

in extreme-wind events, thereby offering no protection to the safe room. 

B3.2.4.2.1 Parameters for Calculating Wind Pressures

Wind pressure assumptions and procedures for normal-use buildings are not always appropriate for safe rooms. As 

a result, when calculating the velocity pressure, MWFRS wind pressures, and C&C wind pressures for safe rooms 

using Formulas B3-1, B3-2, and B3-3 (see next subsection), the following parameters require adjustment: site 

exposure category, directionality factor, and topographic factor, as described later in this section.

WIND LOAD CALCULATIONS 

The simplified methods for determining wind loads in ASCE 7-10 Chapters 27, 28, and 30 should not be used for the design of any safe room. These simplified procedures pre-determine the controlling conditions for certain types of buildings 

to reduce the number of variables required, and the variables and coefficients incorporated into the simplified method 

are inconsistent with the modifications required in this publication and ICC 500. 

Note

CROSS-REFERENCE

Section B3.2.4.2.2, Using the ASCE 7 

Directional Procedure, provides additional information on this topic. 
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B3-13 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B

For combined hazard safe rooms (i.e., safe rooms for protection from both tornadoes and hurricanes), the design 

should be governed by the more conservative site- and hazard-specific criteria. Note that when determining design 

wind pressures, the hazard with the greater wind speed may not necessarily control the design since wind speed is 

just one of many parameters that affect wind pressures. Wind pressures for both hazard types should be analyzed 

to ensure the design is capable of resisting the greatest loads applied by each. A similar comparative analysis 

should be conducted for all other loads, all the way through determination of load combinations, since some nonwind loads are different for the two storm types (such as roof live loads, rain loads, and flood loads). For safe room 

missile impact criteria (refer to Section B3.2.5), ICC 500 Section 306.1 permits storm shelter envelope components 

that meet tornado shelter missile impact criteria to be considered acceptable for hurricane shelters provided they 

meet the structural load requirements for hurricane shelters. 

B3.2.4.2.2 Using the ASCE 7 Directional Procedure 

The equations for the Directional Procedure are shown here so they can be explained in more detail. The velocity 

pressure equation (Equation 27.3-1, ASCE 7-10) is shown in Formula B3-1. The design wind pressure equation 

for a particular building surface for MWFRS (Equation 27.4-1, ASCE 7-10) is shown in Formula B3-2. Lastly, the 

design wind pressure for C&C (Equation 30.4-1, ASCE 7-10) is shown in Formula B3-3. The following sections 

include guidance and commentary to assist designers in choosing values needed to generate wind pressures to be 

resisted by the safe room for life-safety protection. 

Velocity pressure calculation: Formula B3-1 

The velocity pressure, qz, is a function of height above ground, exposure category, topographic conditions, 

directionality factor, and wind speed (Formula B3-1). The velocity pressure exposure coefficient (Kz) factor 

accounts for the boundary layer effects of wind flowing close to the surface of the earth where it interacts with 

the terrain, buildings, and vegetation. The following section provides guidance on selecting the appropriate site 

exposure category (factor of Kz), topographic factor, and the required safe room directionality factor of 1.0. 

Formula B3-1. Velocity Pressure

Exposure: Values of the velocity pressure exposure coefficient (Kz) are presented in tabular form in ASCE 7 as a 

function of height above ground and terrain exposure. Selection of the appropriate exposure category differs for 

tornadoes and hurricanes.

Tornado: For tornado safe rooms, ICC 500 requires the use of Exposure C, since the vertical velocity profile and 

the effects of surface roughness on tornadic wind speeds have not yet been determined.

Hurricane: For hurricane safe rooms, the use of Exposure B (urban, suburban, and wooded areas) is not permitted 

except in very limited circumstances, so Exposure Category C (open terrain) or Exposure Category D (near a 

large body of water) should be applied in most cases. Exposure Category B is permitted only in the design of the 

qz = 0.00256 Kz Kzt Kd V2

where:

qz = velocity pressure (psf) calculated at height z above ground

Kz = velocity pressure exposure coefficient at height z above ground

Kzt = topographic factor

Kd = directionality factor = 1.0

V = safe room design wind speed (mph) (from Figure B3-1 or B3-2)
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B3-14 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B

MWFRS and only if Exposure Category B exists for all wind directions and is likely to remain Exposure 

Category B after a hurricane of the intensity corresponding to the hurricane safe room design 

wind speed. 

Topographic factor: The topographic factor (Kzt) in ASCE 7 is based on the acceleration of straight line 

winds over hills, ridges, or escarpments. 

Tornado: Some post-disaster observations suggest that tornado damage may increase where there are 

topographic changes, but conclusive evidence supporting quantitative adjustment of the topographic 

factor is not available at the time of the publication. Therefore in accordance with ICC 500, the 

topographic factor for tornado safe rooms need not exceed 1.0.

Hurricane: Damage documentation in hurricane disasters suggests that buildings on escarpments are 

subjected to higher forces than buildings otherwise situated. Designers should carefully consider the 

increased loads associated with siting safe rooms in locations that are likely to experience topographic 

effects. If it is necessary to locate a safe room on a hill or an escarpment, requirements given in ASCE 7 for 

the topographic factor should be used.

Directionality factor: The directionality factor (Kd) in ICC 500 and FEMA P-361 is conservatively set at 1.0. 

This is because wind directions may change considerably during a tornado or higher intensity hurricane, 

and a building may be exposed to intense winds from its most vulnerable direction. Therefore, the use of 

0.85 for Kd in ASCE 7 for normal building design is not permitted by ICC 500.

Safe room design wind speed: For community safe rooms, the ICC 500 wind speed maps reproduced in 

Figures B3-1 and B3-2 should be used to determine the safe room design wind speeds for tornado and 

hurricane safe rooms, respectively. 

While ICC 500 allows all storm shelters to be designed in accordance with the hazard-specific design wind 

speed (ICC 500 Figures 304.2(1) and 304.2(2)), FEMA requires that all FEMA-funded residential safe 

rooms be designed to withstand a 250 mph design wind speed (see Table B3-1). With small residential safe 

rooms, the cost differential associated with designing and constructing the safe room to resist a worst case 

event is far less significant than for community safe rooms, which are typically larger. Using the FEMA 

Recommended Criteria wind speed helps to offset increased residential safe room risk that can result from 

potentially less stringent design, construction, and installation oversight. FEMA’s requirement may also 

prevent small prefabricated safe rooms designed to lesser wind speeds from being relocated to areas with 

higher wind speeds.

Tornado: As noted in Chapter A2, the ICC 500 tornado wind speed map (Figure B3-1) does not show a 

high level of detail; therefore, when a safe room is to be sited and constructed near a tornado wind zone 

contour line, the design wind speed may not be clear. Designers and code officials should recognize that 

the mapped design wind speed contour lines are not drawn or intended to be interpreted as precise 

geographic coordinates. When planning or designing safe rooms, it is important to remember the 

intended purpose of a safe room is to protect people from death or injury. Accordingly, a prudent approach 

would assume that the site in question falls within the higher tornado wind speed zone.

Hurricane: In addition to the national hurricane safe room design wind speed map shown in Figure B3-2, 

ICC 500 also provides regional maps showing the same hurricane wind contours at a larger scale, which 

allows users to more easily locate safe room sites and interpolate, as needed. 

The hurricane safe room design wind speeds shown in Figure B3-2 are valid for most regions of the 

country. However, the Special Wind Regions (e.g., mountainous terrain, river gorges, ocean promontories) 
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B3-15 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B

shown on the ASCE 7 basic wind speed maps are susceptible to local effects that may cause substantially higher 

wind speeds at safe room sites. When the desired safe room location is within a Special Wind Region, or there is 

reason to believe that the wind speed on the map does not reflect the local wind climate, the registered design 

professional should seek expert advice from a wind engineer or meteorologist. This may require designing the 

safe room for a higher wind speed than delineated on the map to ensure near-absolute life protection for the 

occupants. 

Pressure on MWFRS calculation: Formula B3-2 

Once velocity pressure is determined using Formula B3-1, wind pressures are determined for MWFRS and C&C 

elements using Formulas B3-2 and B3-3 respectively. The only major difference in calculating MWFRS and C&C 

pressures for safe rooms when compared with normal buildings (beyond differences in the velocity pressure 

described previously) is in assignment of the enclosure classification and the related internal pressure coefficients. 

The following section provides guidance for making this critical determination.

Formula B3-2. Pressure on MWFRS for Buildings

Internal pressure coefficient: The internal pressure coefficient (GCpi), which incorporates the gust effect factor, 

accounts for internal pressure due to normal leakage of air entering or exiting the building in addition to 

situations where there are large openings in the building envelope. This leakage creates a pressure increase or a 

decrease within the building. 

Enclosure classification and internal pressure coefficient: ICC 500 requires that a storm shelter’s enclosure 

classification be determined in accordance with ASCE 7, provided that the largest door or window on a wall that 

receives positive external pressure is considered an opening. This provision accounts for the possibility that even 

an appropriately designed, installed, maintained, and operated pressure and impact-rated door or window or 

shutter may fail if struck by a larger or more damaging missile than it was designed and tested to resist. 

This provision also accounts for potential problems due to improper maintenance of operable doors, windows, and 

shutters; improper operation (e.g., incomplete closure or latching) prior to and during a storm; and purposeful 

opening during a storm. Many such cases have been documented (AAWE 2004). There are documented instances 

where impact protective systems (shutters) were improperly latched or unlocked because keys were unavailable. 

In other instances, doors were deliberately opened to admit late arriving occupants or for other reasons (e.g., to 

allow movement between different shelter areas or the observation of damage conditions, let in fresh air, let out 

people who wanted to smoke), and in some of those cases, before the doors were re-latched or locked, they were 

compromised by strong gusts.

p = qGCp - qi (GCpi)

where:

p = pressure (psf)

q = qz for windward wall calculated at height z above ground

q = qn for roof surfaces and all other walls

G = gust effect

Cp = external pressure coefficients

qi = qh = velocity pressure calculated at mean roof height

GCpi = internal pressure coefficients
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B3-16 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B

Tornado safe rooms must also meet the atmospheric pressure change (APC) venting requirements of ICC 500 

Section 304.7 unless designed as partially enclosed with internal pressure coefficient, GCpi, set at ±0.55. The 

following design guidance should be considered when selecting the appropriate safe room internal pressure 

coefficient. 

Tornado: In tornadic events, maximum wind pressures should be combined with pressures induced by APC if 

the building is sealed or, like most safe rooms, nearly sealed. Although most buildings have enough air leakage 

in their envelopes that they are not affected by APC, safe rooms are very “tight” buildings, with few doors and 

few or no windows. A building designed to nullify APC-induced pressures, through adoption of the venting 

provisions in ICC 500 Section 304.7, would require a significant number of openings in the safe room to allow 

pressure to equalize. Allowing wind to flow through the safe room through large openings to reduce internal 

pressures (venting) could create an unsatisfactory environment for the occupants, possibly leading to panic. 

Ventilation is needed to ensure that safe room occupants have sufficient airflow to remain comfortable, but 

code-compliant ventilation is not sufficient to nullify APC-induced pressures. Designers who wish to eliminate 

the need for venting to alleviate APC-induced pressures should use higher values of GCpi (in safe room design, 

GCpi= ±0.55 is considered the best practice for community and residential safe rooms). Design pressures 

determined using wind-induced internal and external pressure coefficients are comparable to the pressures 

determined using a combination of wind-induced external pressure coefficients and APC-induced pressures. 

Thus, the resulting design will be able to resist APC-induced pressures, should they occur. 

Hurricane: In hurricane events, tornadic vortices are often embedded in the overall storm structure. Although 

these tornadoes are typically smaller and less intense than tornadoes occurring in the interior of the country, 

swaths of damage reminiscent of tornado damage have been noted in several hurricanes.1 In addition to 

increased pressures related to possible tornadoes during hurricane events, the likelihood of component failure 

resulting from improper door operation increases with the duration of safe room occupation. To enhance 

structural reliability, community and residential safe rooms can be designed using a GCpi value of ±0.55 as best 

practice.

Gust effect factor and external pressure coefficient: The gust effect factor depends on wind turbulence and 

building dimensions. The gust effect factor can be calculated or, for a rigid building, a value of G = 0.85 can 

be used, per Section 26.9 of ASCE 7-10. The external pressure coefficient (Cp) for the design of the MWFRS 

(Formula B3-2) is based on the physical dimensions and shape of the building, and the surface of the building 

in relation to a given wind direction. The process for selecting the external pressure coefficient to determine 

MWFRS pressures is the same for safe rooms as for normal use buildings.

Pressure on C&C and attachments: Formula B3-3 

One of the most common methods for calculating the loads for C&C and attachments is the use of the ASCE 

7-10 Equation 30.4-1 in Chapter 30, “Part 1: Low-rise Buildings (h≤60 ft),” shown here as Formula B3-3.

Formula B3-3. Pressures on C&C and Attachments

1 It has not been confirmed whether these swaths are caused by localized gusts or unstable small-scale vortices.

p = qh [(GCp) - (GCpi)]

where:

p = pressure (psf)

qh = velocity pressure calculated at mean roof height

GCp = external pressure coefficients

GCpi = internal pressure coefficients
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B3-17 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B

The external pressure coefficients (GCp) are given in semi-log graphs and are a function of location on the 

building (wall or roof), roof slope, and effective wind area (see Section 26.2 of ASCE 7-10 for the definition of 

effective wind area). Like MWFRS, the process for selecting the external pressure coefficient to determine C&C 

pressures is the same for safe rooms as for normal use buildings.

External pressure coefficient: The value of GCp for C&C elements is related to the location on the building 

surface (wall or roof), roof slope, and the effective wind area of the element. Effective wind area is essentially the 

area tributary to a particular element. However, the width of the tributary area need not be less than 1/3 the length 

(or span) of the area. Using this effective width provides a better approximation of the actual load distribution for 

elements with long and narrow tributary areas. It is not uncommon for the effective wind area of a C&C element 

to be different from the tributary area for the same element (see Figure B3-3). The effective wind area is used to 

select the external pressure coefficient for calculating the design wind pressure. The tributary area is still the area 

over which the calculated wind pressure is applied for that specific C&C-designed element. For cladding fasteners, 

ASCE 7 requires that the effective wind area shall not be greater than the area that is tributary to an individual 

fastener.

The external pressure coefficient is constant and maximum for effective wind areas less than 10 square feet and 

constant and minimum for effective wind areas greater than 100 square feet or 500 square feet, depending on the 

building surface and the height of the building. If the tributary area of a component element exceeds 700 square 

feet, the design wind pressure acting on that component may be based on the MWFRS provisions.

Once the appropriate MWFRS and C&C wind pressures are calculated for the safe room, they should be applied 

to the exterior wall and roof surfaces of the safe room to determine design wind loads for the MWFRS and 

component and cladding elements of the safe room. After these wind loads are identified, the designer should 

determine the relevant load combinations for the safe room (refer to B3.2.4.2.2).
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B3-18 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B

B3.2.4.2.3 Combination of Wind Loads: MWFRS and C&C 

According to ASCE 7, the MWFRS is an assemblage of structural elements assigned to provide support and 

stability for the overall structure and transfer wind loads acting on the entire structure to the ground. The 

MWFRS generally carries wind loads from more than one surface of the building. Elements of the building 

envelope that do not qualify as part of the MWFRS are identified as C&C. Some elements are considered part of 

both C&C and MWFRS, depending on the wind load and direction being considered. For example, load bearing 

exterior walls may transmit MWFRS wind uplift forces from the roof, and/or shear forces from a roof diaphragm/

adjacent walls as axial and in plane shear forces respectively, in addition to simultaneously receiving C&C wind 

loads directly, which result in out of plane shear and bending in the wall.

Consider the exterior reinforced masonry wall shown in Figure B3-4. For wind direction 1, some of the lateral 

loads from the windward wall can be transferred through the side wall as in-plane shear (depending on design 

of the lateral load resisting system) and calculated using MWFRS provisions; axial loads from the roof are also 

calculated using MWFRS provisions. Out-of-plane loads from wind suction acting directly on the masonry side 

wall are calculated using C&C provisions. For wind direction 2, out-of-plane loads from wind acting directly on 

the masonry wall are calculated using C&C provisions and axial loads from the roof are calculated using MWFRS 

provisions.

Figure B3-3. Comparison of 

tributary and effective wind areas 

for a roof supported by open-web 

steel joists
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B3-19 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B

B3.2.4.3 Continuous Load Path Concepts 

Structural systems that provide a continuous load path 

are those that support all loads acting on a building, 

laterally and vertically (inward and outward, upward 

and downward). Many buildings have structural systems 

capable of providing a continuous load path for gravity 

(downward) loads, but do not provide a continuous 

load path for the lateral and uplift forces generated 

by tornadic and hurricane winds; such buildings 

commonly experience significant damage or collapse in 

extreme winds.

A continuous load path can be thought of as a “chain” 

running through a building. The “links” of the chain 

are structural members, connections between members, 

and any fasteners used in the connections (e.g., 

nails, screws, bolts, welds, or reinforcing steel). To be 

effective, each “link” in the continuous load path must 

be strong enough to transfer loads without permanently 

deforming or breaking. Because all applied loads (e.g., 

gravity, dead, live, uplift, lateral) must be transferred 

into the ground, the load path must continue unbroken 

from the uppermost building element through the 

foundation and into the ground.

In general, the continuous load path that carries 

wind forces acting on a building’s exterior starts with 

cladding elements such as wall cladding, roof covering 

and decks, and windows or doors. These items are 

classified as C&C in ASCE 7 (the roof deck would be 

classified as a MWFRS when designed as a horizontal 

diaphragm). Roof loads transfer to the supporting 

roof deck or sheathing and then to the roof structure 

made up of rafters, joists, beams, trusses, and girders. 

The structural members and elements of the roof 

must be adequately connected to each other and to 

the walls or columns that support them. The walls and 

columns must be continuous and connected properly 

to the foundation, which, in turn, must be capable of 

transferring the loads to the ground.

Figure B3-5 illustrates connections important to continuous load paths in masonry, concrete, or metal-frame 

buildings. Figure B3-5 also demonstrates the lateral and uplift wind forces that act on the structural members and 

connections. Figure B3-6 illustrates a continuous load path in a typical commercial building. A deficiency in any of 

the connections depicted in these figures may lead to structural damage or collapse.

In a tornado or hurricane safe room, this continuous load path is essential for the safe room to resist wind forces. 

The designers of safe rooms should be careful to ensure that all connections along the load path have been 

checked for adequate capacity. 

Figure B3-4. MWFRS combined loads and C&C loads acting 

on a safe room wall section
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B3-20 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B

Figure B3-5. Critical connections 

important for providing a 

continuous load path in a typical 

masonry, concrete, or metalframe building wall (for clarity, 

concrete roof deck is not shown)

Figure B3-6. Continuous load path 

in a reinforced masonry building 

with a concrete roof deck
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B3-21 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B

B3.2.4.3.1 Anchorages and Connections 

A common problem during extreme-wind events is the failure of connections between building elements. This 

failure is often initiated by a breach in the building envelope, such as broken doors and windows or partial roof 

failure, which allows internal pressures within the building to increase rapidly. This phenomenon is illustrated in 

the schematic in Figure B3-7, which shows the forces acting on buildings when a breach occurs.

Anchorage and connection failures can lead to the failure of the entire safe room and loss of life. Therefore, 

whenever feasible, it is best practice for the design of anchorages and connections to be based on the C&C loads 

calculated from ASCE 7. All effects of shear and bending loads at the connections should be considered.

B3.2.4.3.2 Roof Connections and Roof-to-Wall Connections 

Adequate connections must be provided between the roof sheathing and roof structural support, steel joists, and 

other structural roofing members and walls or structural columns. These are the connections at the top of the 

continuous load path and are required to keep the roof system attached to the safe room.

Reinforcing steel, bolts, steel studs, welds, screws, and nails are usually used to connect roof decking of a safe 

room to supporting members. The size and number of these connections required for a safe room depend on the 

wind pressures that act on the roof systems. Examples of connection details for masonry, cast-in-place, and precast 

concrete safe rooms designed for some of these conditions may be found in case studies available on the safe room 

website at www.fema.gov/legacy-fema-p-361-case-studies. 

Figure B3-8 shows damage to a school in Oklahoma that was struck by a tornado. The school used a combination 

of construction types: steel frame with masonry infill walls and load-bearing unreinforced masonry walls. Both 

structural systems supported open-web steel joists with a lightweight roof system composed of light steel decking, 

insulation, and a built-up roof covering with aggregate ballast.

Figure B3-8 highlights a connection failure between a bond beam and its supporting unreinforced masonry wall, 

as well as the separation of the bond beam from roof bar joists. See Figure B3-6 for an illustration of connections 

in a reinforced masonry wall that are likely to resist wind forces from a tornado or hurricane. Note that four 

connection points – between the roof decking and joists, the joist and the bond beam, the bond beam and the 

wall, and the wall to the foundation – are critical to a sound continuous load path.

Figure B3-7. Internal 

pressurization and resulting 

building failure due to design 

winds entering an opening in the 

windward wall
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B3-22 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B

B3.2.4.3.3 Foundation-to-Wall Connections (Reference: ICC 500 Sec 308) 

Anchor bolts, reinforcing steel, embedded plate systems properly welded together, and nailed mechanical fasteners 

for wood construction are typical connection methods for establishing a load path from foundation systems into 

wall systems. These connections are the last connections in the load path that transfer the forces acting on the 

building into the foundation and, ultimately, into the ground. The designer should check the ability of both the 

connector and the material into which the connector is anchored to 

withstand the design forces. 

Figure B3-9 shows two columns from a building that collapsed when 

it was struck by the vortex of a weak tornado. Numerous failures 

at the connection between the columns and the foundation were 

observed. Anchor bolt failures were observed to be either ductile 

material failures or, when ductile failure did not occur, embedment 

failures.

The adequacy of the foundation to resist or transfer all applicable 

loads is of equal importance as the adequacy of the anchors that 

transfer the loads to it. Foundations of safe rooms, including both 

new and existing slabs-on-grade, are required to be designed for 

the applicable loads in accordance with Section 308 of ICC 500. At a 

minimum, new and existing slabs-on-grade must be 3.5 inches thick 

Figure B3-8. Load path failed between the bond beam and 

the top of the unreinforced masonry wall when struck by an 

F4 tornado (Moore, OK 1999) 

(SOURCE: FEMA P-342)

CODES AND STANDARDS 

Section 106.3.1 of ICC 500 requires 

a special inspection to be performed 

when safe room anchors are post-installed in hardened concrete and 

masonry. The special inspection is intended to verify the anchor installation 

and capacity, as well as the foundation 

adequacy. This requirement can be bypassed on residential safe rooms only 

if the AHJ verifies that the foundation 

and anchoring complies with the requirements of the safe room or storm 

shelter design.
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B3-23 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B

and have steel reinforcement as follows: 6 x 6 – W1.4 x W1.4 welded wire or No. 4 bars, at a maximum spacing of 18 

inches on center, in two perpendicular directions. 

There are some exceptions for very heavy safe rooms that can be installed on existing slabs-on-grade without a 

foundation in one- and two-family dwellings. This is only allowed if the dead load of the safe room is heavy enough 

to resist sliding and global overturning from the safe room design wind pressures. In these cases the slab thickness 

and reinforcement should be verified as sufficient to support the weight of the safe room.

B3.2.5 Debris Hazards (Reference: ICC 500 Sec 305) 

The elements of the safe room structure and its components 

(including windows, doors, and opening protective systems) that 

separate the individuals therein from the event outside should resist 

failure from wind pressures and debris impacts.

Wind-borne debris protection levels for safe rooms in ICC 500 are 

more stringent than the levels in the IBC, IRC, and ASCE 7. FEMA 

P-361 includes more restrictive guidance than ICC 500 for residential 

safe rooms since all residential safe rooms must be meet the 250 mph 

design criteria. All building elements that make up the portion of 

the safe room that protects the occupants should resist impacts from 

wind-borne debris. No portion of the envelope (roof, wall, opening, 

door, window, etc.) should fail due to wind pressure or be breached 

by the specified missile (at the appropriate debris impact wind speed). The only exceptions are roof or wall 

coverings that perform according to code for non-safe room design features, but are not needed to protect the safe 

room occupants. In addition, openings for ventilation into and out of the safe room should be hardened to resist 

both wind loads and missile impact test criteria.

If the safe room is located in an area that already requires impact-resistant glazing or protection with an impactresistant covering protection for openings to minimize damage to buildings and contents, the code-mandated 

requirements for property protection must still be adhered to, and the debris impact protection criteria that 

Figure B3-9. Two steel columns 

failed at their connection to the 

foundation when the anchor bolts 

that secured the column released 

from the concrete (embedment 

failure) while the anchor bolts that 

secured the column on the right 

experienced a ductile failure

RESIDENTIAL SAFE ROOM 

DOORS

For more information and guidance 

on finding an adequate door for residential tornado safe rooms, please 

see the Tornado Safe Room Door Fact 

Sheet on the safe room website or at 

www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/

documents/99139.

Note
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B3-24 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B

provide life-safety protection from tornadoes and hurricanes are the additional criteria. A more detailed 

discussion of the debris impact criteria is provided in Chapter B8 of this publication.

B3.2.5.1 Test Missile Criteria for Tornado Community Safe Rooms (Reference: ICC 500 Sec 305.1.1) 

For tornado hazards, the safe room missile impact criteria for large missiles vary with the safe room design 

wind speed. Specifically, the representative missile for the missile impact test for all components of the building 

envelope of a safe room should be a 15-pound 2x4. The speed of the test missile impacting vertical envelope 

surfaces varies from 100 mph to 80 mph, and the speed of the test missile impacting horizontal surfaces varies 

from 67 mph down to 53 mph. Table B3-4 presents the missile impact speeds for the different wind speeds 

applicable for tornado safe room designs. 

Table B3-3. Tornado Missile Impact Criteria 

SAFE ROOM DESIGN WIND SPEED MISSILE SPEED (OF 15-POUND 2X4 BOARD 

MEMBER) AND SAFE ROOM IMPACT SURFACE

250 mph Vertical Surfaces: 100 mph 

Horizontal Surfaces: 67 mph

200 mph Vertical Surfaces: 90 mph 

Horizontal Surfaces: 60 mph

160 mph Vertical Surfaces: 84 mph 

Horizontal Surfaces: 56 mph

130 mph Vertical Surfaces: 80 mph 

Horizontal Surfaces: 53 mph

Table notes: Walls, doors, and other safe room envelope surfaces inclined 30 degrees or more from the horizontal should be considered vertical 

surfaces. Surfaces inclined less than 30 degrees from the horizontal should be treated as horizontal surfaces.

B3.2.5.2 Test Missile Criteria for Hurricane Community Safe Rooms (Reference: ICC 500 Sec 305.1.2) 

For hurricane hazards, the safe room debris impact criteria for large missiles are a function of the hurricane safe 

room design wind speed. Specifically, the representative missile for the debris impact test for all components of 

the building envelope of hurricane safe rooms should be a 9-pound 2x4. The speed of the test missile impacting 

vertical safe room surfaces should be a minimum of 0.50 times the safe room design wind speed. The speed of 

the test missile impacting horizontal surfaces should be 0.10 times the safe room design wind speed. Table B3-5 

presents the missile impact speeds for the different wind speeds applicable for hurricane safe room designs. 
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B3-25 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B

Table B3-4. Hurricane Missile Impact Criteria

SAFE ROOM DESIGN WIND SPEED MISSILE SPEED (OF 9-POUND 2X4 BOARD 

MEMBER) AND SAFE ROOM IMPACT SURFACE

235 mph Vertical Surfaces: 118 

Horizontal Surfaces: 24 mph

230 mph Vertical Surfaces: 115 mph 

Horizontal Surfaces: 23 mph

220 mph Vertical Surfaces: 110 mph 

Horizontal Surfaces: 22 mph

210 mph Vertical Surfaces: 105 mph 

Horizontal Surfaces: 21 mph

200 mph Vertical Surfaces: 100 mph 

Horizontal Surfaces: 20 mph

190 mph Vertical Surfaces: 95 mph 

Horizontal Surfaces: 19 mph

180 mph Vertical Surfaces: 90 mph 

Horizontal Surfaces: 18 mph

170 mph Vertical Surfaces: 85 mph 

Horizontal Surfaces: 17 mph

160 mph Vertical Surfaces: 80 mph 

Horizontal Surfaces: 16 mph

Table notes: Walls, doors, and other safe room envelope surfaces inclined 30 degrees or more from the horizontal should be considered vertical 

surfaces. Surfaces inclined less than 30 degrees from the horizontal should be treated as horizontal surfaces

B3.2.5.3 Test Missile Criteria for Residential Safe Rooms 

For the residential safe room, the representative missile for the debris impact test for all components of the safe 

room envelope should be a 15-pound 2x4. The speeds of the test missile impacting vertical and horizontal safe 

room surfaces are presented in Table B3-6. FEMA test missile impact criteria differ from ICC 500, which allows 

residential storm shelters and storm shelter components to meet the impact criteria required for the storm shelter 

design wind speed where it is to be constructed or installed. Depending on the area, this design wind speed could 

be lower than the worst case scenario tornado wind speed of 250 mph.

Typical residential safe rooms have fewer envelope penetrations than community safe rooms, so the cost 

differential associated with uniform worst case impact criteria is less significant and can help to offset increased 

risk resulting from potentially less stringent design, construction, and installation oversight. It may also prevent 

small prefabricated safe rooms that were designed to lesser wind speeds from being relocated to higher wind 

speed zones.

Table B3-5. Residential Safe Room Test Missile Impact Criteria 

SAFE ROOM DESIGN WIND SPEED TEST MISSILE SPEED (OF 15-POUND 2X4 BOARD 

MEMBER) AND SAFE ROOM IMPACT SURFACE

250 mph Vertical Surfaces: 100 mph 

Horizontal Surfaces: 67 mph

Table notes: Walls, doors, and other safe room envelope surfaces inclined 30 degrees or more from the horizontal should be considered vertical 

surfaces. Surfaces inclined less than 30 degrees from the horizontal should be treated as horizontal surfaces.
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B3-26 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B

B3.2.5.4 Soil Cover as Protection from Debris Impact

Soil cover on or around safe rooms can help protect the safe room from debris impact. Debris impact resistance 

may not be required for portions of safe rooms that are below ground or covered by soil (Figure B3-10). Safe 

rooms with at least 12 inches of soil cover protecting horizontal surfaces or with at least 36 inches of soil cover 

protecting vertical surfaces do not need to be tested for resistance to missile impact because the surfaces 

are not exposed. Soil in place around the safe room as specified above provides suitable protection from the 

representative tornado safe room test missile. Figure B3-11 (based on ICC 500 Figure 305.2.2) presents this 

information graphically.

The referenced soil cover provisions assume the soil is compactable fill. When fill is placed on top of or around a 

safe room, the soil should be compacted to achieve 95 percent compaction of the dry density of the soil as defined 

by a Modified Proctor Test. The fill cannot be the soil type used in vegetative roofs unless it can be shown to be 

compactable fill.

Figure B3-10. View of a 

community shelter that is partially 

below grade 

(Wichita, KS, 1999 tornado)

(SOURCE: FEMA P-342) 

Figure B3-11. Soil cover 

over a safe room relieving 

the requirement for debris 

impact-resistance 
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B3-27 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B

B3.2.5.5 Lay Down, Rollover, Collapse, and Large Falling/

Flying Debris Hazards (Reference: ICC 500 Sec 305.3) 

Following the design criteria for the wind speed selected from Figures B3-1 and B3-2 and the representative test 

missile impact criteria outlined in Sections B3.2.5.1, B3.2.5.2, and B3.2.5.3 will produce safe room designs with 

roof and wall assemblies capable of withstanding some impacts from slow-moving, large (or heavy) falling debris. 

Clemson University performed limited testing of large debris impact as discussed below. 

Summary of Clemson University research 

The purpose of the Clemson University testing was to provide guidance on the residual capacity of roof assemblies 

when the safe room is located where falling debris may be a hazard. In this testing, two types of safe room roof 

assemblies were subjected to impacts from deformable, semi-deformable, and non-deformable debris released 

from heights up to 100 feet and allowed to impact the roofs by free-fall.

Non-deformable debris included barrels filled with concrete weighing between 200 and 1,000 pounds. Semideformable debris included barrels filled with sand weighing between 200 and 600 pounds, while deformable 

debris included HVAC units and larger objects weighing from 50 to 2,000 pounds. Impact speeds for the falling 

debris were calculated from the drop height of the debris. The speed of the objects at impact ranged from 

approximately 17 to 60 mph. Impacts were conducted in the centers of the roof spans and close to the slab 

supports to observe bending, shear, and overall roof assembly reactions.

Cast-in-place and precast concrete roof sections were constructed from the design plans in case studies that are 

available on the safe room website at www.fema.gov/legacy-fema-p-361-case-studies. The heavily reinforced, 

cast-in-place concrete roof performed quite well during the impact testing. Threshold spalling, light cracking, 

to no visible damage was observed after impacts by the deformable missiles, including the large 2,000-pound 

deformable object that struck the slab at approximately 60 mph. Impacts from the 1,000-pound concrete barrel 

did cause spalling of concrete from the bottom surface of the roof near the center of the slab, which would pose 

a significant hazard to the occupants directly below the point of impact. However, significant spalling required 

relatively high missile drops (high impact speeds).

When the 1,000-pound concrete barrel impacted the roof at approximately 39 mph, spalling of the slab extended 

into the slab from the bottom surface to the middle of the slab. During this heavy spalling, the largest fragments 

of concrete were retained in the roof by the steel reinforcement. Metal decking (22 gauge) was successfully used as 

cast-in-place formwork on one of the test samples to retain concrete spalls created by the falling debris. 

The 1,000-pound concrete barrel completely perforated the flange 

of the double-tee beam in one drop from 50 feet (impacting at 39 

mph) and caused significant damage to the stem in a second drop 

from the same height. Little damage occurred when the deformable 

debris materials (HVAC units, the 300-pound sand barrels, and a 

1,500-pound deformable object) were dropped on the double-tee 

beams. Only light cracking and threshold spalling were observed 

from impacts from these deformable objects.

Design and siting implications of Clemson University research 

Based on the research conducted by Clemson University, designers 

should consider the following information when designing 

safe rooms.

FEMA P-320 DESIGNS

When using the designs provided in 

FEMA P-320 for residential and small 

business safe rooms, the safe room 

user/operator should be aware that 

falling debris was considered during 

the design of those prescriptive design 

solutions. As such, the use of safe 

rooms compliant with the FEMA P 320 

safe room criteria within light-framed, 

low-rise buildings is considered appropriate, even though portions of 

the building may collapse on the safe 

room.

Note
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B3-28 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B

Roof design: In addition to the roof live load requirements detailed in Section 3.2.3.2, it may be necessary to 

address additional loads identified during the risk assessment. Based on the Clemson University research, roof 

designs that incorporate a uniform thickness (i.e., flat slab) provide a more uniform level of protection from 

laydown, collapse, and large falling/flying debris, anywhere on the roof, than a waffle slab, ribbed slab, or other 

designs that incorporate a thin slab supported by secondary beams. If siting the safe room away from potential 

laydown and collapse hazards is not a viable solution, using a roof design with a flat slab may protect safe room 

occupants from laydown, collapse, and large falling/flying debris on safe room roof assemblies. If the concrete is 

cast onto metal decking, the steel beams/decking should be connected to the concrete with shear connector studs 

to contain spalling concrete. Future research may yield information that results in a more refined approach to 

designing safe rooms to resist the forces created by laydown, rollover, collapse, and large falling/flying debris. 

Falling debris: Falling debris also creates structural damage, the magnitude of which is a function of the debris 

mass and distance the debris falls. Falling debris generally consists of building materials and equipment that have 

significant mass and fall short distances from taller structures nearby or overhead (Figure B3-12). When siting 

the safe room, the designer should consider placing the safe room away from a taller building or structure so 

that, if the building or structure collapses, it will not directly impact the safe room. If it is not possible to site the 

safe room away from all potential falling/flying debris hazards, the designer should strengthen the roof and wall 

assemblies for the potential dynamic load that may result from these large objects impacting the safe room.

The location of the safe room can affect the type of debris that may impact or fall on it. For residential buildings, 

the largest debris generally consists of wood framing, kitchen appliances (e.g., refrigerators), and vehicles. In 

larger buildings, other failed building components (e.g., steel joists, precast concrete, or rooftop equipment) and 

vehicles may fall on or impact a safe room (Figures B3-12 to B3-16). Chapter B4 discusses how to minimize the 

effects of falling/flying debris by choosing the most appropriate location for a safe room at any given site. 

TERMINOLOGY

Lay down hazard: Nearby trees and towers and other tall structures that can potentially fall onto a safe room 

(Figure B3-12).

Rollover hazard: Vehicles and small buildings, such as portable classrooms or storage buildings, which can roll or tumble and impact a safe room (Figure B3-13).

Collapse hazard: Debris from an adjacent taller building or portions of a building above a safe room that falls onto a 

safe room (Figure B3-14). 

Large falling/flying debris hazard: Large objects such as portions of buildings (e.g., the roof assembly shown in 

Figure B3-15 and precast concrete panels) that become airborne and impact a safe room.
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B3-29 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B

Figure B3-12. Lay down hazard: 

failure of a large communications 

tower onto a building 

(Joplin, MO, 2011 tornado) 

(SOURCE: FEMA P-908, RECOVERY 

ADVISORY 5) 

Figure B3-13. Vehicle rollover 

hazard 

(Greensburg, KS, 2007 tornado) 

Figure B3-14. Collapse hazard: 

the story above an Emergency 

Operations Center collapsed. 

Masonry walls (red arrow) and 

part of the roof structure fell onto 

the second story floor slab above 

the EOC 

(Tuscaloosa, AL, 2011 tornado)

(SOURCE: FEMA P-908, RECOVERY 

ADVISORY 6)
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B3-30 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B

Figure B3-15. Flying debris hazard: 

an EF1 tornado blew a school 

gymnasium’s steel truss and steel 

deck roof assembly approximately 

230 feet 

(Cleveland, TN, 2011) 

Figure B3-16. Collapse hazard: tall 

precast wall panels collapsed onto 

the floor slab 

(Midwest tornado, 2003) 

B3.2.6 Component Design and Testing (Reference: ICC Sec 306) 

To demonstrate that the safe room provides life-safety protection, all safe room components (e.g., wall, roof, door, 

glazing, and opening protection assemblies) should successfully pass the component-specific testing requirements 

set forth in Section 306 of ICC 500. Specifications and procedures for all safe room tests are provided in ICC 500, 

Chapter 8, “Test Methods for Impact and Pressure Testing.” 
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B3-31 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B

Missile impact testing criteria for safe room components are 

described in Sections B3.2.5.1 (tornado community safe rooms), 

B3.2.5.2 (hurricane community safe rooms), and B3.2.5.3 

(residential safe rooms). FEMA commentary on this topic is 

presented in Chapter B8. 

Once testing has been completed, documentation should be 

maintained and provided to the AHJ where the safe room is 

being constructed. It is important to note that DHS and FEMA 

are not product testing agencies and do not “certify” or lend their 

authority to any group to produce or provide “FEMA-approved” 

or “FEMA-certified” products. The means by which product 

testing and compliance with the FEMA criteria is documented 

and presented is addressed in 

Chapter B1. 

FEMA supports Section 306.1 of ICC 500, which states that no 

additional testing of assemblies and products for different levels 

of debris impact are required if the most stringent criteria of 

missile size and speed are met. 

Information and commentary on safe rooms is presented in Chapter B8.

Alcove or Baffled Entry Systems

In lieu of specifying doors that meet the test missile criteria, test missile-resistant barriers can be designed to 

protect doors from wind-borne debris impacts and meet the criteria of this publication. 

The safe room designs from the second edition of FEMA P-361 (now available as case studies on the safe room 

website at www.fema.gov/legacy-fema-p-361-case-studies) use alcoves to protect primary safe room doors from debris 

impacts. However, a door may be necessary in order to satisfy some fire rating requirements within the building 

code. To satisfy the missile impact criteria for the primary safe room door and code egress requirements, a protective 

missile-resistant barrier and roof assembly should be designed to meet the design wind load and missile impact 

criteria for the safe room and maintain the egress width provided by the door itself. 

Although the wind pressures at the primary safe room door should be reduced by the presence of the 

alcove, there has not been much research to quantify the reduction. While not required by ICC 500 Sec 

804.9.7.1, to better protect occupants from the effects of small flying debris, it is best practice to install 

a primary safe room door tested to resist the safe room design wind pressure. The sacrificial door is not 

required to be designed to resist the wind pressure or test missile impact criteria. See Figure B3-17. 

WEATHER PROTECTION

Because of the short duration of tornadoes, enhanced weather protection 

is not required for tornado safe rooms. 

ICC 500 Section 307 requires exposed 

C&C assemblies and roof coverings 

of hurricane storm shelters to be designed to resist rainwater penetration 

and wind loads associated with the 

safe room design event. 

Providing a secondary line of protection, such as roof and wall membranes, 

is best practice as discussed in FEMA 

P-424, FEMA P-543, and FEMA P-577. 

CODES AND STANDARDS 

The safe room design and performance criteria for debris impact resistance and assembly testing presented in FEMA 

P-361 are the same as the shelter design and performance criteria presented in ICC 500 Sections 305, 306, and 

Chapter 8, Test Method for Impact and Pressure Testing.
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B3-32 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B

Figure B3-17. The primary door of the safe room is 

protected by a debris-resistant barrier. Note: the safe 

room roof extends past the safe room wall and connects 

to the top of the debris-resistant barrier to prevent 

intrusion of debris traveling vertically.
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B4-1 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B

CHAPTER B4

Siting

This chapter uses Chapter 4 of ICC 500 as the referenced 

standard and includes a list of Recommended Criteria 

FEMA has identified as more conservative than the 

provisions in Chapter 4 of ICC 500. This chapter also includes FEMA 

supplemental commentary on siting based on many years of field 

observations and investigations related to safe room performance. 

B4.1 Criteria

The siting of safe rooms should be conducted in accordance with 

the provisions of Chapter 4 in ICC 500 with the exception of FEMA’s 

Recommended Criteria as shown in Table B4-1. 

For safe rooms being constructed with FEMA grant funds, the listed exceptions become mandatory minimum 

requirements in addition to the corresponding ICC 500 criteria. FEMA grant programs have specific flood hazard 

siting limitations as described in Section B4.2.2. Additionally, the planning and design of community safe rooms 

funded with FEMA grants should be conducted according to the process mandated by Title 44 of the Code of 

Federal Regulations (CFR) Chapter 1, Subchapter A, Part 9, Floodplain management and protection of wetlands. Refer 

to Section B4.2.2 for additional discussion on FEMA siting requirements.

FEMA SAFE ROOM GRANT 

REQUIREMENTS

Whenever a safe room is constructed using FEMA grant funds, 

the Recommended Criteria shown in 

Section B4.1 become requirements 

in addition to the requirements of ICC 

500 Chapter 4. 
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B4-2 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B PART B

Table B4-1. Comparison of ICC 500 Requirements to FEMA Recommended Criteria

ICC 500 REFERENCE ICC 500 REQUIREMENT FOR 

STORM SHELTERS

FEMA RECOMMENDED CRITERIA 

FOR SAFE ROOMS(a)

Section 401.1.1 

Minimum floor elevation 

of community shelters

The lowest floor used for the occupied 

shelter and occupant support areas of a 

community shelter shall be elevated to the 

higher of the elevations determined by:

1. The flood elevation, including coastal 

wave effects, having a 0.2 percent annual 

chance of being equaled or exceeded in 

any given year; or 

2. The flood elevation corresponding to the 

highest recorded flood elevation if a flood 

hazard study has not been conducted for 

the area; or

3. The maximum flood elevation associated 

with any modeled hurricane category 

including coastal wave effects; or

4. The minimum elevation of the lowest 

floor required by the authority having 

jurisdiction for the location where the 

shelter is installed; or

5. Two feet above the flood elevation 

having a 1 percent annual chance of being 

equaled or exceeded in any given year.

Exception: Items no. 1 and 3 shall not 

apply to shelters designed, constructed, 

designated, and used only as tornado 

shelters.

The lowest floor used for the occupied 

safe room and occupant support areas of 

a community safe room shall be elevated 

to or above the higher of the elevations 

determined by:

1. The flood elevation, including coastal 

wave effects, having a 0.2 percent annual 

chance of being equaled or exceeded in 

any given year(b); or

2. The flood elevation corresponding to the 

highest recorded flood elevation if a flood 

hazard study has not been conducted for 

the area; or

3. The maximum flood elevation associated 

with any modeled hurricane category 

including coastal wave effects; or

4. The minimum elevation of the lowest 

floor required by the authority having 

jurisdiction for the location where the safe 

room is installed; or

5. Two feet above the flood elevation 

having a 1 percent annual chance of being 

equaled or exceeded in any given year.(b)

Exception: Item 3 (only) shall not apply 

to safe rooms designed, constructed, 

designated and used only as tornado safe 

rooms.

Section 401.1.2 

Minimum floor elevation 

of residential shelters 

The lowest floor used for the occupied 

shelter area of a residential shelter shall 

be elevated to the higher of the elevations 

determined by:

1. The flood elevation, including coastal 

wave effects, having a 0.2-percent annual 

chance of being equaled or exceeded in 

any given year; or

2. The flood elevation corresponding to the 

highest recorded flood elevation if a flood 

hazard study has not been conducted for 

the area; or

3. The maximum flood elevation associated 

with any modeled hurricane category, 

including coastal wave effects; or

4. The minimum elevation of the lowest 

floor required by the authority having 

jurisdiction for the location where the 

shelter is installed.

Exception: Items 1 and 3 shall not apply 

to shelters designed, constructed, 

designated, and used only as tornado 

shelters.

The lowest floor used for the occupied 

residential safe room shall be elevated to 

the higher of the elevations determined by:

1. The flood elevation, including coastal 

wave effects, having a 0.2 percent annual 

chance of being equaled or exceeded in 

any given year(b); or

2. The flood elevation corresponding to the 

highest recorded flood elevation if a flood 

hazard study has not been conducted for 

the area; or 

3. Not Applicable(c)

4. The minimum elevation of the lowest 

floor required by the authority having 

jurisdiction for the location where the 

shelter is installed.

5. The flood elevation having a 1 percent 

annual chance of being equaled or 

exceeded in any given year.(b)

Exception: Item 1 (only) shall not apply 

to safe rooms designed, constructed, 

designated, and used only as tornado safe 

rooms.
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B4-3 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B

ICC 500 REFERENCE ICC 500 REQUIREMENT FOR 

STORM SHELTERS

FEMA RECOMMENDED CRITERIA 

FOR SAFE ROOMS(a)

Section 404.1

Community Shelter 

Siting

Community shelters shall be located 

outside of the following high-risk flood 

hazard areas:

1. Flood hazard areas subject to highvelocity wave action (V zones) 

2. Floodways

Exception: Community shelters shall be 

permitted in flood hazard areas subject 

to high-velocity wave action (V zones) 

where permitted by the Board of Appeals 

in accordance with the provisions of the 

International Building Code.

Community safe rooms shall be located 

outside of the following high-risk flood 

hazard areas:

1. Flood hazard areas subject to highvelocity wave action (V zones) and Coastal 

A zones(d)

2. Floodways

Exception: Community safe rooms shall 

be permitted in flood hazard areas subject 

to high-velocity wave action (V zones) 

and Coastal A zones(d) where permitted 

by the Board of Appeals in accordance 

with the provisions of the International 

Building Code and after completing the 

8-step Decision Process for Executive 

Order (EO) 11988, as amended, and 

as provided by Title 44 of the Code of 

Federal Regulations Part 9.6, DecisionMaking Process.

Residential Shelter

Siting

[ICC 500 does not provide restrictions for 

siting residential shelters in flood hazard 

areas]

Residential safe rooms shall be located 

outside of the following high-risk flood 

hazard areas:

1. Flood hazard areas subject to highvelocity wave action (V zones) and 

Coastal A zones(d);

2. Floodways;

3. Any areas subject to storm surge 

inundation associated with any 

modeled hurricane category, including 

coastal wave effects.

*Bolded text denotes differences between the ICC 500 Requirement and the FEMA Recommended Criteria. 

Table notes:

(a) Table only lists differences between FEMA P-361 and ICC 500 Chapter 4. All ICC 500 Chapter 4 requirements not listed in the table should also 

be met in their entirety.

(b) Where an approximate or detailed flood hazard study has been completed but the 1-percent- and/or 0.2-percent-annual-chance flood elevations have not been determined, those elevations should be obtained from the authority having jurisdiction or determined in accordance with 

accepted hydrologic and hydraulic engineering practices used to define Special Flood Hazard Areas.

(c) Not applicable because residential safe rooms should not be located in areas subject to storm surge inundation associated with any modeled 

hurricane category; refer to Residential Shelter Siting with respect to flood hazards in this table.

(d) Coastal A Zones are defined as the area landward of Zone V or landward of an open coast without mapped Zone V. The inland limit of the 

Coastal A Zone is the Limit of Moderate Wave Action if delineated on a Flood Insurance Rate Map or designated by the authority having jurisdiction.

Table B4-1. Comparison of ICC 500 Requirements to FEMA Recommended Criteria (continued)
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B4-4 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B

B4.2 FEMA Supplemental Commentary 

FEMA offers the following commentary and background information as supplemental guidance to the registered 

design professional for the criteria referenced in ICC 500 Chapter 4 or presented as FEMA requirements in 

Section B4.1.

B4.2.1 General Siting Considerations 

Safe rooms by their very function are exceptionally dependent on 

their location for their effectiveness. Safe rooms must be located as 

close as possible to their potential users, specifically the population at 

risk from extreme-wind hazards. 

In addition, the location of a safe room is determined by other 

considerations, such as safety, accessibility, and a variety of 

environmental factors. This section examines the most important factors that should be considered when siting 

a safe room. Refer also to Chapter A4, which describes safe room operational considerations, some of which may 

affect siting decisions.

B4.2.1.1 Function and Use 

Community safe rooms may be designed and constructed to serve a single property or facility, such as a 

school, hospital campus, or a manufactured housing park, or to serve multiple properties, such as those in 

a neighborhood. Conversely, residential safe rooms serve only occupants in dwelling units and may be sited 

anywhere on a property (e.g., inside of a home, in a backyard, garage, etc.) as long as the door is located within a 

150-foot travel path from an exterior door of the dwelling unit (if located outside).

The site selection criteria that pertain to the functionality of a safe room are closely associated with the risk and 

vulnerability assessment criteria described in Chapter A2. Risk and vulnerability considerations that must be 

considered include: 

• The size and geographic distribution of the at-risk population 

• The vulnerability of the at-risk population with respect to the buildings they normally occupy

• The vulnerability of the at-risk population with respect to their ability to reach the safe room in a timely 

manner during an emergency

Some of the most vulnerable buildings are manufactured houses, 

which frequently fail during wind storms. For this reason, residents of 

manufactured housing parks must be regarded as highly vulnerable. 

Additionally, the site selected might need to accommodate people 

occupying public facilities, like hospitals, residential care facilities, 

schools, and child care centers, that house large populations; such 

populations may not be able to reach a remote safe room quickly 

enough during an emergency. Typically this type of facility is served 

by safe rooms inside the building or attached to it, minimizing 

evacuation problems. 

In multi-building or campus situations where a safe room serves other 

buildings in addition to the building housing the safe room, having 

CROSS-REFERENCE

Operators of community safe rooms 

should consider operational issues, 

described in Chapter A4.

MAXIMUM POPULATION AND 

ALLOWABLE TRAVEL TIME

Safe room owners, operators, and 

designers should ask their FEMA 

Regional office for the most current 

safe room policy on safe room population and maximum allowable travel 

time/distance to safe rooms. It is particularly important for those seeking 

HMA grants to obtain the most up-todate policy.

Note
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B4-5 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B

enclosed or underground walkways from the served buildings to the safe room is desirable, as there may be strong 

winds, heavy rain, or hail preceding the arrival of the tornado. If these solutions are not feasible, covered walkways 

should be considered.

B4.2.1.2 Safety 

The safety of a site is evaluated on the basis of its exposure to multiple hazards. Sites exposed to flooding need to 

be carefully evaluated for safe rooms, not only because of the dangers flooding may pose for the occupants, but 

also because flooding can isolate the facility and its occupants, or make it inaccessible in an emergency. Other 

hazards that must be considered are seismic, landslides, and fires (especially the exposure of the site to wildfire). 

Chapter A2 provides information on assessing risk of hazards.

B4.2.1.3 Access

The accessibility of a site is directly related to the anticipated safe 

room service area and its proximity to the potential occupants. 

Potential users should be able to reach the safe room within the 

required time period using a designated pedestrian pathway. 

Unobstructed access is an important element of safe room design. 

The pathway to a safe room should not have restrictions or 

obstructions, such as multi-lane highways, railroad tracks, bridges, or similar facilities or topographic features. See 

also Section B4.2.1.5, Siting Proximity to Occupants for Residential Safe Rooms, and Section B4.2.1.6, Siting Proximity to 

Occupants for Community Safe Room, for maximum allowable travel time/distance. 

If obstructions exist along the travel route, or if the safe room is cluttered with non-essential equipment 

and storage items, orderly access to the safe room will be impeded. Hindering access in any way can lead to 

unnecessary increased travel time, chaos, or panic. 

Building/site-related access issues

Siting factors that affect access should be considered. For example, vehicle parking at a community safe room 

built to serve a residential neighborhood should not impede access to the safe room; at a non-residential safe 

room, such as a facility at a manufacturing plant, equipment, parts handling and product storage should not 

impede access.

The location of a safe room on a building site is an important consideration of the design process for any safe 

room. The safe room should be located such that all persons designated to take refuge can reach the safe room 

quickly; this is of particular importance for tornado safe rooms. Safe rooms located at one end of a building or one 

end of a community, office complex, or school may be difficult for some users to reach in a timely fashion. Routes 

to the safe room should be easily accessible and well-marked. For more information on signage considerations in 

community safe rooms, see Section A4.3.2, Signage, and Section B5.2.4, Signage for Community Safe Rooms.

Flood-related access issues

Safe rooms located where flood depths are 3 feet and higher may become isolated if access routes are flooded. As a 

result, emergency services would not be available if some safe room occupants are injured. A safe room in a floodprone area should be properly equipped to meet reasonably anticipated emergency medical, food, and sanitation 

needs during the time the occupants could be isolated by flooding. 

CROSS-REFERENCE

Refer also to Chapter A4.5 for additional information on access and entry.
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B4-6 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B

Access to the safe room should be maintained during flooding 

conditions, if possible. If access is not possible by ground 

transportation during flooding, alternative access should be 

provided. An example of how alternative access can be achieved is 

the installation of a helicopter landing pad that is above the safe 

room design flood level, or ensuring that a loading dock or other 

area of the building could be used as a dock for small boats if the 

area is inundated. In all cases, both the designer and owner will 

need to work with local and State emergency managers to ensure 

that any alternative access methods are properly planned, both in 

the safe room design and construction and in emergency operation 

procedures. For more information on siting in relation to flood 

hazards, see Section B4.2.2.

B4.2.1.4 Siting Proximity to Other Buildings

When possible, safe rooms should be located away from large objects 

and multi-story buildings. Light towers, antennas, satellite dishes, and 

roof-mounted mechanical equipment can topple or become airborne 

during tornadoes or hurricanes, just as multi-story buildings can be 

damaged or fail structurally, collapsing onto an adjacent safe room or exposing it to large debris impact. 

The impact forces associated with such large wind-borne debris are outside the design parameters of typical 

safe rooms. 

B4.2.1.5 Siting Proximity to Occupants for Residential Safe Rooms (Reference: ICC 500 Sec 401)

There are a number of potential locations to construct a safe room inside of a home. Though tornado warnings 

are often issued with enough time for someone in one room of a home to travel to a safe room in another area of 

the home, mobility and ease of safe room ingress should be considered for all safe rooms. 

A safe room can also be located outside of the home. To enter such a safe room, occupants will need to travel to 

the safe room from the home. ICC 500 requires that the access opening for a residential safe room be located such 

that the distance of the travel path is no more than 150 feet from an exterior door of the residence. Occupants will 

need to enter exterior safe rooms early to prevent injuries from storm wind and wind-borne debris as they travel to 

the safe room. 

Both interior and exterior safe rooms can be either above or below grade. However, if constructing a safe room in 

a Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA), siting the safe room below ground or below the design flood elevation is not 

recommended. 

B4.2.1.6 Siting Proximity to Occupants for Community Safe Rooms

Safe room designers should consider the time needed for all 

occupants of a building or facility to reach the safe room. The NWS 

has made great strides in predicting tornadoes and hurricanes and 

providing warnings that allow time to seek shelter. 

Travel time requirements for tornado safe rooms

For tornadoes, the time span is often short between the NWS 

warning and the onset of the tornado. As of its Fiscal Year 2015 

HMA GUIDANCE

The FEMA HMA Guidance is updated periodically. The most 

current policy guidance can be 

downloaded from: www.fema.gov/

hazard-mitigation-assistance.

Note

TERMINOLOGY

The requirements and best practices 

in Chapter B4 use the terms “SFHA” 

and “flood elevation having a 1-percent-annual-chance of being equaled 

or exceeded.”

Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA): The 

land area covered by the floodwaters of 

the flood having a 1 percent chance of 

being equaled or exceeded in any given 

year. This area is typically mapped on 

FEMA’s Flood Insurance Rate Maps 

(FIRMs) as Zone A or Zone V.

Base Flood: The “flood elevation having a 1-percent-annual-chance of being 

equaled or exceeded” is also referred 

to as the base flood, and sometimes 

the “100-year flood.”
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B4-7 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B

HMA Unified Guidance, FEMA requires that tornado safe rooms be sited so that occupants have a maximum 

walking travel time of 5 minutes or a maximum driving travel distance of approximately 0.5 mile to reach the safe 

room. The actual travel route or pathway should not be restricted, bottlenecked, or obstructed by barriers such as 

multi-lane highways, railroad tracks, bridges, or similar facilities or by topographic features. When determining 

travel time, potential traffic congestion (including parking constraints) that may occur when potential at-risk 

occupant are moving to the safe room after a storm watch/warning notification has issued should be considered. 

Additionally, the walking speed of occupants going to the safe room should be considered. Using a 3 mph walking 

speed, a 5 minute of walking travel time corresponds to approximately 1⁄4 mile. 

Travel time requirements for hurricane safe rooms

For hurricane safe rooms, a different set of criteria applies. Since there is usually a substantial amount of warning 

time for hurricanes, and because mandatory evacuations may be issued ahead of severe hurricanes, the criteria to 

determine travel time for a hurricane safe room can be more complex. 

Those not able to evacuate for a hurricane (first responders, critical and essential services personnel, and certain 

medical, or residential care facility occupants) would be the potential population for a hurricane safe room. See 

Chapter A4 for more information on considerations for the population traveling to the safe room, as well as the 

latest FEMA HMA Unified Guidance and its Addendum. 

Travel time considerations for those with impaired mobility 

Travel time may be especially important when safe room users are elderly or have disabilities that impair their 

mobility and may need assistance from others to reach the safe room. In addition, wheelchair users may need 

a particular route that accommodates wheelchairs. The designer should consider these factors to provide the 

shortest possible access time and most accessible route for all potential safe room occupants. 

B4.2.1.7 Manmade Siting Hazards 

(Reference: ICC 500 Sec 402) 

It is important that the designer consider other hazards at the 

building site, in addition to the wind, flood, and seismic hazards 

already mentioned. 

One such consideration is the presence of a hazardous material on a 

site. Older buildings that are retrofitted for safe room use should be 

inspected for hazardous materials that may be stored near the safe 

room (e.g., gasoline, chlorine, or other chemicals) or that may have 

been used in the construction of the surrounding building (e.g., 

lead paint or asbestos). For example, asbestos may become airborne 

if portions of the surrounding building are damaged, resulting in 

the chemical contamination of breathable air. Live power lines, fire, 

and gas leaks are also safe room design concerns that may need to 

be addressed at some safe room sites. For example, the Wichita case 

study (Sheet P-1) available on the safe room website at www.fema.

gov/legacy-fema-p-361-case-studies shows how a gas line, required for 

gas service to the safe room area when in normal daily use, was fitted 

with an automatic shutoff valve. This precaution greatly reduces the 

risk of a gas-induced fire occurring while the safe room is occupied.

MORE INFORMATION

Information on flood elevations associated with 100-year or 500-year 

flooding can usually be found on 

FEMA’s Map Service Center website 

(www.msc.fema.gov). The FIRMs on 

the website show the flood zone and 

associated elevation, if applicable and 

available. 

For information on storm surge, contact the State or local emergency 

management offices. 

Additional sources for flood information include: 

• Floodplain managers (see list at 

www.floods.org)

• Local building or zoning department 

• U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) (including gage data)

• NOAA

• NWS

• State Sea Grant Extension Programs

• U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

• State or county highway department
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B4-8 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B

B4.2.1.8 Other Criteria to Consider 

Other factors may also need to be considered, including environmental and historic preservation, economic, 

zoning, or other administrative factors. These factors should be considered from the very start of the siting 

process.

B4.2.2 Flood Hazards (Reference: ICC 500 Sec 401 and Sec 404) 

Flood hazards should be considered when designing and constructing a safe room. Designers should 

investigate all sources of flooding that could affect the use of the safe room. The functionality of a safe room 

can be affected by flooding in many different ways. Flooding can inundate a structure housing a safe room 

and can also affect the safe room by disrupting or blocking access when surrounding areas flood. Safe rooms 

in flood-prone areas are susceptible to damage from hydrostatic and hydrodynamic forces associated with 

rising floodwater and from debris carried in the water. Most importantly, flooding of occupied safe rooms can 

result in injuries or deaths. Areas with high groundwater tables should also be considered cautiously when 

considering installation of in-ground safe rooms, as buoyancy forces can potentially push the structure out of 

the ground.

B4.2.2.1 General Flood Hazard Siting / Elevation

This section outlines general flood related siting and elevation criteria for safe rooms. If the site is located 

outside of the SFHA, the 500-year floodplain, and the area inundated by coastal storm surge, the designer 

should include a statement in the design drawings documenting that the site is outside of the SFHA. For areas 

outside of the SFHA, the best practice is to include the closest adjacent base flood elevation (BFE) and 

500-year flood elevation on the project plans. Project plans for hurricane shelters should also include the 

rainfall intensity and the hurricane storm surge elevation information. 

Location of safe room within a Special Flood Hazard Area

Except in special circumstances, safe rooms should not be sited in FEMA-designated SFHAs unless 

consultation with local and State emergency management officials concludes there is no other feasible option. 

If it is not possible to locate a safe room outside of the SFHA, precautions must be taken to ensure the safety 

and well-being of anyone using the safe room. The lowest floor of the safe room should be elevated above 

the flood elevation as described in Table B4-1. All utilities or services supplied to the safe room should be 

protected from flooding as well. Additionally, the planning and design of a federally funded community safe 

room should be conducted according to the process mandated by 44 CFR Chapter 1 Subchapter A Part 9, 

Floodplain management and protection of wetlands.

In many flood hazard areas around the country, the Flood Insurance Study and accompanying Flood 

Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) may not specify flood elevations. This type of unspecified area is commonly 

referred to as unnumbered Zone A or approximate Zone A. In most cases the flood elevation requirements for 

safe rooms are still applicable even though the 1-percent- or 0.2-percent-annual-chance flood elevations are 

not defined by FEMA. 

As Table B4-1 shows, tornado-only residential safe rooms are not required to elevate to the 0.2-percent-annualchance flood elevation, but even these structures should be elevated to the 1-percent-annual-chance flood 

elevation (the BFE). However, hurricane and combined residential safe rooms, as well as community safe 

rooms (for either tornado or hurricane hazards) should be elevated to the 0.2-percent-annual-chance flood 

elevation. 
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B4-9 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B

The 1-percent- and 0.2-percent-annual-chance flood elevations 

should be either determined by consulting local, State, or Federal 

agencies, or calculated. The following may be sources of information 

on flood elevations: 

• Local floodplain administrator

• State National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) coordinator 

– some States have regulations or guidance on how to obtain 

regulatory data and some have repositories of data or may help 

conduct a new study

• Local flood control, sanitary, or watershed districts – like State 

agencies, these districts may have their own programs for 

developing new flood data

• U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Department of Agriculture/Natural Resources Conservation Service, or 

U.S. Geological Survey – these agencies may have knowledge of flood studies, unpublished reports, or other 

data that may pertain to the area in question.

Designers should also consider if studies may have been performed for a nearby area. For instance: 

• If a body of water forms a boundary between two communities, the community on the other side may have a 

detailed study; such base flood data are valid for both sides of a body of water

• If the property is along a stream that is near state highway structures such as bridges or culverts, the state 

highway department may have done a flood study to properly size the structure

• If the property is on a river with a power-generating dam, the dam owner may have had to conduct a study for 

federal licensing

If the required flood elevation information is not available, the local authority may be able to provide the 

requirements for determining the flood elevations in accordance with accepted engineering practices. 

MORE INFORMATION

Additional guidance can be found 

in FEMA 265, Managing Floodplain 

Development in Approximate Zone 

A Areas: A Guide for Obtaining and 

Developing Base (100-Year) Flood 

Elevations (1995), and a companion software program, QUICK-2 

(available from FEMA at www.

fema.gov/media-library/assets/

documents/7894.
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B4-10 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B

EXAMPLE

A proposed tornado safe room project is being planned in Greenville, MO. The safe room will be an addition to an existing building, with a normal-use function of educational classroom space. The existing building is located adjacent to a 

small stream. The safe room will be located outside the SFHA, approximately 80 feet from an approximate Zone A, with 

a portion of the existing building being located in the Zone A. An engineering analysis has already been completed to determine the elevation associated with the 1-percent-annual-chance flood; the analysis included the use of a regression 

equation for hydrology, the HEC-RAS software for the hydraulics, and a 10m digital elevation model (DEM) from the USGS. 

Since this was a basic analysis, field surveys were not completed, 

and hydraulic structures were not included in the model. Channel geometry was determined from the DEM. The vertical accuracy of the 

DEM is ±10 feet, or one-half the interval between contours on the 

USGS topographic map.

The BFEs are not published on the FIRM, though the water surface 

elevation used to determine the SFHA is included in the hydraulic 

model. The floodplain for the 0.2-percent-annual-chance flood event 

was not determined, nor was the water surface elevation for the 

0.2-percent-annual-chance flood calculated.

Per safe room flood criteria in this publication as shown on Table 

B4-1 (see side bar image to the right), the lowest floor of the community safe room is the highest of the following elevations.

In this example, the community floodplain management ordinance requires 1 foot of freeboard above the BFE. Therefore, item #4 was less 

than item #5. The other items that community safe rooms should 

consider (per Table B4-1) did not apply; the area had been part of a 

flood hazard study (removing item #2 from consideration), and the 

safe room is being designed, constructed, designated, and used only 

as tornado safe rooms (satisfying the exception to item #3).

Based on information from the hydraulic model, the elevation of the 

1-percent-annual-chance flood event was approximately 426.5 feet. 

The proposed finished floor elevation of the safe room was 429.45 

feet. Since the proposed safe room floor elevation is greater than the 

BFE+ 2 feet, item #5 is satisfied. 

The project team also had to compare the finished floor elevation 

to the 0.2-percent-annual-chance flood elevation. This was particularly important in this instance because the safe room location was 

so close to a flood source. Using the hydraulic model, a regression 

equation was used to determine the discharge for the 0.2-percent-annual-chance event, and the water surface elevation was calculated 

as 426.94 feet. Therefore, item #1 was satisfied and the project was 

able to move forward. 

Portion of Table B4-1 Relevant 

to Case Study

FEMA Recommended Criteria 

for Safe Rooms

The lowest floor used for the occupied 

safe room and occupant support areas of 

a community safe room shall be elevated 

to or above the higher of the elevations 

determined by:

1. The flood elevation, including coastal 

wave effects, having a 0.2 percent annual 

chance of being equaled or exceeded in 

any given year(b); or

2. The flood elevation corresponding to the 

highest recorded flood elevation if a flood 

hazard study has not been conducted for 

the area; or

3. The maximum flood elevation associated 

with any modeled hurricane category 

including coastal wave effects; or

4. The minimum elevation of the lowest 

floor required by the authority having 

jurisdiction for the location where the safe 

room is installed; or

5. Two feet above the flood elevation 

having a 1 percent annual chance of being 

equaled or exceeded in any given year.(b)

Exception: Item 3 (only) shall not apply 

to safe rooms designed, constructed, 

designated and used only as tornado safe 

rooms.

In-ground safe rooms

In-ground safe rooms should not be installed in flood-prone areas unless the community has received a residential 

basement exception from FEMA.1 Areas with high groundwater tables should also be considered cautiously for 

in-ground safe rooms or safe rooms that are partially below grade, as buoyancy forces can potentially push the 

1 This exception has been granted in a small number of communities to allow in-ground tornado safe rooms to be constructed below the BFE.
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B4-11 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B

structure out of the ground. Safe rooms extending below-grade should be designed and installed to resist buoyant 

forces under saturated soil conditions.

In-ground safe rooms should also be designed to prevent water (due to rainfall and runoff, or in the case of 

residential basement exception communities, above-ground floodwater) from rising above or entering the 

entrance to the safe room or any other openings. Sump pump systems may be required to make sure that any 

water entering a safe room is removed. These pump systems will need to be included in emergency or standby 

power considerations.

Tsunami 

Tsunami hazards may be present in some jurisdictions where safe rooms are designed and constructed to provide 

protection from hurricanes. Although FIRMs are likely available for these areas, the FIRMs typically are not based 

on tsunami hazards. 

B4.2.2.2 Flood Design Criteria for Community Safe Rooms 

Flood loads acting on a structure containing a safe room will be strongly influenced by the location of the 

structure relative to the flood source. It is for this reason that community safe rooms are required to be located 

outside of the high-risk flood hazard areas detailed in Table B4-1 unless they are permitted by the Board of 

Appeals in accordance with the provisions of the IBC and have successfully completed the 8-step decision-making 

process. Community safe rooms located in the SFHA (such as in 1-percent-annual-chance and 0.2-percent-annualchance flood areas) should also complete the 8-step decision-making process as identified in 44 CFR Part 9.6. This 

process would also need to be completed if the safe room would have any adverse effects on a wetland or increase 

a BFE. If the 1-percent-annual-chance and 0.2-percent-annual-chance flood elevations are unknown, those 

elevations should be obtained from the AHJ or determined in accordance with accepted hydrologic and hydraulic 

engineering practices used to define SFHAs.

The Coastal High Hazard Area (Zone V) and Zone A areas seaward of the Limit of Moderate Wave Action 

(Coastal A Zone) are subject to damaging wave action, high velocity flow, floating debris, erosion, and scour, 

making them unsuitable areas for safe rooms. A floodway is part of the SFHA and is the channel of a river or 

MORE INFORMATION

For additional information on the mapping of tsunami inundation zones, see the National Tsunami Hazard Mitigation 

Program website at nthmp.tsunami.gov/. 

For additional information on the design and construction of structures in tsunami inundation areas, see FEMA P-646, 

Guidelines for the Design of Structures for Vertical Evacuation from Tsunamis (June 2008), available at www.fema.gov/

media-library/assets/documents/14708.

FEMA 8-STEP DECISION MAKING PROCESS

For the purpose of grant funding, the HMA Unified Guidance provides the criteria regarding floodplain management, 

including the 8-step decision-making process as identified in 44 CFR Part 9.6. For more information on this process, 

review the guidance provided in the most current HMA Unified Guidance publication, the HMA Guidance Job Aid (8-Step 

Decision Making Process for Floodplain Management Considerations and Protection of Wetlands), or contact your State 

NFIP coordinator or FEMA regional office. 

Note
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B4-12 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B

other watercourse and the adjacent land area that must be reserved to ensure that there is little or no increase in 

upstream flood elevations during the base flood. A community safe room in the floodway would not only be at risk 

of flooding, but could increase flooding upstream. 

When at all possible, a community safe room should be located outside the influence of coastal storm surge and 

outside of any areas subject to flooding. Structures containing community safe rooms should be located in areas 

at low risk to flooding and mapped as unshaded Zone X or Zone C (outside the 500-year [0.2-percent-annualchance] floodplain) wherever possible. 

If siting the safe room outside the 0.2-percent-annual-chance floodplain is not possible, the structure should be 

located in the least hazardous portion of the area subject to flooding during the 0.2-percent-annual-chance flood 

(shaded Zone X or Zone B), or if that is not possible, then in the least hazardous portions of the 1-percent-annualchance floodplain (i.e., within SFHA, Zones AO or AH, or Zones AE or A1-30). When a safe room is installed in 

a SFHA or other flood-prone area, the top of the lowest floor for the safe room, and its occupant support areas, 

should be elevated at or above the highest flood elevation defined in Table B4-1.

Examples of proper and improper locations for community safe rooms

Figure B4-1 shows mapped flood zones. Indicated on the figure are acceptable and unacceptable locations for 

tornado and hurricane community safe rooms with respect to mapped flood hazard zones. The locations shown 

on the figure are acceptable assuming that elevation requirements are met. Figure B4-2 shows an example of a 

shoreline-perpendicular transect, complementing Figure B4-1, to indicate which flood zone areas community safe 

rooms may be sited within. 

TERMINOLOGY

Storm surge: In this publication, the term storm surge means an abnormal rise in sea level accompanying a hurricane 

or other intense storm, and whose height is the difference between the observed level of the sea surface and the level 

that would have occurred in the absence of the cyclone. Storm surge (see figure below) is usually estimated by subtracting the normal or predicted astronomical tide from the observed storm tide. The measurement of storm surge does not 

include wave height unless specifically noted, which can add 3 feet or more. References to storm surge in this document 

refer to the maximum flood elevation associated with any modeled hurricane category, including coastal wave effects. 

See Chapter B9, References and Resources, for a list of some websites with State-specific storm surge inundation maps.
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B4-13 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B

Figure B4-2. Example illustration of typical riverine cross section and shoreline transect showing stillwater and wave crest 

elevations and associated flood zones for acceptable community safe room siting (assuming that elevation requirements are met)

Figure B4-3 illustrates a safe room elevated to meet all of the flood 

elevation criteria for community safe rooms. Figure B4-3 is an 

example, so the relative height of each elevation shown on the figure 

is not necessarily applicable to all locations. For instance, the BFE 

+ 2 feet may not always be higher than the 0.2-percent-chance flood 

elevation or the minimum elevation required by the AHJ). 

The flood elevation corresponding to the highest recorded flood 

elevation is not shown in Figure B4-3; while this flood elevation is 

Figure B4-1. Example illustration 

of acceptable community safe 

room locations (assuming that 

elevation requirements are met) 

CROSS-REFERENCE

Flood loads and conditions acting on 

a structure containing a safe room will 

be strongly influenced by the location 

of the structure relative to the flood 

source. See B3.2.3.2 for more information on flood load considerations. 
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B4-14 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B

part of the criteria, it does not need to be applied when the safe room location is within a flood hazard study area 

and calculated flood elevations are known. In areas that have no flood hazard study, the elevation of the flood of 

record should be used. If the flood elevation is not available for a proposed safe room location, the elevations of 

the flood of record should be determined at other locations and used to estimate the record flood elevation at the 

safe room site. 

B4.2.2.3 Flood Design Criteria for Residential Safe Rooms 

The design criteria for residential safe rooms are different than for community safe rooms. FEMA recommends 

residential safe rooms not be placed in any area that may be affected or inundated by coastal storm surge for any 

category hurricane. 

A residential safe room, as prescribed in FEMA P-320 or designed to 

the criteria presented in Chapter B3, should not be located within the 

SFHA if at all possible (see Section B4.1). If it is not possible to install 

or place a residential safe room outside the SFHA, the residential 

safe room should at least be placed outside of the high hazard areas 

identified in Section B4.1, and (except for the residential basement 

exception communities [see Section B4.2.2.1, In-ground safe rooms]) 

the top of the safe room floor should be elevated to the highest flood 

hazard elevation identified in Section B4.1. Designers should be sure 

to refer to local floodplain management ordinances, which may have 

additional requirements that restrict the location and configuration 

(above or below ground) of a residential safe room. 

Figure B4-3. Illustration of a community safe 

room example that meets flood elevation 

criteria (assuming siting requirements are 

met)

BFE REQUIREMENT

A subtle difference between the residential flood elevation criteria for ICC 

500 and FEMA P-361 is that FEMA 

P-361 uses the BFE as one of the elevations (see Table B4-1). While this 

elevation may not always govern, it is 

important that residential safe rooms 

following Federal guidance or receiving 

Federal funding be constructed above 

the BFE in order to meet minimum recommendations in the NFIP. 

Note
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B4-15 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B

The prescriptive designs presented in FEMA P-320 can only be elevated a few feet above existing grade (see 

design drawings in that publication for specific details and elevation limitations) and, therefore, may not comply 

with flood design criteria for residential safe rooms. In such situations, homeowner (or small business owner) 

alternatives would include: 1) retaining a structural engineer to design a site-specific foundation for the safe 

room, or 2) in cases where flow velocity and erosion are not expected during design conditions, build an exterior 

weatherproof safe room on a slab-on-grade elevated on fill above the flood elevation specified in Table B4.1.

Examples of proper and improper locations for residential safe rooms 

Figure B4-4 shows mapped flood zones. Indicated on the figure are acceptable and unacceptable locations 

for residential safe rooms with respect to mapped flood hazard zones. The locations shown on the figure 

are acceptable assuming that elevation requirements are met. Figure B4-5 shows an example of a shorelineperpendicular transect, complementing Figure B4-4, to indicate which flood zone areas residential safe rooms may 

be sited within. 

Figure B4-4. Example illustration 

of acceptable residential safe 

room locations (assuming that 

elevation requirements are met)
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B4-16 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B

Figure B4-5. Example illustration of typical riverine cross section and shoreline transect showing stillwater and wave crest 

elevations and associated flood zones for acceptable residential safe room siting (assuming that elevation requirements are met)

Figure B4-6 illustrates a safe room elevated to meet all of the flood elevation criteria for residential safe rooms. 

Figure B4-6 is an example, so the relative height of each elevation shown on the figure is not necessarily applicable 

to all locations. For instance, the 0.2-percent-chance flood elevation may not always be higher than the minimum 

elevation required by the AHJ). 

The flood elevation corresponding to the highest recorded flood elevation is not shown in Figure B4-6; while 

this flood elevation is part of the criteria, it does not need to be applied when the safe room location is within a 

flood hazard study area and calculated flood elevations are known. In areas that have no flood hazard study, the 

elevation of the flood of record should be used. If the flood elevation is not available for a proposed safe room 

location, the elevations of the flood of record should be determined at other locations and used to estimate the 

record flood elevation at the safe room site. 
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B4-17 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B

Figure B4-6. Illustration of a 

residential safe room example 

that meets flood elevation 

criteria (assuming siting 

requirements are met) 
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B5-1 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B

CHAPTER B5

Occupancy, Means of Egress, 

Access and Accessibility

This chapter uses Chapter 5 of ICC 500 as the referenced standard. This chapter also includes FEMA 

supplemental commentary on occupancy, means of egress, access and accessibility based on many years of 

field observations and investigations related to safe room performance.

B5.1 Criteria

Safe room occupancy, means of egress, access and accessibility should be designed and constructed in accordance 

with the provisions of Chapter 5 in ICC 500. FEMA does not recommend any additional criteria.

B5.2 FEMA Supplemental Commentary 

FEMA offers the following commentary and background information as supplemental guidance to the registered 

design professional for the criteria referenced in ICC 500 Chapter 5.

Background on underlying building code criteria: The ICC 500 

criteria for occupancy, egress, and access are intended to mirror 

those requirements set out in the IBC, where for multi-use safe 

rooms, the normal occupancy of the safe room is used, and for singleuse safe rooms, occupancy Assembly 3 (A-3) is used.1 Additional 

requirements, based on the specific type of safe room, are added 

to the requirements for the normal occupancy of the space. The 

minimum area criteria for safe rooms in ICC 500 are based on 

the use of the space during a storm event and are not intended 

to be space recommendations for a safe room that might be used 

for recovery purposes. For more information on operational 

considerations for safe rooms, see Chapter A4. 

1 ICC 500 allows single-use safe rooms with fewer than 50 occupants to be designated as Group B occupancy.

CROSS-REFERENCE

For more information on occupancy 

duration for both hurricane and 

tornado safe rooms, see Sections 

B7.2.1 and A4.1.3.
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B5-2 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B PART B

Further, a fundamental concept in life safety is that a means of egress, adequately sized to accommodate all 

occupants, should be available at all times. Since many community safe rooms are located in spaces such as 

gymnasiums and cafeterias that are normally used for other purposes, the number of egress elements present 

may be adequate for their use as safe rooms. 

B5.2.1 Community Safe Rooms (Reference: ICC 500 Sec 501) 

From a design and construction standpoint, there is no limitation on the maximum population that a safe room 

may be designed to protect. However, there are size limitations for safe rooms funded by FEMA grants. Refer to 

FEMA safe room and BCA tools for guidance and criteria related to the maximum allowable population (for more 

information, see Section A1.1). Any group involved in designing and constructing a community safe room should 

also obtain the latest guidance from the FEMA Regional office.

Some aspects of the planning necessary for very-high-occupancy safe rooms that may be required in large, 

public venues (such as stadiums or amphitheaters) are beyond the scope of this publication. Although an owner 

or operator of such a venue should follow the applicable requirements presented in this publication, detailed 

guidance for operational aspects concerning very-high-occupancy safe rooms is not provided in this publication. 

The design of such safe rooms requires attention to human factor engineering issues that affect the life-safety of 

a large number of people. Egress timing for thousands of people in a stadium, how to manage a large group of 

individuals in a safe room, and security within a safe room are examples of human behavioral issues that should 

be addressed when protecting a large group of people. 

All safe rooms are designed with maximum capacities, and all potential occupants of a safe room should be 

notified of the safe room location and policies related to its use. Confusion about who may use a safe room can 

result in overcrowding, or worse, people being turned away from a safe room. 

The number of occupants anticipated in a safe room should be carefully considered so that sufficient space is 

afforded to occupants. 

• For tornado safe rooms, where warning times are short, expected occupancy typically draws on a relatively 

small area of nearby residents. 

• For hurricane safe rooms, where warning times are considerably longer and often mandatory evacuations are 

put into place for flood-prone areas, more complex considerations need to be made. 

In the case of both hazards, the most recent HMA guidance should be consulted on how to determine the 

maximum occupancy based on the location of the safe room with respect to the surrounding population. In the 

case of hurricane safe rooms in particular, emergency management officials should be consulted to determine 

under what situations the safe room would and would not be used. 

In determining the maximum number of people who will use the safe room, the registered design professional 

should assume that the safe room will be used at the time of day when the maximum number of occupants is 

expected. The planning process of the safe room should also consider the potential for an increase in the number 

of occupants over time. The failure to plan for future growth in the target population can result in a safe room 

being too small for all of the intended occupants in a few years. 

However, any safe room owner, operator, or designer should request from the FEMA Regional office the current 

HMA safe room guidance addressing the safe room population issue, since that may be different from safe room 

design guidance in this publication. Regardless of the means by which the appropriate safe room population has 

been identified, the maximum occupancy should be posted in the safe room area. 
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B5-3 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B

ICC 500 Section 501.1 Background 

The ICC 500 criteria for maximum population density for community safe rooms are included here to benefit 

planners who may not have access to ICC 500 and to provide specific context for the commentary. 

Tornado safe rooms: ICC 500 Section 501.1.1 requires a minimum of 5 square feet per person for standing or 

seated occupants for tornado community safe rooms. This requirement is the same as that provided in past 

editions of FEMA P-361 and is an appropriate minimum for a tornado community safe room. For wheelchairuser and bedridden occupants, the required usable floor area per occupant is higher (10 and 30 square feet per 

occupant, respectively). These values are provided in Table B5-1; reference Section B5.2.1.1 for guidance on 

usability area calculations. 

Table B5-1. Occupant Density for Tornado Community Safe Rooms 

TORNADO SAFE ROOM OCCUPANT MINIMUM USABLE FLOOR AREA(a)

IN SQUARE FEET PER SAFE ROOM OCCUPANT

Standing or seated 5

Wheelchair-user 10

Medical bed-user 30

(a) See Section B5.2.1.1 for guidance on minimum usable safe room floor area.

Designers should be aware of the occupancy requirements of the building code governing the design and 

construction of the safe room. The occupancy loads in building codes have historically been developed for lifesafety considerations. Most building codes require the maximum occupancy of the safe room to be clearly posted. 

Multi-use occupancy classifications are provided in the IBC and State and local building codes. There may be 

conflicts between the code-specified occupancy classifications for normal use and the occupancy when used as a 

safe room. The following is an example of a potential conflict for a tornado community safe room:

• According to the IBC, the occupancy classification for 

educational use is 20 square feet per person, but for a tornado 

safe room is 5 square feet per person (per FEMA P-361 and 

ICC 500). 

• Using an area in a school as a safe room can create a potential 

conflict in the allowed numbers of persons in the safe room 

if it does not have proper signage and posted occupancy 

requirements. 

• If both the normal and safe room maximum occupancies are 

posted, and the safe room occupancy is not based on a minimum 

less than 5 square feet per person, the safe room design should 

be acceptable to the AHJ. The IBC has provisions that allow 

occupancies as concentrated as 5 square feet per person.

Hurricane safe rooms: ICC 500 Section 501.1.1 requires a minimum 

of 20 square feet per person for hurricane community storm shelters 

(see Table B5-2 for usable space criteria for all types of hurricane safe 

room occupants). 

SQUARE FOOTAGE

The ICC 500 square-footage requirement is an increase over the first 

edition of FEMA P-361 hurricane community safe room criteria. The increase 

is a result of discussions among FEMA 

and the ICC 500 Standard Committee, 

and data gathered about shelters after 

hurricanes in 2004 and 2005. The ICC 

500 Requirement is in line with recommendations in American Red Cross 

Publication No. 4496, Standards for 

Hurricane Evacuation Shelter Selection 

(1992).

Note
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B5-4 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B

Table B5-2. Occupant Density for Hurricane Community Safe Rooms 

HURRICANE SAFE ROOM OCCUPANT MINIMUM USABLE FLOOR AREA(a)

IN SQUARE FEET PER SAFE ROOM OCCUPANT

Standing or seated 20

Wheelchair-user 20

Medical bed-user 40

(a) See Section B5.2.1.1 for guidance on minimum usable safe room floor area.

As with the tornado community safe room, conflicts may arise between code-specified occupancy 

classifications for normal use and the occupancy needed for hurricane community safe rooms. The following 

is an example of a potential conflict for a multi-use hurricane community safe room that is normally used for 

assembly space without fixed seats (“concentrated”); in this example, the occupancy conflict can directly affect 

egress requirements for the safe room set forth in the building code:

• According to the IBC, for a 4,900-square-foot safe room, the normal occupancy load is 4,900/7 = 700 

people, while the safe room occupancy load is 4,900/20 = 245 people 

• For both assembly and safe room uses, the IBC requires 0.20 inch of egress per person for buildings not 

equipped with a sprinkler system

• For normal (assembly) use, this calculates to 140 inches of required egress and, because of code, a 

minimum of two doors (exits); therefore, four 36-inch doors (144-inch total net egress) should be 

provided

• For safe room use, the requirement is for 49 inches and a minimum of two doors (exits); therefore, two 

32-inch doors (64-inch total net egress) should be provided

• Although guidance on code compliance is provided in this publication, the conflicts between these two 

occupancy requirements for egress must be resolved with the AHJ 

The number of standing, seated, or bedridden spaces should be determined based on the needs of the 

potential safe room users, as determined by the designer and approved by the AHJ. However, each community 

safe room should be sized to accommodate a minimum of one wheelchair space for every 200 occupants or 

portion thereof. It is also important to note that floor space within community safe rooms should have an 

accessible route in accordance with ICC/American National Standards Institute A117.1, Accessible and Usable 

Buildings and Facilities (ICC 2009).

B5.2.1.1 Calculation of Usable Floor Area of a Community 

Safe Room (Reference: ICC 500 Sec 501.1.2)

Determining usable space in a community safe room area is not always straightforward because of the 

configuration of the interior. Either of the calculation methods described in this section can be used to 

determine the usable space. For almost all spaces, the usable space is less than the building footprint because 

of interior columns, walls, or partitions; critical support elements (e.g., generator, mechanical, electrical, and 

plumbing equipment); bathroom or kitchen fixtures; permanently mounted desks, chairs, or tables; or the 

storage area required to store portable desks, chairs, and tables. 

One method for determining the usable safe room floor area is to use the following percentages derived from 

FEMA’s National Facility Survey and adjusted based on recommendations from ICC 500 committee members:

• Reduce the gross floor area of safe rooms with concentrated furnishings or fixed seating by at least 

50 percent
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B5-5 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B

• Reduce the gross floor area of safe rooms with unconcentrated furnishings and without fixed seating by at 

least 35 percent

• Reduce the gross floor area of safe rooms with open plan furnishings and without fixed seating by at least 

15 percent

A second method for determining the usable safe room floor area is to subtract unusable areas from the gross 

area: 

• Reduce the gross area of the safe room (the footprint) by excluding spaces, partitions and walls, columns, 

fixed or movable equipment, or any other features that cannot be moved during use as a safe room. The 

remaining area is considered the usable safe room area. 

• As a best practice, once all unusable areas have been subtracted from the gross floor area, an additional 

15 percent should be subtracted to account for egress. 

For safe rooms that have only preliminary or conceptual designs in place, the first method of using percentages 

based on the type of furnishings and fixtures in the area is much easier. In most cases, the usable area is calculated 

early in the design phase of the safe room, when detailed design drawings showing the type of obstructions in the 

second method are not available. Safe room designers and planners should also be aware that the percentages 

should be applied to the total gross area of the safe room, which includes the walls of the safe room area. 

B5.2.1.2 Number of Doors for a Safe Room (Reference: ICC 500 Sec 501.2)

The number of doors to be used as means of egress from the safe room should be determined based on the 

occupant load for the normal occupancy of the space in accordance with the applicable building code. For 

facilities used solely for safe rooms, the number of doors should be determined in accordance with the applicable 

building code based on the occupant load. 

Designers are encouraged to not only consider egress for safe rooms, 

but ingress as well. Safe rooms – particularly those in populated 

buildings such as schools – may have a large number of people 

attempting to get into the protected space at once. Employing 

common sense strategies such as sizing hallways and doorways to be 

equivalent widths (to reduce the bottleneck effect) and strategically 

locating entrances can help facilitate a continuous flow of occupants 

into the safe room during an emergency situation. 

One approach for improving safe room ingress demands for multiuse spaces is to consider egress requirements, but reverse the flow. 

However, designers should keep in mind that egress code requirements are based on fire hazard and demand 

a very rapid exit from the area; there may be more time for ingress movement of occupants into a tornado safe 

room. Further, designers considering adding openings should remember that the greater the number of openings 

in the safe room envelope, the greater the potential for the envelope to be compromised during a tornado or 

hurricane. 

B5.2.1.3 Emergency Escape Opening (Reference: ICC 500 Sec 501.4)

Where the applicable building code requires only one means of egress for a safe room with 16 or more occupants, 

an emergency escape opening is required per Section 501.2 of ICC 500. The emergency escape opening should be 

an additional door or an opening with the following dimensions:

DOOR SWING

The direction of the door swing should 

be as required by the applicable building code for the normal occupancy 

of the space, and the egress doors 

should be operable from the inside 

without keys or special knowledge or 

effort.

Note
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B5-6 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B

• Minimum area = 5.7 square feet

• Minimum height = 24 inches 

• Minimum width = 20 inches

The emergency escape opening should be operable from the inside without the use of tools or special knowledge. 

The emergency escape opening should be located away from the regular means of egress by a minimum distance 

of one-third of the length of the maximum overall diagonal dimension of the area to be served. Designers should 

also note that only one of the minimum dimensions – height or width – may be used for any given emergency 

escape to satisfy the minimum area requirement of 5.7 square feet.

B5.2.1.4 Americans with Disabilities Act (Reference: ICC 500 Sec 501.6) 

The needs of persons with disabilities requiring safe room space 

must be considered. The appropriate access for persons with 

disabilities must be provided in accordance with all Federal, State, 

and local ADA requirements and ordinances. 

If the minimum requirements dictate only one ADA-compliant access 

point for the safe room, the registered design professional should 

consider providing a second ADA-compliant access point for use in 

the event that the primary access point is blocked or inoperable. 

Additional guidance for compliance with the ADA can be found in 

many privately produced publications.

All safe rooms should be managed in accordance with an O&M plan. 

Guidelines for preparing safe room operations plans are provided in 

Chapter A4 for community safe rooms intended to serve residential 

areas and for non-residential community safe rooms. The registered 

design professional can help safe room operators understand ADA 

requirements and assist the owner/operator of the safe room in 

developing the operations plan. Developing a sound operations plan 

is extremely important if compliance with ADA at the safe room site 

requires the use of lifts, elevators, ramps, or other considerations for 

safe rooms that are not directly accessible to non-ambulatory persons.

The Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, including Section 504, 

Programs, Services and Activities 

(29 U.S.C. § 794) 

Federal agencies and those receiving Federal assistance must ensure that their programs are usable and accessible 

to persons with disabilities. Compliance may include making changes to policies, practices, procedures, and 

structures as a reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities in accordance with Section 504. Section 

504 also applies to organizations and entities that receive Federal monies distributed through State or local 

agencies (sub-recipients).

B5.2.1.4.1 Travel Time and Access

Travel time and access are an important element of safe room design. If obstructions exist along the travel route, 

or if the safe room is cluttered with non-essential equipment and storage items, access to the safe room will be 

impeded. Travel time may be especially important when safe room users have disabilities that affect their mobility 

and may need assistance from others to reach the safe room. In addition, wheelchair users may need a particular 

MORE INFORMATION

For more information about providing for the needs of persons with 

disabilities during emergencies, refer to FEMA’s United States Fire 

Administration publication, Emergency 

Procedures for Employees with 

Disabilities in Office Occupancies (FA 

154, undated).

EVACUATION ORDERS

Use and occupancy of a residential 

safe room is at the discretion of the 

safe room occupant. Compliance with 

FEMA residential safe room design recommendations should not be seen as 

a waiver or variance from the Federal 

Government to disregard or not comply 

with a mandatory evacuation order issued by local emergency management 

officials or the AHJ.

Note
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B5-7 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B

route that accommodates wheelchairs. The designer should consider these factors in the initial safe room 

planning phase and provide the shortest possible access time and most accessible route for all potential safe room 

occupants. 

B5.2.1.4.2 Access and Functional Needs 

Public safe rooms must meet the accessibility requirements of the 

ADA and have a schematic identifying accessible pathways from 

the safe room entrance, accessible bathrooms, sites for backup 

power and electrical hookup to power necessary equipment, 

and where refrigeration is located. For guidance, refer to the 

ADA Checklist for Emergency Shelters, (www.ada.gov/pcatoolkit/

chap7shelterchk.htm) and 2010 (or most current) ADA Standards 

for Accessible Design (“2010 Standards” or “Standards,” www.ada.

gov/regs2010/2010ADAStandards/2010ADAStandards_prt.pdf).” 

The 2010 Standards set minimum requirements, both scoping and 

technical, for newly designed and constructed or altered State and 

local government facilities, public accommodations, and commercial 

facilities to be readily accessible to and usable by individuals with 

disabilities. 

Strict requirements on issues such as egress, emergency lighting, and 

detection-alarm-communication systems are presented in Chapter 

10 of the IBC and in the National Fire Protection Association 

(NFPA) Life Safety Code (NFPA 101) for health care facilities. The 

requirements for egress distances, door widths, and locking devices 

on doors for health care occupancies are more restrictive than those 

for occupancy classifications in non-health care facilities. Health care 

facilities also have additional requirements for automatic fire doors, 

maximum allowable room sizes, and maximum allowable distances 

to egress points. The need to consider the combination of all these 

requirements may lead to the decision to construct multiple small 

safe rooms in a health care facility rather than one large safe room. 

B5.2.2 Residential Safe Rooms (Reference: ICC 500 Sec 502) 

A residential safe room is defined as a safe room serving occupants of dwelling units and having an occupant 

load not exceeding 16 persons. The ICC 500 criteria for maximum population density per usable floor area in 

residential safe rooms are described below and included in Table B5-3 to benefit planners who may not have access 

to ICC 500 and to provide specific context for the commentary. 

ICC 500 Section 502.4 requires a minimum of 3 square feet per person and 7 square feet per person for tornado 

and hurricane residential safe rooms, respectively, for one- and two-family dwellings. For residential safe rooms 

serving other types of dwellings, a minimum of 5 square feet per person and 10 square feet per person for tornado 

and hurricane safe rooms, respectively, is required.

MORE INFORMATION

For considerations related to planning 

safe rooms that may house occupants 

with access and functional needs, refer 

to Guidance on Planning for Integration 

of Functional Needs Support Services 

in General Population Shelters (FEMA 

2010), which can be accessed at www.

fema.gov/pdf/about/odic/fnss_guidance.pdf.

FEMA SAFE ROOM

To be considered a FEMA safe room, 

the structure must be designed and 

constructed to the guidelines specified in Part B of this publication and 

meet the requirements of all applicable Federal, State, and local codes. 

Note
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B5-8 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B

Table B5-3. Occupant Density for Residential Safe Rooms 

TYPE OF SAFE ROOM MINIMUM USABLE FLOOR AREA 

IN SQUARE FEET PER SAFE ROOM OCCUPANT

Tornado

One- and Two-Family Dwelling 3

Other Residential 5

Hurricane

One- and Two-Family Dwelling 7

Other Residential 10

Calculation of usable floor area of a residential safe room (Reference: ICC 500 Sec 502.4.1)

The usable safe room floor area should be the gross floor area, minus the area of sanitary facilities or other items 

that impede usage of the safe room area, if any, and should include the protected occupant area between the safe 

room walls at the level of fixed seating, where fixed seating exists.

Number of doors for a residential safe room (Reference: ICC 500 Sec 502.2)

The number of doors as means of egress from the safe room should be determined based on the occupant load 

for the normal occupancy of the space in accordance with the applicable building code. An emergency escape 

opening, in addition to the egress door, is not required.

B5.2.3 Locks and Latching (Reference: ICC 500 Sec 503)

Model building codes and life-safety codes often include strict requirements for securing doors in public areas 

(areas with assembly classifications). These codes often require panic bar hardware, single-release mechanisms, 

or other hardware requirements. For example, the 2015 IBC and the NFPA life-safety codes requires panic 

bar hardware on doors with a lock or latch for assembly and educational occupancies of 50 persons or more. 

The registered design professional will need to establish what door hardware is required and what hardware is 

permitted.

Furthermore, most codes will not permit primary or supplemental locking mechanisms that require more than 

one action to achieve egress, such as deadbolts, to be placed on the door of any area with an assembly occupancy 

classification, even if the intended use would only be during an extreme-wind event. This restriction is also 

common for school occupancy classifications.

Please refer to Section B8.2.4.1 for commentary related to safe room door latch performance under pressure and 

missile impact.

WARNING

If panic hardware is used on a safe room door (and in many cases, they may be required by code), the swing of the door 

should be such that the placement of panic devices are on the interior of the safe room. Push bars are activated with 

only 15 pounds of force, so when placed on the exterior of the safe room they are likely to be triggered by high wind pressures or wind-borne debris, allowing the door to open. 

Additionally, doors with hardware trim on the exterior should have a locking mechanism that disables the exterior door 

handle so that debris hitting the door handle will not unlatch the hardware and potentially open the door. 
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B5-9 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B

B5.2.4 Signage for Community Safe Rooms (Reference: ICC 500 Sec 504) 

Besides the specific signage requirements detailed in Section B1.2.4 and ICC 500 Section 108.1 that require all 

safe rooms, community and residential, to have signage with design information, community safe rooms are also 

required to have additional signage, as follows:

1. An entrance sign at every entrance to the safe room, indicating “Tornado Safe Room” or “Hurricane 

Safe Room.”

2. An identifying sign, different from the entrance sign, depicting the general location of the safe room(s) and 

access ways. Identifying signs should be posted in prominent locations 60 inches above the finished floor to the 

centerline of the sign. An identifying sign is required in each of the following locations: 

a. Adjacent to access doors on the inside of the safe room

b. The office of the facility manager, if present

c. In the designated safe room manager’s area within the safe room, if present

The community should alert its citizens to the presence of a public 

community safe room that is open to the public (refer to Section 

A4.3), including installing signs and publishing information on 

the safe room location, access routes, and the key personnel and 

associated contact information. 

It is imperative for people to be able to reach community safe rooms quickly and without chaos. Main pathways 

should be marked to direct users to the community safe room. The interior or exterior of the community safe 

room should have a sign that clearly identifies the building as a community safe room, indicating whether it is a 

tornado, hurricane, or combined community safe room. All signage should conform to the requirements of ICC 

A117.1, Accessible and Usable Buildings and Facilities (ICC 2009). For more information on signage considerations 

from an operations perspective, see Section A4.3.2. 

Building Signage at Schools and Places of Work 

Signage for safe rooms at schools and places of work should be clearly posted and should direct occupants through 

the building or from building to building. If the safe room is open to the general public, a placard should be 

placed on the outside of the building designating it as a safe room (see Table B1-7 for examples). The sign should 

say whether the facility is a tornado, hurricane, or combined community safe room.

If the safe room is not open to the public, no placard should be placed on the exterior of the building. A safe 

room sign on the exterior of a non-public safe room is misleading, and may result in an undesired response from 

the public. 

CROSS-REFERENCE

For more information on signage, refer 

to Section A4.3. 
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B6-1 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B

CHAPTER B6

Fire Safety

This chapter uses Chapter 6 of ICC 500 as the referenced standard. This chapter also includes FEMA 

supplemental commentary on fire safety based on many years of field observations and investigations 

related to safe room performance.

Criteria

Safe rooms should be designed and constructed in accordance with the fire safety provisions of Chapter 6 in 

ICC 500. FEMA does not recommend any additional criteria.

FEMA Supplemental Commentary 

FEMA offers the following commentary and background information as supplemental guidance to the registered 

design professional for the criteria referenced in ICC 500 Chapter 6. 

Fire Protection and Life Safety (Reference: ICC 500 Sec 601) 

Safe rooms should comply with the fire protection and life-safety requirements of the model building code, the 

State code, or the local code (whichever is most stringent) governing construction in the jurisdiction where the 

safe room is constructed. 

Safe room occupant load: For single-use safe rooms, the model building codes, life-safety codes, and engineering 

standards do not have square footage requirements or occupancy classifications. For multi-use safe rooms, the 

codes and standards address occupancy classifications and square footage requirements for the normal use of 

the safe room. The designer is advised to comply with all fire and life-safety code requirements for either the safe 

room occupant load or the normal use load, whichever is more stringent. 

Fire barriers and horizontal assemblies: For community safe rooms, the ICC 500 requires fire barriers and 

horizontal assemblies separating spaces or areas designated as storm shelters from other building areas to have a 

minimum fire-resistance rating of 2 hours and be constructed in accordance with the applicable building code. 

Fire separation assemblies are not required for residential safe rooms or storm shelters.

Fire suppression systems: Guidance and requirements concerning fire protection systems are published in the 

model building codes and life-safety codes. Depending on the occupancy classification of the safe room (in 

normal use), automatic sprinkler systems may or may not be required. For safe rooms with automatic sprinkler 

systems, best practice considerations include providing a direct underground water supply to the safe room to 

decrease vulnerability to breakage from wind-borne debris. Storm-damaged water supply lines may result in a 

non-operating sprinkler system. 
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B6-2 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B PART B

Any fire suppression system specified for use in safe rooms should be appropriate for use in an enclosed 

environment with human occupancy. If a fire occurs during a tornado or hurricane, it may not be possible for 

occupants of the safe room to ventilate the building immediately after the discharge of the fire suppression system. 

Fire Extinguishers (Reference: ICC 500 Sec 602) 

Community safe rooms should contain fire extinguishers (number 

based on occupancy type) appropriate for use in a closed 

environment with human occupancy, surface-mounted on the safe 

room wall. In no case should a fire extinguisher cabinet or enclosure 

be recessed into the interior face of the exterior wall of the safe 

room, unless the exterior wall has been designed to resist the design 

wind pressure and wind-borne debris impact with the recess present. 

This is necessary to ensure the integrity of the safe room walls is not 

compromised by the installation of fire extinguishers.

MORE INFORMATION

Section 4.4, Emergency Planning and 

Emergency Supply Kit, of FEMA P-320 

recommends that residential safe 

rooms be equipped with an ABC-rated 

fire extinguisher.

ABC refers to fires originating from 

three types of sources: A – paper, 

wood, or fabric; B – gasoline or oil; or 

C – electrical.
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B7-1 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B

CHAPTER B7

Essential Features and Accessories

This chapter uses Chapter 7 of ICC 500 as the referenced 

standard and includes a list of Recommended Criteria FEMA 

has identified as more conservative than the provisions 

found in Chapter 7 of ICC 500. This chapter also includes FEMA 

supplemental commentary on essential features and accessories 

based on many years of field observations and investigations related 

to safe room performance. 

Essential features and accessories include occupancy duration, 

ventilation, sanitation management, lighting, emergency power, water 

supply, communications equipment, and emergency supplies. 

B7.1 Criteria

Safe room essential features and accessories should be designed and constructed in accordance with the provisions 

of Chapter 7 in ICC 500 with the exception of FEMA’s Recommended Criteria as shown in Table B7-1. 

Table B7-1. Comparison of ICC 500 Requirements to FEMA Recommended Criteria

ICC 500 REFERENCE ICC 500 REQUIREMENT FOR 

STORM SHELTERS

FEMA RECOMMENDED CRITERIA 

FOR SAFE ROOMS (a)

Section 702.4 First aid kit A first aid kit shall be supplied in all 

tornado shelters with a shelter occupant 

load of greater than 50.

A first aid kit rated for the number of 

safe room occupants, as listed in 

the construction documents, shall be 

supplied in all tornado safe rooms. 

Section 703.7First aid kit A first aid kit shall be supplied in all 

community hurricane shelters.

A first aid kit rated for the number of 

safe room occupants, as listed in 

the construction documents, shall be 

supplied in all hurricane safe rooms. 

Bolded text denotes differences between the ICC 500 Requirement and the FEMA Recommended Criteria. 

Table notes:

(a) Table only lists differences between FEMA P-361 and ICC 500 Chapter 7. All ICC 500 Chapter 7 requirements not listed in the table should also 

be met in their entirety.

FEMA SAFE ROOM GRANT 

REQUIREMENTS 

Whenever a safe room is constructed using FEMA grant funds, the 

Recommended Criteria in Section B7.1 

become requirements in addition to the 

requirements of ICC 500 Chapter 7. 
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B7-2 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B PART B

B7.2 FEMA Supplemental Commentary 

FEMA offers the following commentary and background 

information as supplemental guidance to the registered design 

professional for the criteria referenced in Chapter 7 of ICC 500. 

B7.2.1 Occupancy Duration 

Occupancy duration is an important factor that influences many 

aspects of safe room design, and it varies depending on the event 

for which the safe room is designed. 

Since the guidance in this publication is intended to be for a 

cost-effective safe room, the Recommended Criteria shown in 

Table B7-1 do not include some items that could be incorporated 

to increase occupant comfort. However, examples of items that 

might help to make safe rooms more comfortable and functional 

during an event are discussed in this chapter, listed in Section 

A4.4.3, Emergency Supplies, and presented in in the sample O&M 

plans found on the FEMA safe room website at www.fema.gov/

example-operations-and-maintenance-plans-community-saferooms.

Tornado safe rooms 

Occupancy duration in a tornado is typically 2 hours, much less than expected for a hurricane safe room. 

This short timespan allows for fewer provisions to provide occupancy comfort including sanitation, water 

supply, ventilation, and backup power. However, it is not unusual for tornado safe room occupancy duration to 

exceed 2 hours. For example, in the tornado outbreak in the spring of 2011, tornado warnings were occurring 

throughout the day and many safe rooms were occupied for much longer than 2 hours. A best practice would 

be to consider potentially longer occupancies for some provisions. In some cases, higher standards related to 

safe room occupant comfort may even be required by the AHJ (e.g., school district). 

Hurricane safe rooms 

Hurricane safe rooms typically have an occupancy time of up to 24 hours; however, it could be up to 2 or 3 

days for very slow moving storms.1 For this reason, the occupants of a hurricane safe room need more space 

and comfort measures than the occupants of a tornado safe room.

B7.2.2 Ventilation (Reference: ICC 500 Sec 702.1 and 703.1) 

Ventilation for a safe room should comply with the building code or ordinances adopted by the local 

jurisdiction; the designer should use the current edition of IBC or IRC if the AHJ has not adopted a 

building code. 

Ventilation 

For safe rooms, ventilation criteria are driven by the IBC (with specific reference to Chapter 4 of the 

International Mechanical Code®) or IRC and Sections 702.1 and 703.1 of ICC 500 for tornado and hurricane 

safe rooms, respectively. If the normal-use occupancy of the multi-use safe room is used to design the 

1 If the safe room will be used for a recovery shelter after the hurricane passes, the occupancy may be for several days. If also used as a recovery 

shelter, there are additional design and operation considerations that are beyond the scope of this publication.

CROSS-REFERENCE

For more information on occupancy 

density for both tornado and hurricane 

safe rooms, see Sections B5.2.1 and 

B5.2.2.

EMERGENCY SUPPLIES

Refer to Section A4.4.3 for a list of recommended emergency supplies. 

Note
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B7-3 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B

mechanical ventilation system, the requirements of ICC 500 must still be satisfied either by designing protection 

for the mechanical systems (including all required components and standby power sources) to protect them from 

the safe room design event (see HVAC information below) or by ensuring enough openings are provided to meet 

ICC 500 passive ventilation criteria. Even if the mechanical system fails during an event when the space is used as a 

safe room, openings for the mechanical system may provide passive ventilation depending on the system. However, 

additional openings may be necessary. 

In communities that have not adopted a model building or mechanical code, adhering to the requirements of the 

current edition of the IBC is recommended. 

Air conditioning and heating

Mechanical systems that provide ventilation are typically part of larger systems that also supply air conditioning 

and heating. However, though heat may be required to prevent water lines from freezing for some safe rooms, air 

conditioning and heating system designs are not otherwise part of the criteria for safe rooms; therefore, they are 

not discussed in this publication (or the ICC 500). Although air conditioning and heating may increase occupant 

comfort, they are usually not necessary for life-safety protection from wind and wind-borne debris. 

If any HVAC component is required to meet ventilation requirements of ICC 500 Chapter 7, then those 

components, their connections, and required standby power sources would be classified as critical support systems 

(refer to Chapter B2, Definitions) and should be protected from safe room design event conditions.

Continued operation of essential equipment

When a safe room will be constructed in a building that supports medical or other life-critical operations, the 

designer should consider appropriate design, maintenance, and operations plans to ensure continuous operation 

of all critical mechanical and electrical equipment during and after a tornado or hurricane. Failure of the critical 

equipment in these buildings can have a severe effect on continuity of operations. 

B7.2.3 Sanitation Management (Reference: ICC 500 Sec 702.2 and 703.2) 

The minimum number of sanitation facilities – either toilets or hand-washing facilities – or tornado and hurricane 

safe rooms is specified in ICC 500, which also includes requirements that apply to safe room sanitation support 

systems. Sanitation support systems may include water supply to the safe room and/or waste containment devices 

like tanks or bladders. 

The safe room sanitation facilities support system must be capable of supplying water and containing waste for the 

design capacity of the safe room. Accordingly, the system should be protected underground or by an enclosure 

designed to the same criteria as the safe room since unprotected systems could become inoperable during 

extreme-wind events. If the safe room water supply is from a well, then the pump, pump house, and associated 

equipment need to be protected and have an alternate power supply. If the safe room is sited within a host 

MORE INFORMATION

Continuity of operations guidance for critical facilities struck by a tornado is provided in FEMA P-908, Recovery Advisory 

6, Critical Facilities Located in Tornado-Prone Regions: Recommendations for Architects and Engineers (2012). 

Another useful publication is FEMA P-424, Design Guide for Improving School Safety in Earthquakes, Floods and 

High Winds (2010).

For hurricane safe rooms, refer to FEMA P-577, Design Guide for Improving Hospital Safety in Earthquakes, Floods, and 

High Winds (2007). 
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B7-4 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B

building, a dedicated sanitation support system independent of the host building system may prove to be a 

cost-effective design strategy. 

For all single-use safe rooms, and multi-use safe rooms where the number of required sanitation facilities 

exceed the normal (alternate) use, additional sanitation facilities can include temporary sanitary fixtures, 

chemical toilets, or other means approved by the AHJ. Best practice includes providing a room or private area 

where toilets may be used; this privacy may be possible through the use of portable screens. Designers should 

include at least one toilet that meets ADA requirements for community safe rooms.

Residential safe rooms (tornado and hurricane) serving one- and two-family dwellings are not required to 

have toilet facilities, but residential safe rooms serving other dwelling types are required to have at least one 

toilet. Hand-washing facilities are not required for residential safe rooms.

Tornado community safe rooms

Although the short duration of a tornado might suggest that toilets and hand-washing facilities are not 

essential for a tornado safe room, safe room owners are advised to provide both for safe room occupants in 

accordance with Table 702.2 of ICC 500. Tornado community safe rooms that serve from 51 to 500 occupants 

should have a minimum of two toilets, but a single toilet is allowed for smaller safe rooms (50 occupants or 

less). One additional toilet is required for every additional 500 occupants (or potion thereof). For example, a 

minimum of three toilets would be needed for a tornado community safe room designed to protect from 501 

to 1000 occupants.

Tornado community safe rooms having more than 50 occupants require at least one hand-washing facility for 

every 1000 occupants.

Hurricane community safe rooms

Hurricane safe room owners should install sanitation facilities 

in accordance with ICC 500 Table 703.2. Because of the long 

duration of hurricanes, more toilets and hand-washing facilities 

are required in hurricane community safe rooms than tornado 

community safe rooms when designed to protect more than 100 

occupants. Instead of one additional toilet per 500 occupants (or 

portion thereof), hurricane community safe rooms must provide 

one additional toilet facility for every additional 50 occupants. 

For example, two toilets are needed for a hurricane safe room 

designed to protect 100 occupants, but three are needed when it 

is designed for 101 to 150 occupants. Similarly, one hand-washing 

facility is required for hurricane community safe rooms designed 

to accommodate greater than 50 occupants, with one additional 

facility required for every 100 occupants. 

B7.2.4 Lighting (Reference: ICC 500 Sec 702.3 and 703.4) 

Spaces designated for emergency use (such as a safe room), are required by code to have emergency lighting. 

This applies to emergency lighting for assembly occupancies in multi-use facilities. Natural lighting provided 

by windows and doors is often a local design requirement, but is not required by the IBC for assembly 

occupancies. A reliable lighting system in a community safe room will help calm safe room occupants during a 

disaster. Failing to provide proper illumination in a safe room may make it difficult for the owners/operators 

to minimize the agitation and stress of the safe room occupants during the event.

MORE INFORMATION

FEMA and American Red Cross publications about food and water storage 

in safe rooms are available at www.

fema.gov and www.redcross.org. 

FEMA P-543, Design Guide for 

Improving Critical Facility Safety from 

Flooding and High Winds (FEMA, 2007) 

has guidance on continuity of water 

service for critical facilities and notes 

that bottled water may suffice for facilities that only need drinking water for 

occupants. 
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B7-5 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B

A standby power source for lighting is essential during a disaster because the main power source is often disrupted. 

A battery-powered system is recommended as the standby power source because it can be located, and fully 

protected, within the safe room with relative ease, although for hurricane safe rooms, a more significant standby 

power supply (i.e., an emergency generator) is recommended (see also Section B7.2.5). Flashlights stored in 

cabinets are useful as a secondary lighting provision, but should not be used as the primary backup lighting system 

with the exception of tornado residential safe rooms and community safe rooms with less than 50 occupants (see 

ICC 500, Chapter 7). If the emergency generator is not contained within the safe room, it should be protected with 

an enclosure designed to the same criteria as the safe room.

B7.2.5 Standby (Emergency) Power (Reference: ICC 500 Sec 702.3, 703.4, 703.5 and 703.6) 

Safe rooms designed for tornadoes and hurricanes will have 

different standby (emergency) power needs. These needs are based 

upon the length of time the safe rooms will be occupied. The standby 

power systems and all associated components essential to operating 

the system should be protected from the safe room design event 

conditions. Associated components may include fuel supply, transfer 

switch, distribution panel, and wiring between the generator and safe 

room. Such protection is especially important if the generator is not 

located adjacent to the safe room and connections will be exposed 

to hazard conditions between the generator and the safe room. 

Generators usually should not be placed underground because of 

considerations related to maintenance access, exhaust, cooling, and 

potential for flooding. 

Tornado safe rooms

ICC 500 requires standby power systems to be designed to provide the required output capacity for a minimum of 

2 hours and to support the mechanical ventilation system, when applicable.

For tornado safe rooms, the most critical use of standby power is for lighting (see Section B7.2.4). Standby power 

may also be required to meet the ventilation recommendations described in Section B7.2.2. Safe rooms used 

by specific occupant groups (medical facilities etc.) may have user-specific needs for additional standby power. 

However, most tornado community safe rooms do not require additional standby power beyond the requirements 

of ICC 500. 

Hurricane safe rooms

ICC 500 requires the standby electrical system to have sufficient capacity to power all the required critical support 

systems and circuits at the same time continuously for a minimum of 24 hours.

For hurricane community safe rooms, the local building code may require standby power for both lighting and 

ventilation. Since provision of standby power is particularly important for safe rooms in hospitals and other 

residential care facilities, ICC 500 requires a standby power for life safety systems. Emergency generators, along 

with their fuel tanks and associated connections, should be protected with an enclosure designed to the same 

criteria as the safe room. 

B7.2.6 Water Supply (Reference: ICC Sec 703.3) 

ICC 500 requirements related to protection of water supply when required for sanitation support (refer to Section 

B7.2.3) should also apply when relied upon to satisfy safe room potable water requirements. If the water supply 

MORE INFORMATION

Extensive flood damage to equipment 

located in sub-grade portions of buildings was observed by the FEMA MAT 

after Hurricane Sandy (see Section 

4.1.3, Critical Building Systems, of 

FEMA P-942, Hurricane Sandy in New 

Jersey and New York [FEMA 2013]).
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B7-6 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B

source is a well, then the wellhead, pump house, and power supply should also be protected from the safe 

room design event conditions.

Tornado safe rooms

Despite the typically short duration of occupancy for tornado safe rooms, as a best practice, potable water 

should be made available as needed for all safe room occupants. In some cases, bottled water may be an 

economical option. 

Hurricane safe rooms

Providing safe drinking water in hurricane safe rooms is especially important because of the potentially long 

duration of occupancy. ICC 500 Section 703.3 specifies requirements for potable water supply and wastewater 

storage for hurricane storm shelters designed to accommodate more than 50 occupants, though as a best 

practice, potable water should be provided in all safe rooms. 

Water storage capacity should be included in the design of the safe room, and water storage and distribution 

should be addressed in the operations plan for the safe room. FEMA P-543, Design Guide for Improving Critical 

Facility Safety from Flooding and High Winds (FEMA, 2007) has guidance on continuity of water service for 

critical facilities and notes that bottled water may suffice for facilities that only need drinking water for 

occupants. 
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B8-1 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B

CHAPTER B8

Test Methods for Impact and 

Pressure Testing

This chapter uses Chapter 8 of ICC 500 as the referenced standard and includes FEMA supplemental 

commentary based on many years of field observations and investigations related to safe room 

performance.

B8.1 Criteria

Impact and pressure testing should be conducted in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 8 in ICC 500. 

FEMA does not recommend any additional criteria.

B8.2 FEMA Supplemental Commentary 

This chapter discusses the research performed to identify the representative test missiles to use for tornado and 

hurricane hazards and the speeds at which these representative missiles should be tested. It provides direction on 

how to test building components to resist wind pressures using the test protocols outlined in Chapter B3 for both 

tornado and hurricane hazards using ICC 500 Chapter 8 test procedures. This chapter also gives insight into the 

performance characteristics of different wall, roof, door, glazing, and other protective systems. The systems have 

been tested to meet the most restrictive design criteria (a test missile represented by a 15-pound 2x4 wood board 

[2x4] traveling horizontally at 100 mph).

Because of the limited research and testing done with regard to the effects of debris impact on buildings and 

building components intended to provide life-safety protection, much of what is presented in this chapter is based 

on the testing and use of a 15-pound 2x4 traveling horizontally at 100 mph. Many products have been tested 

and approved to meet lower debris impact design criteria (i.e., a 9-pound 2x4 traveling horizontally at 34 mph). 

However, those systems are not presented here because they do not meet the protection criteria for life safety, nor 

can they provide similar levels of protection at impact. This chapter provides information on the performance of 

safe rooms, safe room envelope components, and impact protective systems in resisting debris impact. It links that 

performance to testing that has been performed at universities that conduct research on this topic. However, any 

products and systems described or referenced herein still need to be verified to comply with Chapter 8 of ICC 500.
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B8-2 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B PART B

B8.2.1 Wind-borne Debris in Tornadoes and Hurricanes 

The quantity, size, and force of wind-borne debris 

generated by tornadoes and hurricanes are 

unequaled by those generated in other windstorms. 

Wind-borne debris is a danger to buildings because 

it can damage structural elements or breach the 

building envelope and injure or kill occupants. 

Although there is a substantial body of knowledge 

on penetration and perforation of small, high-speed 

projectiles (such as bullets and other ammunition), 

relatively little testing has been performed on lowerspeed missiles representative of wind-borne debris. In 

the design of community safe rooms, wind pressures 

are likely to govern the structural design, including 

the exterior wall and roof structure. However, 

the design of door and glazing assemblies are 

typically governed by missile impact requirements. 

Consequently, after the safe room has been designed 

to withstand wind pressures, the proposed wall and 

roof sections should be tested for impact resistance 

from missiles. 

Although safe room doors are designed to resist 

test missiles, a door may be struck by debris that has 

greater momentum than the test missile. If a missile 

breaches the building envelope, wind may enter and 

increase the internal pressure of the building 

(Figure B8-1). Therefore, as a conservative 

measure, best practices in Section B3.2.4.2.2 

recommend the use of the internal pressure 

coefficient for partially enclosed buildings. 

Most experts group wind-borne debris into three classifications. Table B8-1 lists the classifications, presents 

examples of debris, and describes observed damage to buildings that were not designed as safe rooms. Figures 

B8-2 and B8-3 show examples of medium debris. Figures B3-13 through B3-17 and B8-4 through B8-9 show 

examples of large debris. 

Figure B8-1. Metal door breached by wind-borne debris (this 

door was not designed to resist debris). 

(Tuscaloosa, AL, 2011 tornado) 

(SOURCE: FEMA P-908) 
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B8-3 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B

Table B8-1. Wind-borne Debris Classifications for Tornadoes and Hurricanes

DEBRIS SIZE TYPICAL DEBRIS OBSERVED DAMAGE

Small 

(Light Weight)

Roof aggregate, roof shingles, tree limbs, 

pieces of wood framing members, bricks

Broken glazing and punctured roof 

coverings 

Medium 

(Medium Weight)

Appliances, HVAC units, long wood framing 

members, wood sheathing, steel decking, 

dumpsters, pieces of roof coverings, 

furniture

Breached doors, punctures through wall and 

roof assemblies 

Large 

(Heavy Weight)

Structural columns, beams, joists, roof 

trusses, precast concrete panels, large 

tanks, vehicles, trees

Punctures/crushing of wall and roof 

assemblies, spalling from the interior side of 

concrete and CMU walls and concrete roofs 

Note:

HVAC = heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning

CMU = concrete masonry units

Figure B8-2. Medium debris: 

Pieces of a built-up roof from 

Hurricane Katrina 

(MS, 2005)

(SOURCE: FEMA P-424) 
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B8-4 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B

Figure B8-3. Medium debris: 

Double 2x6 wood boards (red 

arrow) sticking 13 feet out of the 

roof. The boards penetrated a 

ballasted EPDM roof membrane, 

3 inches of polyisocyanurate 

insulation, and a steel roof deck. 

The yellow arrow indicates a 

16-foot-long 2x10 wood board. 

(Moore, OK, 1999 tornado) 

(SOURCE: FEMA P-342) 

Figure B8-4. Large debris: Steel 

beam that blew into a school 

(Greensburg, KS, 2007 tornado) 
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B8-5 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B

Figure B8-5. Large debris: Steel 

roof trusses that blew off a school 

(U.S. Virgin Islands, 1995 

Hurricane Marilyn) 

(SOURCE: FEMA P-424) 

Figure B8-6. Large debris: Roof 

precast twin tees (red arrows) 

blew off a hospital and struck 

another portion of the building 

(see inset; yellow arrow shows 

direction of view). One of these 

flew approximately 80 feet. The 

building damage at this site was 

indicative of an EF3 tornado. 

(Greensburg, KS, 2007 tornado) 

(SOURCE: FEMA P-577) 
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B8-6 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B

Figure B8-7. Large debris: Propane 

tank that was blown from its 

original location. 

(Midwest tornadoes, 2007) 

Figure B8-8. Large debris: A 

school bus was lifted atop a 

school. 

(Caledonia, MS, tornado, 2008) 

Figure B8-9. Large debris: 

Laydown of a large tree onto a 

nursing home. 

(Tuscaloosa, AL, 2011 tornado)

(SOURCE: FEMA P-908, RECOVERY 

ADVISORY 6)
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B8-7 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B

B8.2.1.1 Debris Potential at Safe Room Sites 

Debris impacting buildings during tornadoes and hurricanes can originate from the building itself (Figures 

B8-1, B8-2, B8-5, and B8-6). As buildings break apart, roof and wall coverings are typically the first elements 

to fail. However, as shown in Figure B3-15, failure sometimes initiates when the entire roof structure blows off. 

With loss of the roof structure or roof decking, exterior walls are often blown down. During violent tornadoes, 

failure progresses until many or all of the interior walls are also blown away. Debris can also originate from the 

surrounding area (Figures B8-3 and B8-7 through B8-9). 

During safe room design development, the registered design professional should review the site vicinity to assess 

potential wind-borne debris sources and laydown and collapse hazards (as discussed in Section B3.2.5.5). In urban, 

suburban, and forested rural areas, the designer should assume that small and medium wind-borne debris (as 

classified in Table B8-1) will likely occur in the vicinity of the safe room. Figure B8-10 illustrates the quantity, size, 

and type of wind-borne debris that is often generated by a strong or violent tornado in urban and suburban areas. 

The wind-borne debris performance criteria in Section B3.2.5 of this publication are sufficiently conservative for 

small and medium classes of wind-borne debris. The criteria are also sufficiently conservative for large classes of 

debris if design provisions are made to avoid spalling from the interior side of concrete and concrete masonry unit 

(CMU) walls and concrete roofs (see Section B3.2.5.5). Lay-down of very large towers (Figure B3-12) or impact of 

exceptionally large debris may generate loads that exceed the performance criteria described in Chapter B3. If a 

site-specific analysis identifies the potential for exceptionally large debris, the designer should consider adjusting 

the location of the proposed safe room or further strengthening the safe room (see Section B3.2.5.5). 

B8.2.1.2 Representative Missiles for Debris Impact Testing

This section presents historical background information on the basis for selecting tornado and hurricane test 

missiles.

Figure B8-10. Representative 

quantity, size, and type of debris 

that is often generated by a 

strong or violent tornado. The 

building damage at this site was 

indicative of an EF3 tornado. 

(Greensburg, KS, 2007)

(SOURCE: FEMA P-577) 
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B8-8 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B

As previously discussed and shown in several figures, the size, mass, and speed of wind-borne debris in tornadoes 

and hurricanes varies widely. However, debris velocity has been measured directly only a few times. Such 

measurements require using photogrammetric techniques to analyze videos of tornadoes that show identifiable 

debris. Unfortunately, very few studies (in the field or using photogrammetry) have been done to produce a more 

technically documented choice for the representative test missiles. For this reason, choosing the test missiles that a 

safe room should be designed to withstand is somewhat subjective. Based on 30 years of post-disaster investigations 

after tornadoes and hurricanes, the NWI1 at TTU concluded by 1999 that the missile that best represents tornado 

wind-borne debris likely to perforate common building assemblies is a 2x4 weighing up to 15 pounds 

(FEMA 342, 1999).

The trajectories of wind-borne debris of various shapes have been the subject of research at TTU, University of 

Florida, Louisiana State University, and the University of Western Ontario.2 Some of this research is further 

discussed in Section B8.2.2.1. This work includes trajectory trials on wind-tunnel models and validated numerical 

models. As part of this work, debris was categorized by its shape and flying characteristics into “compact,” “rod,” 

and “plate/sheet” types. Compact objects, usually generalized as cubes or spheres, are driven by wind drag forces; 

they have downward-directed trajectories from their initial point of flight and often hit the ground before hitting 

a downwind building. On the other hand, the rod and plate types are subjected to significant lift forces and can 

fly up before eventually attaining a downward trajectory under the influence of gravity. Therefore, the rod and 

plate types have more potential to stay in flight and accelerate to damaging horizontal speeds before impacting 

a downwind building. These characteristics are consistent with the observed distances traveled and damage 

observed after tornadoes and hurricanes.

The test missile chosen for much of the research on minimizing building damage or protecting building 

occupants is a nominal 2x4. This test missile was selected based on numerous tornado and hurricane 

investigations, which found that much of the wind-borne debris consisted of wood boards that came from 

buildings that were torn apart by wind-induced pressures or other wind-borne debris. The 2x4 was selected as the 

test missile to represent a variety of damaging plate/sheet and rod type objects that have been commonly observed 

during tornado and hurricane investigations. These objects include roof tile, roof sheathing and decking, and 

metal roof panels, as well as wood studs, joists, and rafters. Furthermore, the 2x4 has more perforation potential 

than many other common types of debris, including 2x6 wood boards (Figure B8-11) of the same length traveling 

at the same speed (although, as shown at Figures B8-3 and B8-11, 2x6s do have significant perforation potential.) 

Based on the foregoing, a 2x4 board was chosen as the test missile for safe room design. The speed with which 

wind-borne debris travels is a function of the type of wind (straight-line, tornado, or hurricane) as well as the wind 

speed. The speeds of the test missiles are discussed in Section B8.2.2.

Although large pieces of wind-borne debris are often found in the aftermath of tornadoes and hurricanes, heavy 

pieces of debris that become airborne are not likely to be carried at speeds as fast as test missiles. Therefore, if 

large missiles (as classified in Table B8-1) become airborne, they are less likely than the test missile to perforate a 

safe room. However, laydown of very large towers (Figure B3-12) or collapse impact of exceptionally large debris 

may allow debris to enter the safe room (see Section B3.2.5.5). 

1 Formerly the WISE Research Center.

2 This research includes James R. McDonald, Rationale for Wind-Borne Missile Criteria for DOE Facilities, Institute for Disaster Research, Texas 

Tech University, September 1999; Bahareh Kordi, Gabriel Traczuk, and Gregory A. Kopp, “Effects of wind direction on the flight trajectories of roof 

sheathing panels under high winds,” Wind and Structures, Vol. 13, No. 2, 2010, pp. 145–167; and Bahareh Kordi and Gregory A. Kopp, “Effects of 

initial conditions on the flight of wind-borne plate debris,” Journal of Wind Engineering and Industrial Aerodynamics, 2011, pp. 601–614.
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B8-9 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B

B8.2.1.2.1 Tornado Test Missile

Following the Oklahoma and Kansas tornado outbreaks of May 3, 1999, both FEMA and TTU investigated the 

tornado damage and debris fields and concluded that the 15-pound 2x4 test missile was reasonable for tornado 

safe room design (FEMA 342). A test missile larger than this does not appear justified at this time. 

B8.2.1.2.2 Hurricane Test Missile

None of the U.S. building codes or ASCE 7 addressed wind-borne debris at the time Hurricane Andrew struck 

South Florida in 1992. In the aftermath of that event, the 1994 edition of the South Florida Building Code 

(SFBC) adopted wind-borne debris requirements to protect exterior glazing to minimize building damage from 

the entrance of wind-driven rain and development of high internal pressure. Although the importance of glazing 

resistance to wind-borne debris had long been known, prior to Hurricane Andrew, building code officials were not 

receptive to adding glazing protection requirements to the model codes. 

The 1995 edition of ASCE 7 incorporated wind-borne debris 

provisions for portions of hurricane-prone regions. ASTM E1996 

(first published in 1999) specifies hurricane test missiles, including 

a steel ball (representing small roof aggregate) and 2x4s of various 

masses and test speeds. The 9-pound 2x4 (approximately 9 feet long) 

is the heaviest test missile in E1996. This is referred to as the “large 

hurricane test missile.” The 2000 edition of the IBC was the first U.S. 

model building code to adopt wind-borne debris provisions.

The SFBC, ASCE, and IBC wind-borne debris requirements were all 

developed and promulgated to minimize building damage rather 

than protect the occupants. Hence, because safe rooms are intended 

to provide occupant protection, the design (test) missile impact criteria given in Tables B3-5, B3-6, and B3-7 are 

more stringent than the impact criteria for other types of buildings. The hurricane safe room test missile is the 

same as the large test missile referenced in ASTM E1996 (i.e., 9-pound 2x4); however, the safe room test missile 

has a much higher impact test speed. 

Figure B8-11. Refrigerator 

pierced by a 2x6. The portion 

of the 2x6 that is visible was 

4 feet 8 inches long. It went 

several inches into the freezer 

compartment. 

(Oklahoma City, OK, 1999 

tornado) 

(SOURCE: FEMA P-342)

DESIGN TEST MISSILES

The first use of the 9-pound 2x4 as a design (test) missile dates back to 1975 

in the Darwin Area Building Manual 

(Darwin Reconstruction Commission). 

This building code provision was in response to the devastation caused in 

Australia by Tropical Cyclone Tracy 

in 1974.

Note
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B8-10 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B

B8.2.2 Resistance to Test Missile Loads and Successful Testing Criteria

After a safe room is designed to meet wind load requirements, its roof and wall assemblies, doors, glazing, and 

opening protective systems should be checked for resistance to missile impacts. Designing small residential 

safe rooms to resist wind loads is relatively straight forward.3 The biggest challenge for residential safe rooms is 

protecting them from missile perforation, as discussed in Chapter B3. 

For larger safe rooms, the design challenge is providing the structural integrity necessary to resist wind loads. 

Roofs with reinforced concrete and walls with reinforced concrete or reinforced masonry designed to resist safe 

room design wind loads normally prevent perforation by wind-borne debris.

Relationships between wind speeds and missile speeds have not been studied extensively. For a 250 mph wind 

speed (the highest safe room design wind speed), the horizontal speed of a 15-pound 2x4 test missile is calculated 

to be 100 mph based on a simulation program developed at TTU. The vertical speed of a falling 2x4 is considered 

to be two-thirds the horizontal missile speed, or 67 mph when the horizontal speed is 100 mph. 

Although 2x4s are not the only type of debris that is carried by tornadoes and hurricanes (as illustrated in 

Figures B8-2 and B8-11), the 2x4 test missiles specified in Tables B3-5 through B3-7 are considered reasonably 

representative for design and testing. This conclusion is based on numerous post-storm damage observations in 

which 2x4s were the type of wind-borne debris that most often perforated building assemblies. In considering 

perforation of a safe room’s roof and wall assemblies, doors, glazing, and impact protective systems, worst-case test 

conditions are assumed (i.e., blunt [square-faced] boards striking perpendicular to the test surface).4 

The horizontal wind speeds of all types of wind-borne debris increase progressively with distance traveled and 

duration of flight because the horizontal wind forces continue to act in the direction of the wind until the debris 

speed reaches the wind speed. However, the debris invariably strikes the ground or a building well before this 

speed is reached. Thus, the horizontal speed at which a given piece of debris strikes a building depends on several 

factors: the gust wind speed (most debris flight durations are less than 3 seconds), the weight and shape of the 

debris, the initial angle at release, and the distance it travels before impact. A discussion on the basis for the 

horizontal speeds of the test missiles is presented in Section B8.2.2.1.

B8.2.2.1 Debris Impact Test Speeds for Representative Missiles

Chapter B3 provides impact test speeds for tornado and hurricane safe room test missiles. The speeds at which 

the test missiles are propelled are correlated to the safe room design wind speed at a given site. For tornadoes, the 

horizontal test missile speed ranges from 80 to 100 mph. This range equals about 0.4 to 0.6 times the safe room 

design wind speed. For hurricanes, the horizontal test missile speed ranges from 80 to 118 mph. This range equals 

0.5 times the safe room design wind speed. The following section addresses how these test speeds were selected.

Experimental and numerical studies of rod-type wind-borne debris have shown how long it takes for debris to 

speed up while being propelled horizontally through the wind field (Holmes et al. 2005). The referenced research 

indicates that a 2x4 accelerates to about:

• 0.5 times the local 3-second gust wind speed after a distance of about 10 meters (33 feet) downwind from the 

source

• 0.6 times the 3-second gust speed after a distance of about 20 meters (66 feet)

• 0.8 times the 3-second gust speed after about 60 meters (197 feet)

3 A number of designs for safe rooms capable of withstanding a 250 mph design wind speed are presented in FEMA P-320 (2014).

4 Testing at TTU determined that blunt (square-faced) boards are more likely than pointed ones to perforate building assemblies.
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B8-11 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B

The closer to the ground the debris is during flight, the slower the debris speed because the surface roughness 

reduces the wind speed. Conversely, the farther from the ground the debris is during flight, the faster the debris 

speed. Therefore, when considering debris speed, an assumption must be made about what height the debris is 

released from. A simplistic approach is to assume the same elevation used for the design wind speed: 33 feet above 

grade. Alternatively, instead of considering the debris speed as a function of its elevation above grade, the debris 

speed can be assumed to be constant (regardless of height) as detailed in the paper referenced above, Holmes et 

al. (2005).

Hurricane winds are considered straight-line winds without an upward component of velocity (which is a distinct 

difference between tornado and hurricane wind fields). Hurricane winds also reach their maximum speed more 

slowly than tornadoes and there is no sudden APC in hurricanes. The wind speed at the time wind-borne debris 

is released can be much faster in tornadoes than in hurricanes, so tornado debris can travel farther. As a result, 

a constant ratio (or factor) of the design wind speed for the horizontal test missile speed is used in designing 

hurricane safe rooms. Conversely, design of tornado safe rooms uses a gradation of test missile speeds as a 

function of the design wind speed as presented in Table B3-4 (i.e., the test missile varies from 0.400 to 0.615 times 

the safe room design wind speed).

The paper titled “Trajectories of Wind-Borne Debris in Horizontal Winds and Applications to Impact Testing” 

(Lin 2007) was considered specifically in determining an appropriate factor to be applied to the hurricane safe 

room design wind speed to generate the hurricane horizontal test missile speed. The Lin paper built on the 

findings described above (Holmes et al. [2005]) and demonstrated that a 2x4 test missile will reach 0.4 times the 

wind speed after approximately 16 feet (5 meters) of horizontal displacement, and will reach 0.5 times the wind 

speed after approximately 33 feet (10 meters) of horizontal displacement. The vertical distance traveled by the 

debris is irrelevant to this consideration beyond affecting the horizontal displacement (a greater amount of lift 

for an object typically results in greater horizontal displacement). While the Lin paper finds more research on 

the mechanics and aerodynamics of wind-borne debris is necessary, it concludes that the speed achieved by windborne debris is a function of the horizontal displacement and wind speed.

Based on findings from FEMA MAT reports, hurricanes can easily produce rod-like wind-borne debris that travels 

beyond 16 feet, and therefore exceeds 0.4 times the wind speed. Based on numerous recorded observations of 

horizontal displacement in the range of 16 to 33 feet, the 0.5 factor was selected for use in this publication. Figure 

B8-12 shows an example of wind-borne debris determined to have traveled in excess of 30 feet. 

Figure B8-12. Impact of structural 

wood members in the gable end 

from a neighboring house 

(Pine Island, FL) 

(SOURCE: FEMA P-488)
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B8-12 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B

B8.2.2.2 Induced Loads from the Test Missile and Other Debris

The static force equivalent of the dynamic impact of a test missile or wind-borne debris into a component of the 

safe room envelope is difficult to calculate, and a direct conversion to a static load often results in extremely large 

loads. The following discussion is provided for background and understanding of impact loads.

Determining static design loads from a test missile or wind-borne or free-falling debris is a complex computation 

that depends on a number of factors, including:

• Material that makes up the test missile or debris

• Material of the roof, wall, door, or glazing assembly being impacted

• Stiffness of the individual elements being impacted

• Stiffness of the structural system supporting the elements being impacted

• Angle of test missile or debris impact 

Generally, a safe room that is designed, tested, and constructed to resist the test missiles given in Tables B3-5, 

B3-6, and B3-7 will provide adequate resistance to wind-borne debris. However, if a site-specific evaluation suggests 

that designing for large wind-borne debris (as defined in Table B8-1) is preferred, then impact momentum can be 

calculated for a site-specific design. The difficulty with this approach is finding test data to substantiate that the 

proposed assemblies will adequately resist the wind-borne debris. 

Wind-borne debris and falling objects are two of the risks that safe rooms are designed to mitigate. These objects 

can be described in terms of their mass, shape, impact velocity, angle of impact, and motion at impact (i.e., 

linear motion or tumbling). The mass and impact velocity can be used to calculate an upper bound for impact 

momentum (Im) by assuming linear motion of the debris striking perpendicular to the surface. In this instance, 

the impact momentum is calculated using Formula B8-1, where W is the weight of the debris, g is the acceleration 

of gravity, and V is the impact velocity. Im is the impact momentum for simple linear impacts perpendicular to 

the surface.

Formula B8-1. Impact Momentum

Formula B8-1 yields a reasonable estimate of impact momentum for compact debris, where the length-to-diameter 

ratio is less than about two, striking perpendicular to the surface. It also produces a reasonable estimate for 

slender rigid body debris striking on end, perpendicular to the surface, when there is very little rotation of the 

debris. For off-angle impacts of compact debris (i.e., impacts at some angle to the surface), the normal component 

of the impact momentum can be estimated with Formula B8-1 if the impact velocity (V) is replaced by an effective 

velocity (V ́), where V ́ = V cos (Θ) and the angle Θ is measured relative to the axis normal to the surface.

Im = (W/g) (V)

where:

Im = impact momentum

W = weight of debris

g = acceleration of gravity

V = impact velocity
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B8-13 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B

For slender, rigid-body debris, such as wood structural members, pipes, or rods, where the length-to-diameter ratio 

is greater than about four, the angle of impact and the motion characteristics at impact become very important. 

Research has shown that the normal component of the impact drops off more rapidly than a simple cosine 

function for linear impact of long objects because the debris begins to rotate at impact (Pietras 1997). Figure 

B8-13, based on data from Pietras 1997, shows the reduction in normal force as a function of angle as compared 

to a cosine function reduction. For tumbling debris, the equivalent impact velocity has been estimated using a 

complex equation (Twisdale 1985; Twisdale and Dunn 1981).

IMPACT ENERGY

Mass and impact velocity can also be used to calculate impact energy (Ie) using this formula: 

Research conducted by National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) concluded that momentum rather than energy 

could be expected to more consistently depict the outcome of collisions involving debris of differing degrees of elasticity 

or plasticity (NAHB 2002). Florida’s Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) research also found that impact momentum rather than impact energy showed the best correlation between test missiles of different mass and speed (FDEM 

2008). Therefore, this publication discusses impact momentum rather than impact energy.

Note

Ie = (1⁄2) (W/g) (V2)

where:

Ie = impact energy

W = weight of debris

g = acceleration of gravity

V = impact velocity

Figure B8-13. Variations of impact 

impulse as a function of impact angle
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B8-14 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B

The wind-borne debris impacts can apply extremely large forces to a safe room over a very short time. The 

magnitudes of the forces are related to the masses of the objects and the deceleration times as the debris impacts 

the safe room. The magnitudes of the forces also depend on the mechanics involved in the collision. For example, 

inelastic crushing of the debris or the assembly being struck will absorb some of the impact momentum and 

reduce the force level applied to the assembly. Similarly, large elastic or inelastic deformation of the assembly 

being impacted can increase the duration of the deceleration period and, therefore, reduce the magnitude of 

the impact forces. For a perfectly elastic impact, the impulse force exerted on the assembly being impacted is 

equal to twice the impact momentum because the debris will rebound with a speed of equal magnitude to the 

impact velocity but in the opposite direction. For a perfectly plastic impact, the debris would not rebound, and the 

impulse force would be equal to the impact momentum.

Figure B8-14 illustrates the impulse loading applied by a 4.1-pound southern yellow pine 2x4 striking a rigid 

impact plate at a velocity of 21 mph (42.3 feet per second [fps]). Note that the entire impulse force is applied 

over a period of 1.5 milliseconds and the peak force approaches 10,000 pounds. Similar tests with a 9-pound 

2x4 at 34 mph (50 fps) generated peak forces of around 25,000 pounds. The dotted (raw) line represents the 

measured impulse force and includes some high-frequency response of the impact plate. The solid line in Figure 

B8-14 represents the filtered signal in which the high-frequency response of the impact plate has been removed to 

illustrate the expected impulse force’s time history.

Impact test results for southern yellow pine 2x4s striking the impact plate (Figure B8-14) illustrate the complex 

nature of the impact phenomenon (Sciaudone 1996). 

Figure B8-15 compares the impulse force measured with the impact plate against the initial momentum of a test 

missile. At low velocities, the impulse is characteristic of an inelastic impact where the impulse is equal to the 

initial momentum. This is likely due to localized crushing of the wood fibers at the end of the test missile. As the 

test missile speed increases (initial momentum increases), the impulse increases toward a more elastic impact 

response because the impulse force increases to a value that is substantially greater than the initial momentum.

Design considerations should include local failures associated with wind-borne debris perforation as well as global 

structural failure. Sections B8.2.3 and B8.2.4 focus on local failures. Global failures are usually related to overall 

wind loading of the structure or the very rare impact of extremely large wind-borne debris. Falling debris, such as 

elevated precast concrete panels from an adjacent building, could cause a buckling failure of a roof structure if it 

hit near the middle of the roof.

Figure B8-14. Raw and filtered 

forcing functions measured using 

impact plate for the impact from a 

4.1-pound 2x4 moving at 42.3 fps 

(SOUCE: SCIAUDONE 1996)
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B8-15 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B

B8.2.3 Performance of Wall and Roof Assemblies during Tornado Missile Impact Tests 

Wall assemblies must be rigorously tested to evaluate impact resistance 

because there is no adequate method to model the impact-induced 

complex interactions of wall components. Currently, the best way to 

determine whether a given wall assembly is capable of resisting test 

missile perforation is to build and test a full-scale wall assembly. The test 

assembly must accurately replicate the proposed wall assembly design 

(including the same type, size, and thickness of materials; same type, 

size, and spacing of fasteners; and configuration [arrangement] of all 

components). Figure B8-16 illustrates impact locations required by ICC 

500 Section 804 for a roof or wall assembly that has 

panel joints.

Various roof and wall assemblies tested at TTU have performed 

successfully during years of testing. To provide an understanding of what 

type of assemblies have performed well, this section presents a summary 

of information on assemblies composed of common materials that have 

successfully passed the largest and fastest tornado test missile (i.e., the 

15-pound 2x4 traveling horizontally at 100 mph) specified in Chapter 

B3. For more detail on these assemblies, see Wall Sections that Passed 

Previous Missile Impact Tests on the safe room website at www.fema.gov/

wall-sections-passed-previous-missile-impact-tests. 

See Section B8.2.4 regarding openings in the safe room envelope.

Figure B8-15. Impulse as a function of 

initial momentum for a 2x4 test missile

Figure B8-16. Impact test locations for 

a panel or framed roof or wall assembly 

(SOURCE: ICC 500 FIGURE 804.9.1(2); USED 

WITH PERMISSION)
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B8-16 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B

B8.2.3.1 Impact Resistance of Wood Wall Assemblies

TTU conducted extensive testing of wall assemblies that use plywood sheathing. The most effective designs, in 

terms of limiting the number of layers of plywood necessary, incorporate masonry infill of the wall cavities or 

integration of 14-gauge steel panels as the final layer in the assembly. For more detail on wall assemblies that have 

passed the tornado missile impact test, see Wall Sections that Passed Previous Missile Impact Tests on the safe room 

website at www.fema.gov/wall-sections-passed-previous-missile-impact-tests.

For conventional light-frame construction, the side of the wall where the sheathing or protective material is 

attached and the method of attachment can affect the performance of the wall in resisting wind-borne debris. The 

impact of debris on wall components attached to the exterior side of a wall pushes the material against the wall 

studs. Wall components attached to the inside of the wall (i.e., interior side of the safe room) can be knocked loose 

from the studs and pushed into the safe room interior if the components are not adequately attached to the studs. 

Additionally, wall components on the exterior of the wall are susceptible to being pulled off the studs by wind 

suction pressures if the wall components are not adequately attached to the studs.

Consequently, sheathing materials should be securely attached to the framing members. Tests have shown that 

sheathing attached using wood adhesive complying with ASTM D3498 and code-approved #8 screws (not drywall 

screws) penetrating at least 11⁄2 inches into the framing members and spaced not more than 6 inches on center 

provides sufficient capacity to withstand the tornado design wind loads if the sheathing is attached to the exterior 

surface of the wall studs. These criteria are also sufficient to keep the sheathing attached when struck by the 

tornado test missile when the sheathing is attached to the interior surface of the studs. 

B8.2.3.2 Impact Resistance of Wall Assemblies with Steel Sheathing 

TTU tested wall wood frame assemblies that incorporate various gauges of cold-rolled ASTM A5695 and A570 

Grade 33 steel sheets. When properly configured, the steel sheathing stops the missile by deflecting and spreading 

the impact load to other wall assembly components. When improperly configured, the wall assembly can be 

perforated, as illustrated by the following test results: 

• When the steel is 14 gauge or lighter and backed by a substrate that prevents deflection of the steel, the test 

missile perforates the steel

• When 14-gauge or lighter steel sheets are placed between plywood layers, the test missile perforates the steel 

because the steel does not have the ability to deflect

5 ASTM A569 and A570 were withdrawn and replaced by ASTM A1011 in 2000.

RIGOROUS TESTING

Tests have shown that missiles that impact some wall 

assemblies next to a stud can cause perforation, while 

impacting midway between studs results in permanent deformations but not perforation. Testing has also shown that 

joints between wall assembly components are sometimes 

the weak link in the assembly. To ensure that potential wall 

assembly vulnerabilities are discovered during impact testing, Section B3.2.5 refers to the testing requirements in 

ICC 500 Section 804. The Section 804 test protocol contains criteria pertaining to the test apparatus, calibration, 

impact procedure, test missile properties and speed, test 

temperature, impact angle, impact locations, number of 

impacts, and pass/fail criteria. Figure B8-16 illustrates impact locations for a roof or wall assembly that has panel 

joints.

Note
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B8-17 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B

Refer to Figure B8-17 for two examples of wood frame wall assemblies with steel sheathing that have passed 

safe room testing. For more examples, see Wall Sections that Passed Previous Missile Impact Tests on the safe room 

website at www.fema.gov/wall-sections-passed-previous-missile-impact-tests. Prescriptive wood frame solutions for 

residential safe rooms (including wall assemblies with 14 gauge steel sheathing) are available in FEMA P-320.

TTU found that 12-gauge or heavier steel sheets always pass the tornado missile impact test. Test configurations 

included 12-gauge steel directly over studs and the steel sheet mounted over plywood. Test samples used the 

standard stud spacing of 16 inches on center. Wider stud spacing affects the permanent deformation of the steel 

sheet. Permanent deformation of 3 inches or more into the safe room is deemed unacceptable. Tests have not been 

performed to determine the maximum stud spacing that would control the 3-inch permanent deformation limit.

B8.2.3.3 Impact Resistance of Concrete Masonry Unit Wall Assemblies

TTU found that 6-inch CMU walls that are fully grouted with ASTM C476 grout and reinforced with #4 rebar at 36 

inches on center, and 8-inch CMU walls that are fully grouted and reinforced with #5 rebar at 48 inches on center, 

can withstand the tornado test missile (Figure B8-18). However, more reinforcing steel may be required to resist 

wind loads.

Figure B8-17. Use of steel sheet 

metal in wall assemblies

Figure B8-18. CMU wall 

assemblies
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B8-18 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B

B8.2.3.4 Impact Resistance of Reinforced Concrete Wall and Roof Assemblies

Research related to the design of nuclear power facilities has produced a relatively large body of information and 

design guides for predicting the response of reinforced concrete walls and roofs to the impact of wind-borne 

debris.6 The failure modes have been identified as penetration, spalling, barrier perforation, and complete debris 

perforation, as described in the text box. 

The design of reinforced concrete walls for wind-borne debris impact protection should focus on establishing the 

minimum wall thickness to prevent threshold spalling under the design (test) missile impact. Wall designs should 

be validated by impact testing per ICC 500 Section 804; pass/fail criteria is provided in Section 804.10. 

Twisdale and Dunn (1981) have published some of the design equations developed for nuclear power plant safety 

analysis. Steel pipes and rods were the design missiles used to develop the analytical models for the nuclear 

industry. The nuclear industry models are expected to generate conservative estimates of performance for softer 

wind-borne debris, such as a wood structural member, impacting a wall. However, at some sites, wind-borne debris 

may include steel joists, beams, or pipe columns (Figures B8-19 and B8-20).

6 For example, James R. McDonald, Rationale for Wind-Borne Missile Criteria for DOE Facilities, Institute for Disaster Research, TTU, September 1999.

TERMINOLOGY

Penetration: When wind-borne debris penetrates into, but not through, the wall assembly. This condition is of no consequence unless it creates spalling.

Spalling: When concrete is ejected into the safe room. Spalling occurs when the shock wave produced by the impact 

creates tensile stresses in the concrete on the interior surface that are large enough to cause a segment of concrete to 

burst away from the wall. Threshold spalling is when spalling is just being initiated, and is usually characterized by small 

fragments of concrete being ejected. When threshold spalling occurs, a person struck by the spall debris might be injured, but is not likely to be killed. However, as the size of the spall increases, so does the velocity with which it is ejected 

from the wall or roof. A person struck by large spall debris will likely be injured and possibly die, particularly if the spall 

falls from high up on a wall or the roof. ICC 500 pass/fail criteria for spalling employs a witness screen on the interior 

side of the storm shelter wall (or roof section) to determine whether or not test missile-induced spalling could potentially 

endanger occupants. 

Barrier perforation: When wind-borne debris creates a hole through the wall (the debris may bounce off the wall or it may 

become stuck in the hole). A plug of concrete about the diameter of the impacting debris is knocked into the safe room. 

The plug can cause injury or death. 

Complete debris perforation: When the wind-borne debris itself enters the safe room. The debris or dislodged wall fragments can cause injury or death. 

Source: Twisdale and Dunn (1981)
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B8-19 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B

Figure B8-19. Steel porch column 

debris from an apartment complex 

where columns that were 7 feet 

9 inches long and 41⁄4 inches in 

diameter (see red arrows) had 

a significant upward trajectory 

and flew approximately 230 feet 

(Tuscaloosa, AL, 2011 tornado) 

Figure B8-20. Steel beam debris 

(Greensburg, KS, 2007 tornado) 

Test results from a number of investigations (Twisdale and Dunn 1981) suggest that 6-inch-thick reinforced 

concrete walls are needed to stop a 15-pound wood 2x4 test missile impacting at 100 mph without threshold 

spalling. TTU research indicates that a 6-inch reinforced concrete wall (Figure B8-21, illustrations [a] and [b]) 

can resist this test missile. Reinforced concrete walls constructed with insulating concrete forms (ICFs) with 

a uniform concrete section at least 4 inches thick (Figure B8-21, illustration [b]) can also provide sufficient 

protection. 
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B8-20 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B

When using ICF, the wall design and construction must not have discontinuities that would allow wind-borne 

debris to enter the safe room. Figure B8-22 shows an ICF waffle grid wall of an occupied “tornado shelter” that was 

perforated when struck by a tornado. Two pieces of metal tube debris perforated the wall (i.e., the tubes extended 

into the interior of the room); as visible in the photograph, the wall had numerous air voids that weakened the 

section’s resistance to wind-borne debris. Based on these observations, the wall assembly did not comply with 

FEMA P-361 or ICC 500. Extreme care should be taken when vibrating concrete for all reinforced concrete wall 

types and for mortar used with masonry walls to ensure proper consolidation and elimination of voids.

Figure B8-21. Reinforced 

concrete wall [a] and reinforced 

concrete “flat” wall constructed 

with insulating concrete forms [b]

Figure B8 22. Red arrows show a 

steel tube that perforated a waffle 

grid ICF wall. Inset shows the 

tube in the “as found” condition 

and main photograph shows the 

tube after it was partially pulled 

out of the wall. 

(Moore, OK, 2013 tornado) 

(SOURCE: FEMA P-1020) 
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B8-21 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B

The TTU research also shows that a 4-inch-thick reinforced concrete roof slab on removable forms or on steel 

decking is able to resist a 15-pound wood 2x4 test missile impacting at 67 mph (the free-falling missile impact 

speed given in Tables B3-5 through B3-7). For more detail on wall and roof assemblies that have passed the 

tornado missile impact test, see Wall Sections that Passed Previous Missile Impact Tests on the safe room website at 

www.fema.gov/wall-sections-passed-previous-missile-impact-tests.

B8.2.4 Performance of Door, Glazed Openings, and Impact Protective 

Systems during Debris Impact and Pressure Tests

This section discusses impact test performance of door assemblies, glazed opening assemblies (including fixed and 

operable windows, door vision panels, sidelites, transoms, and skylights), and impact protective systems in the safe 

room envelope. The text box about testing at the beginning of Section B8.2.3 is also applicable to this section.

Various door and glazed opening assemblies tested at TTU have performed successfully during years of testing. 

To provide an understanding of what type of assemblies have performed well, this section presents a summary of 

information on assemblies that have successfully passed the tornado design wind loads and the largest and fastest 

tornado test missile (i.e., the 15-pound 2x4 traveling horizontally at 100 mph) given in Tables B3-5 through B3-7. 

For more detail on assemblies that have passed the tornado missile impact test, see Door Assemblies and Components

on the safe room website at www.fema.gov/door-assemblies-and-components. 

B8.2.4.1 Door Assemblies

A door assembly includes the door, vision panel (if there is one), 

hardware (locks and hinges), frame, and attachment devices used 

to anchor the door frame to the safe room wall. The safe room 

door assembly installed must use the same type, size, configuration 

of materials, and swing direction used for the tested assembly. 

Untested steel doors commonly used in residential and commercial 

construction (refer to Figure B8-23) cannot withstand the impact 

of the wind-borne debris, or test missiles, that a tornado can propel, 

and their failure has resulted in serious injury and even death during 

tornadoes.

For safe room doors to reliably provide life-safety protection 

during a tornado or hurricane, they must be rigorously designed, 

constructed, and tested. FEMA does not certify products, but the 

manufacturer(s) of safe room door assemblies must certify their 

products have passed ICC 500 testing to meet or exceed FEMA 

safe room criteria. Designers and consumers alike should request 

documentation from the supplier and/or installer to verify the 

door assembly’s compliance with this publication or ICC 500 for the 

pressure and impact resistance required for the designated safe room 

wind hazard and wind speed. Large single and door pair assemblies 

have passed safe room testing, as have door pair assemblies with 

and without center mullions and removable mullions. For a 

compilation of the test information available to date, refer to Door 

Assemblies and Components on the safe room at website www.fema.gov/

door-assemblies-and-components.

FEMA APPROVALS

FEMA does not endorse, approve, 

certify, or recommend any contractors, individuals, firms, or products. 

Contractors, individuals, or firms shall 

not claim they or their products are 

“FEMA approved” or “FEMA certified.”

RESIDENTIAL SAFE ROOM 

DOORS

For more information and guidance 

on finding an adequate door for residential tornado safe rooms, please 

see the Tornado Safe Room Door Fact 

Sheet on the safe room website or at 

www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/

documents/99139.

Note

Note
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B8-22 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B

To evaluate wind pressure resistance, door assemblies are laboratory 

tested with positive pressure. During testing, the assemblies are 

configured to apply positive pressure on in-swinging as well as outswinging doors, thus simulating positive and negative pressures. The 

door assemblies are tested from both sides with positive pressure 

because they cannot be adequately sealed to provide a vacuum. For 

impact resistance testing, the door assembly is struck on the face that 

is intended to be on the exterior side of the safe room. 

B8.2.4.2 Glazed Opening Assemblies 

A glazed opening assembly includes the glazing, glazing frame, 

and attachment devices used to anchor the glazing frame to 

the wall. Wind-borne debris-resistant glazing is laminated glass, 

polycarbonate, or a combination of these materials. The glazing 

assembly installed at a safe room must use the same type, size, and 

configuration of materials used for the tested assembly.

ICC 500 Section 804.10 stipulates pass/fail criteria for impact testing. Glazing is permitted to break, provided that: 

(1) the test missile did not perforate the glazing, (2) the glazing remained attached to the frame, and (3) ejected 

glass fragments did not perforate the ICC 500-required witness screen and were therefore harmless. 

When evaluating missile impact test reports, it is important to differentiate between impact testing performed 

for safe rooms versus that performed for buildings other than safe rooms located in wind-borne debris regions 

of hurricane-prone regions. The test missile for a hurricane safe room is the same type and size as used for other 

buildings in wind-borne debris regions (i.e., a 9-pound 2x4). However, the safe room missile has a much higher 

test speed, and hence a much higher momentum. Also, although the test missile used for other buildings is often 

referred to in test reports as a “large missile,” the tornado safe room missile is much larger. Test missiles used for 

other buildings should be called “test missile D” or “test missile E,” rather than “large missiles.” 

Figure B8-23. This metal door was 

damaged by wind-borne debris 

generated by a weak tornado. The 

bottom hinge was damaged, but 

the single latch was able to resist 

the modest wind and impact load. 

The door was on the verge of 

failing. 

(St. Louis, MO, 2013 tornado) 

SAFE ROOM DOORS

Most tornado safe room doors evaluated prior to January 2000 were 

equipped with latching mechanisms 

composed of three individually activated deadbolts. Since that time, 

multiple latching mechanisms activated by a single lever or by a panic bar 

release mechanism have been tested 

and shown to resist the tornado wind 

loads and tornado test missile.

Note
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B8-23 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B

GLAZING

Hurricane safe room glazing: If the glazing is protected by a shutter (see Section B8.2.4.3), the shutter should be on the 

exterior side of the assembly to avoid water infiltration into the safe room in the event that the glazing breaks. When the 

shutter is on the exterior side of the assembly, the glazing is only required to be tested for pressure per ICC 500 Section 

306.3.2, Exception 1.

Tornado safe room glazing: If the glazing is protected by a shutter (see Section B8.2.4.3), the shutter should be on the 

interior side of the assembly so that it can be closed quickly. In this case, the glazing assembly is not required to be 

tested for pressure or missile impact per ICC 500 Section 306.3.2, Exception 2.

Combined tornado/hurricane safe room glazing: For tornadoes spawned during hurricanes, it is preferable to place shutters on the exterior side of the assembly to avoid water infiltration as discussed above. For tornadoes not spawned during 

hurricanes, shutters should be on the interior side of the assembly so they can be closed quickly. Hence, shutters on the 

inside of the assembly provide more conservative life-safety. 

Note

B8.2.4.3 Impact Protective Systems

Impact protective systems include shutters, shields, and cowlings. Shields and cowlings are used to protect 

openings at louvers, grates, grilles, precast panel joints more than 3/8-inch wide, plumbing vents, roof drains, and 

emergency generator exhaust vents. These items are excluded from pressure testing when they are permanently 

anchored, but are required to be tested for resistance to missile impact. 

B8.2.5 Test Laboratory Accreditation

To help ensure that the impact and pressure testing specified in ICC 500 are properly conducted and reported, 

the testing should be conducted by approved agencies. Tested product literature (including test report) should 

bear the name of the laboratory and the test protocol to which the system was tested. For more information on 

approved testing agencies, please contact your local building official or AHJ. 
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B9-1 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B

CHAPTER B9

References and Resources

References

AASE (American Association for Wind Engineering). 2004. “Performance of Storm Shelters During Hurricanes 

Charley and Ivan.” In the Newsletter of the American Association for Wind Engineering. December 2005.

ADA Standards for Accessible Design “2010 Standards” or “Standards 

(www.ada.gov/regs2010/2010ADAStandards/2010ADAStandards_prt.pdf).” 

ACI (American Concrete Institute) 318-14. 2014. Building Code Requirements for Structural Concrete. ACI 318-14. 

American Concrete Institute. Farmington Hills, MI.

American Red Cross. 1992. Publication No. 4496, Standards for Hurricane Evacuation Shelter Selection.

ASCE (American Society of Civil Engineers) 7-10. 2010. Minimum Design Loads for Buildings and Other Structures. 

ASCE/SEI 7-10. American Society of Civil Engineers. Reston, VA.

ASCE 24-14. 2014. Flood Resistant Design and Construction. ASCE/SEI 24-14. American Society of Civil Engineers. 

Reston, VA.

Clemson University Department of Civil Engineering. 2000. Enhanced Protection from Severe Wind Storms. Clemson 

University, Clemson, SC. January.

Darwin Reconstruction Commission. 1975. Darwin Area Building Manual. Cranberra, Australia. Available for review 

at http://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/2764422. 

FEMA Publications (all available for download from the FEMA library at www.fema.gov/resource-documentlibrary. Some documents have multiple editions. The most current edition is listed as the year published and older 

editions are noted in the reference.

• FEMA P-265. 1996. Managing Floodplain Development in Approximate Zone A Areas: A Guide for Obtaining and

Developing Base (100-Year) Flood Elevations. Washington, DC. The companion software program, QUICK-2, is

available from FEMA at www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/7894.

• FEMA P-750. 2009. NEHRP Recommended Provisions for Seismic Regulations for New Buildings and Other Structures.

Washington, DC.
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B9-2 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B PART B

• FEMA P-320. 2014. Taking Shelter from the Storm: Building a Safe Room for Your Home or Small Business. 

Washington, DC. Earlier editions were published in 1998, 1999, and 2008. 

• FEMA P-342. 1999. Midwest Tornadoes of May 3, 1999: Observations, Recommendations, and Technical Guidance. 

October. Washington, DC.

• FEMA P-361. 2015. Safe Rooms for Tornadoes and Hurricanes: Guidance for Community and Residential Safe 

Rooms. Washington, DC. Earlier editions were published in 2000 and 2008.

• FEMA P-431. 2009. Tornado Protection: Selecting Refuge Areas in Buildings. October. Washington, DC. Earlier 

edition was published in 2003.

• FEMA P-424. 2010. Design Guide for Improving School Safety in Earthquakes, Floods and High Winds. December. 

Washington, DC.

• FEMA P-488. 2005. Hurricane Charley in Florida. April. Washington, DC.

• FEMA P-543. 2007 Design Guide for Improving Critical Facility Safety from Flooding and High Winds. January. 

Washington, DC.

• FEMA P-577. 2007. Design Guide for Improving Hospital Safety in Earthquakes, Floods, and High Winds. 

Washington, DC.

• FEMA P-646. 2008. Guidelines for the Design of Structures for Vertical Evacuation from Tsunamis. June. 

Washington, DC.

• FEMA P-908. 2012. Mitigation Assessment Team (MAT) Report Spring 2011 Tornadoes: April 25–28 and May 22. 

Washington, DC.

• FEMA P-1020. 2014. Formal Observation Report Tornado: Moore, Oklahoma, May 20, 2013 Safe Room Performance, 

Observations, and Conclusions. August. Washington, DC.

• FEMA P-942. 2013. Hurricane Sandy in New Jersey and New York. Washington, DC.

• FEMA. 2013. Alerting the Whole Community. FEMA Integrated Public Alert and Warning System. Available 

at: www.fema.gov/media-library-data/0e2d22efbeed4442f1a6f62d85a469a1/alerting_whole_community_

june2013_final.pdf. 

• FEMA. 2015. Hazard Mitigation Assistance Unified Guidance: Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, Pre-Disaster 

Mitigation Program, and Flood Mitigation Assistance Program and Addendum. Washington, DC. 

FEMA and U.S. Fire Administration (USFA). Undated. Emergency Procedures for Employees with Disabilities in Office 

Occupancies. FA 154. Washington, DC. Available at www.usfa.fema.gov/downloads/pdf/publications/fa-154.pdf.

Florida Division of Emergency Management. 2008. 2008 Statewide Emergency Shelter Plan. Appendix K: 

“Guidance for Selection of Impact Resistant Constructed Wall and Roof Assemblies.” Tallahassee, FL. 

Available at www.floridadisaster.org/Response/engineers/2008sesp.htm. 

Hollister R-V School District. 2013. Community Safe Room Operations Plan: Hollister R-V School District Site B – High 

School and Middle School Community Tornado Safe Room. Hollister R-V School District, Hollister, MO. 

Holmes, J.D., C.W. Letchford, and N. Lin. 2005. “Investigations of plate-type windborne debris, Parts I and II.” 

Journal of Wind Engineering and Industrial Aerodynamics, Volume 94.

IBC (International Building Code). 2015. International Building Code. International Code Council. Country Club 

Hills, IL. Earlier editions published in 2000, 20003, 2006, 2009, 2012.
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B9-3 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B

ICC (International Code Council). 2014. Standard on the Design and Construction of Storm Shelters. International Code 

Council & National Storm Shelter Association. ICC 500. Country Club Hills, IL. Earlier edition published in 2008.

ICC. 2009. Accessible and Usable Buildings and Facilities. International Code Council and American National 

Standards Institute. ICC A117.1. Country Club Hills, IL.

IRC (International Residential Code). 2015. International Residential Code for One- and Two-Family Dwellings. 

International Code Council. Country Club Hills, IL. Earlier editions published in 2000, 20003, 2006, 2009, 2012.

Kordi B., G. Traczuk, and G. A. Kopp. 2010. “Effects of wind direction on the flight trajectories of roof sheathing 

panels under high winds,” in Wind and Structures, Vol. 13, No. 2, 2010, pp. 145–167. 

Kordi, B. and G. A. Kopp. 2011. “Effects of initial conditions on the flight of windborne plate debris,” in Journal of 

Wind Engineering and Industrial Aerodynamics, 2011, pp. 601–614.

McDonald. J.R. 1999. Rationale for Wind-Borne Missile Criteria for DOE Facilities, Institute for Disaster Research, TTU, 

September 1999.

Mehta, K.C. 1970. “Windspeed Estimates: Engineering Analyses.” I. 22-24 June 1970, Lubbock, TX. pp. 89-103.

Mehta, K.C. and R.R. Carter. 1999. “Assessment of Tornado Wind Speed From Damage to Jefferson County, 

Alabama.” Wind Engineering into the 21st Century: Proceedings, 10th International Conference on Wind Engineering, A. 

Larsen, G.L. Larose, and F.M. Livesey, Eds. Copenhagen, Denmark. June 21-24. pp. 265-271.

Mehta, K.C., Minor, J.E., and McDonald, J.R. 1976. “Wind Speed Analysis of April 3-4, 1974 Tornadoes.” Journal of 

the Structural Division, ASCE, 102(ST9). pp. 1709-1724.

NAHB (National Association of Home Builders). 2002. Wind-Borne Debris Impact Resistance of Residential Glazing. 

Upper Marlboro, MD.

NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology). 2013. Technical Investigation of the May 22, 2011 Tornado in 

Joplin, Missouri. March. Available at www.nist.gov/customcf/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=915628.

Phan, L.T., and Simiu, E. 1998. The Fujita Tornado Intensity Scale: A Critique Based on Observations of the Jarrell Tornado 

of May 27, 1997. NIST Technical Note 1426. U.S. Department of Commerce Technology Administration, National 

Institute of Standards and Technology, Washington, DC. July.

Pietras, B. K. 1997. “Analysis of Angular Wind Borne Debris Impact Loads.” Senior Independent Study Report. 

Department of Civil Engineering, Clemson University, Clemson, SC. May.

Sciaudone, J.C. 1996. Analysis of Wind Borne Debris Impact Loads. MS Thesis. Department of Civil Engineering, 

Clemson University, Clemson, SC, August.

TTU (Texas Tech University). 1998. Design of Residential Shelters From Extreme Winds. Texas Tech University Wind 

Science and Engineering Center, Lubbock, TX. July.

TTU. 2006. A Recommendation for an Enhanced Fujita Scale (EF-Scale). Texas Tech University Wind Science and 

Engineering Center. Lubbock, TX.

Twisdale, L.A. 1985. “Analysis of Random Impact Loading Conditions.” Proceedings of the Second Symposium on the 

Interaction of Non-Nuclear Munitions with Structures. Panama City Beach, FL. April 15-18.

Twisdale, L.A. and W.L. Dunn. 1981. Tornado Missile Simulation and Design Methodology. EPRI NP-2005 (Volumes I 

and II). Technical Report. Electric Power Research Institute, Palo Alto, CA. August.
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B9-4 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B

Vickery, P.J., P.F. Skerlj, and L.A. Twisdale, Jr. 2000. “Simulation of hurricane risk in the U.S. using an 

empirical track model,” Journal of Structural Engineering. ASCE, Vol. 126, No. 10, October 2000.

Vickery, P.J., J.X. Lin, P.F. Skerlj, and L.A. Twisdale, Jr., and K. Huang. 2006. “HAZUS-MH Hurricane Model 

Methodology. I: Hurricane Hazard, Terrain and Wind Load Modeling.” Natural Hazards Review. ASCE, Vol. 7, 

No. 2, May 2006.

Vickery, P., D. Wadhera, J. Galsworthy, J. Peterka, P. Irwin, and L. Griffis. 2010. ”Ultimate Wind Load Design 

Gust Wind Speeds in the United States for Use in ASCE-7.” Journal of Structural Engineering. Volume 136(5), 

613–625.

Youker, Emily. 2014. “Joplin school district readies community safe rooms for storm season.” The Joplin Globe. 

April 17, 2014.

Resources 

ACI, The Masonry Society (TMS), and the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). 2013. Building Code 

Requirements and Specifications for Masonry Structures, ACI 530-13/ASCE 5-13/TMS 402-13, ACI 530.1-13/ASCE 

5-13, and TMS 602-13. Boston, MA.

American Meteorological Society. 2014. Glossary of Meteorology. Online version available at http://glossary.

ametsoc.org/wiki/Main_Page.

American National Standards Institute and the American Forest & Paper Association. 2015. National Design 

Specification® for Wood Construction. NDS-2015.

Batts, M.E., M.R. Cordes, L.R. Russell, J.R. Shaver, and E. Simiu. 1980. Hurricane Wind Speeds in the United 

States. NBS Building Science Series 124. National Bureau of Standards, Washington, DC. pp. 41.

Carter, R. R. 1998. Wind-Generated Missile Impact on Composite Wall Systems. MS Thesis. Department of Civil 

Engineering, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX. May.

Coats, D. W. and R.C. Murray. 1985. Natural Phenomena Hazards Modeling Project: Extreme Wind/Tornado Hazard 

Models for Department of Energy Sites. UCRL-53526. Rev. 1. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. University 

of California, Livermore, CA. August.

Durst, C.S. 1960. “Wind Speeds Over Short Periods of Time.” Meteorology Magazine, Number 89. pp.181-187.

FEMA. 1999b. National Performance Criteria for Tornado Shelters. May 28.

Fujita, T.T. 1971. Proposed Characterization of Tornadoes and Hurricanes by Area and Intensity. Satellite and 

Mesometeorology Research Project. SMRP No. 91. University of Chicago, Chicago, IL.

Lindbergh, C., M. R. Harlan, and J. L. Lafrenz. 1996. Structural Evaluation of Existing Buildings for Seismic and 

Wind Loads. Available at cedb.asce.org/cgi/WWWdisplay.cgi?98301. 

Kelly, D.L., J.T. Schaefer, R.P. McNulty, C.A. Doswell III, and R.F. Abbey, Jr. 1978. “ An Augmented Tornado 

Climatology.” Monthly Weather Review, Vol. 106, pp. 1172-1183.

Krayer, W.R. and Marshall, R.D. 1992. Gust Factors Applied to Hurricane Winds. Bulletin of the American Meteorology 

Society, Vol. 73, pp. 613-617.
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B9-5 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B

Minor, J.E., J.R. McDonald, and R. E. Peterson. 1982. “Analysis of Near-Ground Windfields.” Proceedings of the 

Twelfth Conference on Severe Local Storms. San Antonio, TX. January 1982. American Meteorological Society. 

Boston, MA.

National Concrete Masonry Association (NCMA). 1972. Design of Concrete Masonry Warehouse Walls. TEK 37. 

Herndon, VA.

NCMA. 2003. Investigation of Wind Projectile Resistance of Concrete Masonry Walls and Ceiling Panels with Wide Spaced 

Reinforcement for Above Ground Shelters. NCMA Publication MR 21. Texas Tech University Wind Science and 

Engineering Research Center.

O’Neil, S. and J.P. Pinelli. 1998. Recommendations for the Mitigation of Tornado Induced Damages on Masonry Structures. 

Report No. 1998-1. Wind & Hurricane Impact Research Laboratory, Florida Institute of Technology. December.

Powell, M.D. 1993. “Wind Measurement and Archival Under the Automated Surface Observing System (ASOS): 

User Concerns and Opportunity for Improvement.” Bulletin of American Meteorological Society. Vol. 74, 615-623. 

Powell, M.D., S.H. Houston, and T.A. Reinhold. 1994. “Standardizing Wind Measurements for Documentation of 

Surface Wind Fields in Hurricane Andrew.” Proceedings of the Symposium: Hurricanes of 1992. Miami, FL, December 

1-3, 1993. ASCE, New York. pp. 52-69.

Steel Joist Institute. Steel Joist Institute 75-Year Manual 1928-2003.

U.S. Department of Energy. 2002. Natural Phenomena Hazards Design and Evaluation Criteria for Department of Energy 

Facilities. DOE-STD-1020-2002. Washington, DC. January. Available at www.wbdg.org/ccb/DOE/TECHSTDS/

std1020.pdf. 

Zain, Mohammed, A. Budek, and E. Kiesling. undated. Size Limits for Above-Ground Safe Rooms. Texas Tech 

University. Lubbock, TX.

B9.1 Storm Surge Inundation Data

The Sea, Lake and Overland Surges from Hurricanes (SLOSH) model is used for hurricane evacuation and 

emergency management purposes. Details on the model can be found at www.nhc.noaa.gov/surge/slosh.php and 

www.fema.gov/region-iii-mitigation-division/national-hurricane-program. 

In order to perform detailed site evaluations, as described in Chapter B4 of this publication, storm surge 

information may be obtained from the following sources:

1. NOAA has mapped SLOSH storm surge inundation depths above ground for the coast between North 

Carolina and Texas. The results are available here noaa.maps.arcgis.com/apps/StorytellingTextLegend/index.

html?appid=b1a20ab5eec149058bafc059635a82ee, and can be used for preliminary evaluation of potential 

safe room sites in those States. For other States, storm surge information can be obtained from many State or 

county emergency management agencies, or by using NOAA’s SLOSH Display Program. The SLOSH Display 

Program can be obtained from www.nhc.noaa.gov/surge/slosh.php#SDISPLAY. 

2. Readers should contact USACE District Offices www.usace.army.mil/Locations.aspx or State/County 

Emergency Management Agencies and request the latest FES surge inundation and elevation data. 

Users should note that the surge elevations produced by SLOSH are referenced to the mean sea level (MSL) 

datum, which is a tidal datum that is different than geodetic datums (e.g., NAVD, NGVD) used for building design 
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B9-6 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

PART B

and construction. MSL elevations will need to be converted to the geodetic datum required by the local building 

code and flood hazard map.

State-specific data sources

This section provides a list of storm surge inundation data or related hurricane evacuation system data currently 

available on the internet for selected States. This list is not exhaustive and is subject to change. It has been 

provided to allow the reader to see how these data may be displayed and provided for use. 

Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont

www.nae.usace.army.mil/Missions/ProjectsTopics.aspx

New York

www.dhses.ny.gov/oem/safety-info/publicsafety/documents/nys-hurricane-storm-surge-areas.pdf

Maryland

http://mdtdr.bluewateri.net/INDEX.cfm

Virginia

www.vaemergency.gov/readyvirginia/stay-informed/hurricane/storm-surge

vatdr.bluewateri.net/INDEX.cfm

South Carolina

coast.noaa.gov/hes/docs/hes/SC_HER.zip

Georgia

gema.sharefile.com/download.aspx?id=6123658ba0be4f01

Florida

www.floridadisaster.org/res/

Texas

www.txdps.state.tx.us/dem/downloadableforms.htm#hurricane
Appendices
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES A1 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

APPENDICES

APPENDIX A

Acronyms

ACI American Concrete Institute

ACI-CRSI American Concrete Institute - Concrete Reinforcing Steel Institute

ADA Americans with Disabilities Act

AHJ Authority having jurisdiction

APC atmospheric pressure change

ASCE American Society of Civil Engineers

ASD Allowable Stress Design

BCA benefit-cost analysis

BCR benefit-cost ratio

BFE Base flood elevation

C&C components and cladding 

CFR Code of Federal Regulations

CMU Concrete masonry units

Cp external pressure coefficient for main wind force resisting system

DEM digital elevation model

DI Damage indicators

DOD Degree of damage

EF Scale Enhanced Fujita Scale

EMS Emergency Medical Services
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES A2 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

APPENDICES

E.O. Executive Order

EOC Emergency Operation Center

F Scale Fujita Scale

FAA Federal Aviation Administration

FDEM Florida Division of Emergency Management

FIRM Flood Insurance Rate Map

fps Feet per second

G Gust-effect factor for main wind force resisting system

GCp External pressure coefficient for components and cladding

GCpi internal pressure coefficient

GIS geographic information system

HMA Hazard Mitigation Assistance

HVAC heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning 

IBC International Building Code

ICC International Code Council

ICF insulating concrete form

Im impact momentum 

IRC International Residential Code

Kd Directionality factor

Kz exposure factor

Kzt topographic factor

Lr Roof live load

LRFD Load and Resistance Factor Design 

MAT Mitigation Assessment Team

MRI Mean recurrence interval

MWFRS main wind-force resisting system

NAHB National Association of Home Builders

NEHRP National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program

NFIP National Flood Insurance Program
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES A3 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

APPENDICES

NFPA National Fire Protection Association

NHC National Hurricane Center

NOAA National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NSSA National Storm Shelter Association

NWI National Wind Institute

NWS National Weather Service

O&M operation and maintenance

QA/QC Quality assurance/ quality control

SFBC South Florida Building Code

SFHA Special Flood Hazard Area

TTU Texas Tech University

USGS U.S. Geological Survey

V Velocity

W Wind load
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B1 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

APPENDICES

APPENDIX B

Acknowledgments

Third Edition Team Members

The Federal Emergency Management Agency would like to acknowledge the significant contributions made by 

following individuals in developing the Third Edition of this publication.

FEMA

Daniel Bass, RA, CFM – FEMA Headquarters

John Bourdeau, Jr. – FEMA Region VI

Robert Franke – FEMA Region VII 

Katy Goolsby-Brown – FEMA Region IV

Andrew Herseth, PE, SE – FEMA Headquarters 

John Ingargiola, EI, CFM, CBO – FEMA Headquarters 

Edward Laatsch, PE – FEMA Headquarters

Thomas Pickering, PE – FEMA Headquarters

John Plisich – FEMA Region IV 

Ronald Wanhanen, PE – FEMA Region VI

Brian Willsey – FEMA Headquarters

Project Team and Review Committee

Dave Bowman, PE – International Code Council

William Coulbourne, PE – URS 

Brad Douglas, PE – American Wood Council

Gary Ehrlich, PE – National Association of Home Builders 

Yuriy Farber – National Storm Shelter Association

Dennis Graber, PE – National Concrete Masonry Association
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B2 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

APPENDICES

Christopher Jones, PE 

Omar Kapur, PE – URS

James LaDue – National Weather Service 

Marc Levitan, PhD – National Institute of Standards and Technology

Philip Line, PE – American Wood Council

Julie Liptak – Stantec

Lee-Ann Lyons – URS

Brian Orr, PE – Toth & Associates, Inc.

Glenn Overcash, PE – URS

Samantha Passman, EIT – URS

Susan Ide Patton, RG – URS

Adam Reeder, PE – Atkins

Tim Reinhold, PE, PhD – Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety

Tom Reynods, PE – URS

Linda Roose – Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management

Matthew Schumann – Underwriters Laboratories

Pataya Scott, EIT – URS

Jason Senkbeil, PhD – University of Alabama (Tuscaloosa)

Randy Shackelford, PE – National Storm Shelter Association

Corey Schultz, AIA – Schultz Squared Architects, LLC

Thomas Smith, AIA, RRC, F.SEI – TLSmith Consulting Inc

John Squerciati, PE – Dewberry

T. Eric Stafford, PE – T. Eric Stafford & Associates, LLC

Larry J. Tanner, PE, RA – Texas Tech University

Scott Tezak, PE – TRC Solutions

Donn Thompson, AIA, CGP, LEED AP BD+C – Portland Cement Association 

Timothy Smail – Federal Alliance for Safe Homes 

Second Edition Team Members

The Federal Emergency Management Agency would like to acknowledge the significant contributions made by 

following individuals in developing the Second Edition of this publication. (Note: All affiliations and titles were 

current at the time of publication of the first edition in August 2008.)

FEMA

John Ingargiola – FEMA Headquarters 

Jack Anderson – FEMA Headquarters 

Marcus Barnes – FEMA Headquarters 
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B3 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

APPENDICES

Kent Baxter – FEMA Region VI

Daniel Catlett – FEMA Headquarters 

Robert Franke – FEMA Region VII 

Edward Laatsch – FEMA Headquarters 

John Plisich – FEMA Region IV 

Shabbar Saifee – FEMA Headquarters 

Jonathan Smith – FEMA Headquarters 

Jody Springer – FEMA Headquarters 

Keith Turi – FEMA Headquarters 

Zachary Usher – FEMA Headquarters 

Brian Willsey – FEMA Headquarters

Consultants

Scott Tezak, PE – URS

William Coulbourne, PE – URS 

Bill Johnson – URS

Omar Kapur – URS

Shane Parson, PhD – URS 

Bogdan Srdanovic – URS

Deb Daly – Greenhorne & O’Mara

Julie Liptak – Greenhorne & O’Mara 

Jimmy Yeung, PhD, PE – Greenhorne & O’Mara

John Squerciati, PE – Dewberry

Wanda Rizer – Consultant

Project Team and Review Committee

Robert Boteler – MEMA (Mississippi)

David Bowman – International Code Council

Ronald Cook – University of Florida

Kenneth Ford – National Association of Home Builders 

Dennis Graber – National Concrete Masonry Association 

Christopher P. Jones, PE – Consultant

Ernst Kiesling, PhD, PE – Texas Tech University

Danny Kilcollins – Florida Division of Emergency Management

Philip Line – American Forestry and Paper Association

Marc Madden – American Red Cross

Joseph J. Messersmith –Portland Cement Association
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B4 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

APPENDICES

Sam Nelson – Texas Department of Insurance

Tim Reinhold, PhD – Institute for Business and Home Safety

William Rutherford – Clemons-Rutherford

Corey Schultz – PBA Architects, P.A.

Larry Tanner, RA, PE – Wind Science and Engineering Center, Texas Tech University

Cliff Vaughn – FlatSafe Tornado Shelters

First Edition Team Members

FEMA would also like to acknowledge the members of the Project Team for the first edition of this manual. 

The team comprised engineers from FEMA’s Mitigation Directorate, consulting design engineering firms, 

and university research institutions. All engineering and testing efforts required to complete this project were 

performed by the team. (Note: All affiliations and titles were current at the time of publication of the first 

edition in July 2000.)

FEMA

James L. Witt – Director, FEMA

Clifford Oliver, CEM, CBCP – FEMA Mitigation Directorate

Paul Tertell, PE – FEMA Mitigation Directorate

Consultants

William Coulbourne, PE – Greenhorne & O’Mara

Ernst Kiesling, PhD, PE – Wind Engineering Research Center, Texas Tech University

Daniel Medina, PhD, PE – Dewberry & Davis, LLC

Kishor Mehta, PhD, PE – Wind Engineering Research Center, Texas Tech University

Shane Parson, PhD – Dewberry & Davis, LLC 

Robert Pendley – Greenhorne & O’Mara

Scott Schiff, PhD – Clemson University

Scott Tezak, PE – Greenhorne & O’Mara

The American Red Cross, Clemson University, the International Code Council® (ICC®), Texas Tech 

University, and the U.S. Department of Education assisted FEMA in the preparation of the first edition of the 

manual by providing invaluable guidance and participating on the project Review Committee.

The following individuals made significant contributions to the first edition of the manual. (Note: All 

affiliations and titles were current at the time of publication of the first edition in July 2000.)

Eugene Brislin, Jr., PE, Structural Engineer

Wes Britson, PE, Professional Engineering Consultants

Russell Carter, EIT, Wind Engineering Research Center, Texas Tech University

Gene Corley, PhD, SE, PE, Construction Technology Laboratories

David Low, PE, Greenhorne & O’Mara
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B5 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

APPENDICES

Norland Plastics, Haysville, KS

Timothy Reinhold, PhD, Clemson University

Joseph T. Schaefer, PhD, Storm Prediction Center, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association

Emil Simiu, PhD, National Institute of Standards and Technology

Larry Tanner, RA, PE, Wind Engineering Research Center, Texas Tech University

In addition to the individuals listed directly above, the following individuals also served on the Review Committee 

of the first edition of the manual. The committee was composed of design professionals; representatives of federal, 

state, and local governments; and members of public and private sector groups that represent the potential owners 

and operators of community shelters. (Note: All affiliations and titles were current at the time of publication of the 

first edition in July 2000.)

Kent Baxter, FEMA Region VI

Larry K. Blackledge, Blackledge and Associates Architects

John Cochran, FEMA, United States Fire Administration

Doug Cole, Manufactured Home Park Owner

Glenn Fiedelholtz, FEMA Preparedness, Training, and Exercise Directorate

Robert Franke, FEMA Region VII

John Gambel, FEMA Mitigation Directorate

Louis Garcia, American Red Cross

Michael Gaus, University of Buffalo

Danny Ghorbani, Manufactured Housing Association for Regulatory Reform

Dirk Haire, Associated General Contractors of America

Dave Hattis, Building Technology Incorporated 

E. Jackson, Jr., American Institute of Architects 

Aziz Khondker, ESG, Inc.

Danny Kilcollins, National Emergency Management Association

Fred Krimgold, Virginia Tech, Northern Virginia Center 

Edward Laatsch, FEMA Mitigation Directorate 

Randolph Langenbach, FEMA Infrastructure Division

Emmanuel Levy, Manufactured Housing Research Alliance

John Lyons, U.S. Department of Education, Office of the Director

Robert McCluer, Building Officials and Code Administrators International

Rick Mendlen, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Consumer Affairs

Charles Moore, Kansas Department on Aging

Peggy Mott, American Red Cross, Planning and Evaluation Directorate

Mark Nunn, Manufactured Housing Institute

Steven Pardue, FEMA Mitigation Directorate
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES B6 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

APPENDICES

Jim Rossberg, American Society of Civil Engineers

Corey Schultz, PBA Architects, P.A.

Robert Solomon, National Fire Protection Association

Eric Stafford, Southern Building Code Congress International, Inc. 

Dan Summers, International Association of Emergency Managers

S. Shyam Sunder, Structures Division, National Institute of Standards and Technology

Carol W. Thiel, Maryland Emergency Management Agency 

William Wall, International Conference of Building Officials 

Jarrell Williams, Manufactured Home Park Owner

Soy Williams, International Code Council

The following individuals were corresponding members of the Review Committee of the first edition of the 

manual. (Note: All affiliations and titles were current at the time of publication of the first edition in July 

2000.)

Deborah Chapman, National Foundation of Manufactured Housing Owners, Inc. 

Jim Fearing, Fearing & Hagenauer Architects, Inc.

Daniel Gallucci, New Necessities, Inc. 

Robert Hull, Olathe School District, Kansas

Larry Karch, State Farm Insurance Companies, Facilities Management Division 

Mark Levitan, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Louisiana State University 

Jerry McHale, Federation of Manufactured Housing Owners of Florida, Inc.

Dick Nystrom, State Farm Insurance Companies, Facilities Management Division

Janet Potter, National Foundation of Manufactured Housing Owners, Inc.

Audrey Staight, American Association of Retired Persons, Public Policy Institute

Lynn White, National Child Care Association
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES C1 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

APPENDICES

APPENDIX C

Designer Checklist

SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES C3 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

APPENDICES
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES C4 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

APPENDICES
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES C5 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

APPENDICES
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES C6 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

APPENDICES
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES D1 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

APPENDICES

APPENDIX D

Comparison Matrix of Differences 

Between ICC 500 Requirements and 

FEMA Recommended Criteria

ICC 500 REFERENCE ICC 500 REQUIREMENTS FOR 

STORM SHELTERS

FEMA RECOMMENDED CRITERIA 

FOR SAFE ROOMS(a)

Section 107.1 

General

Where required by the authority having 

jurisdiction, construction documents shall 

be prepared. Such documents shall contain 

information as required by the applicable 

building code and this section.

For all safe rooms construction documents 

shall be prepared and maintained. Such 

documents shall contain information as 

required by the applicable building code and 

this section.

Section 107.2.1 

Design Information

For the areas of a building designed for 

occupancy as a storm shelter, the following 

information shall be provided within the 

construction documents:

2. A statement that the wind design conforms 

to the provisions of the ICC/NSSA Standard 

for the Design and Construction of Storm 

Shelters, with the edition year specified.

2. A statement that the wind design conforms 

to the provisions of the ICC/NSSA Standard 

for the Design and Construction of Storm 

Shelters, with the edition year specified and 

to the provisions of FEMA P-361, with the 

edition year specified.

Section 304.2 

Design Wind Speed

For tornado shelters, the design wind speed 

shall be in accordance with Figure 304.2(1). 

For hurricane shelters, the design wind speed 

shall be in accordance with Figure 304.2(2).(b)

For all residential safe rooms, the design 

wind speed shall be 250 mph, regardless 

of location.
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES D2 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

APPENDICES

ICC 500 REFERENCE ICC 500 REQUIREMENTS FOR 

STORM SHELTERS

FEMA RECOMMENDED CRITERIA 

FOR SAFE ROOMS(a)

Section 401.1.1 

Minimum floor 

elevation of 

community shelters

The lowest floor used for the occupied shelter 

and occupant support areas of a community 

shelter shall be elevated to the higher of the 

elevations determined by:

1. The flood elevation, including coastal wave 

effects, having a 0.2 percent annual chance 

of being equaled or exceeded in any given 

year; or 

2. The flood elevation corresponding to the 

highest recorded flood elevation if a flood 

hazard study has not been conducted for the 

area; or

3. The maximum flood elevation associated 

with any modeled hurricane category 

including coastal wave effects; or

4. The minimum elevation of the lowest floor 

required by the authority having jurisdiction 

for the location where the shelter is installed; 

or

5. Two feet above the flood elevation having a 

1 percent annual chance of being equaled or 

exceeded in any given year.

Exception: Items no. 1 and 3 shall not apply to 

shelters designed, constructed, designated, 

and used only as tornado shelters.

The lowest floor used for the occupied safe 

room and occupant support areas of a 

community safe room shall be elevated to or 

above the higher of the elevations determined 

by:

1. The flood elevation, including coastal wave 

effects, having a 0.2 percent annual chance 

of being equaled or exceeded in any given 

year(c); or

2. The flood elevation corresponding to the 

highest recorded flood elevation if a flood 

hazard study has not been conducted for the 

area; or

3. The maximum flood elevation associated 

with any modeled hurricane category 

including coastal wave effects; or

4. The minimum elevation of the lowest floor 

required by the authority having jurisdiction 

for the location where the safe room is 

installed; or

5. Two feet above the flood elevation having a 

1 percent annual chance of being equaled or 

exceeded in any given year.(c)

Exception: Item 3 (only) shall not apply 

to safe rooms designed, constructed, 

designated and used only as tornado 

safe rooms.

Section 401.1.2 

Minimum floor 

elevation of 

residential shelters 

The lowest floor used for the occupied shelter 

area of a residential shelter shall be elevated 

to the higher of the elevations determined by:

1. The flood elevation, including coastal wave 

effects, having a 0.2-percent annual chance 

of being equaled or exceeded in any given 

year; or

2. The flood elevation corresponding to the 

highest recorded flood elevation if a flood 

hazard study has not been conducted for the 

area; or

3. The maximum flood elevation associated 

with any modeled hurricane category, 

including coastal wave effects; or

4. The minimum elevation of the lowest floor 

required by the authority having jurisdiction 

for the location where the shelter is installed.

Exception: Items 1 and 3 shall not apply to 

shelters designed, constructed, designated, 

and used only as tornado shelters.

The lowest floor used for the occupied 

residential safe room shall be elevated to the 

higher of the elevations determined by:

1. The flood elevation, including coastal wave 

effects, having a 0.2 percent annual chance 

of being equaled or exceeded in any given 

year(c); or

2. The flood elevation corresponding to the 

highest recorded flood elevation if a flood 

hazard study has not been conducted for the 

area; or 

3. Not Applicable(d)

4. The minimum elevation of the lowest floor 

required by the authority having jurisdiction 

for the location where the shelter is installed.

5. The flood elevation having a 1 percent 

annual chance of being equaled or 

exceeded in any given year.(c)

Exception: Item 1 (only) shall not apply 

to safe rooms designed, constructed, 

designated, and used only as tornado 

safe rooms.
SAFE ROOMS FOR TORNADOES AND HURRICANES D3 Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

APPENDICES

ICC 500 REFERENCE ICC 500 REQUIREMENTS FOR 

STORM SHELTERS

FEMA RECOMMENDED CRITERIA 

FOR SAFE ROOMS(a)

Section 404.1

Community Shelter 

Siting

Community shelters shall be located outside 

of the following high-risk flood hazard areas:

1. Flood hazard areas subject to high-velocity 

wave action (V zones) 

2. Floodways

Exception: Community shelters shall be 

permitted in flood hazard areas subject 

to high-velocity wave action (V zones) 

where permitted by the Board of Appeals 

in accordance with the provisions of the 

International Building Code.

Community safe rooms shall be located 

outside of the following high-risk flood hazard 

areas:

1. Flood hazard areas subject to high-velocity 

wave action (V zones) and Coastal A zones(d)

2. Floodways

Exception: Community safe rooms shall 

be permitted in flood hazard areas subject 

to high-velocity wave action (V zones) and 

Coastal A zones(d) where permitted by the 

Board of Appeals in accordance with the 

provisions of the International Building Code 

and after completing the 8-step Decision 

Process for Executive Order (EO) 11988, 

as amended, and as provided by Title 44 of 

the Code of Federal Regulations Part 9.6, 

Decision-Making Process.

Residential Shelter 

Siting

[ICC 500 does not provide restrictions for 

siting residential shelters in flood hazard 

areas]

Residential safe rooms shall be located 

outside of the following high-risk flood hazard 

areas:

1. Flood hazard areas subject to highvelocity wave action (V zones) and Coastal 

A zones(e);

2. Floodways;

3. Any areas subject to storm surge 

inundation associated with any modeled 

hurricane category, including coastal 

wave effects.

Section 702.4 

First aid kit

A first aid kit shall be supplied in all tornado 

shelters with a shelter occupant load of 

greater than 50.

A first aid kit rated for the number of 

safe room occupants, as listed in the 

construction documents, shall be supplied 

in all tornado safe rooms.

Section 703.7

First aid kit

A first aid kit shall be supplied in all 

community hurricane shelters.

A first aid kit rated for the number of 

safe room occupants, as listed in the 

construction documents, shall be supplied 

in all hurricane safe rooms.

*Bolded text denotes differences between the ICC 500 Requirement and the FEMA Recommended Criteria. 

Table notes:

(a) Table only lists differences between FEMA P-361 and referenced ICC 500 Chapter. All ICC 500 requirements not listed in the table should also 

be met in their entirety.

(b) ICC 500 tornado wind speeds for all storm shelters range from 130 mph to 250 mph. ICC 500 hurricane wind speeds for all storm shelters 

range from 160 mph to 235 mph.

(c) Where an approximate or detailed flood hazard study has been completed but the 1-percent- and/or 0.2-percent-annual-chance flood elevations have not been determined, those elevations should be obtained from the authority having jurisdiction or determined in accordance with 

accepted hydrologic and hydraulic engineering practices used to define Special Flood Hazard Areas.

(d) Not applicable because residential safe rooms should not be located in areas subject to storm surge inundation associated with any modeled 

hurricane category; refer to Residential Shelter Siting with respect to flood hazards in this table.

(e) Coastal A Zones are defined as the area landward of Zone V or landward of an open coast without mapped Zone V. The inland limit of the 

Coastal A Zone is the Limit of Moderate Wave Action if delineated on a Flood Insurance Rate Map or designated by the authority having jurisdiction.
FEMA P-361

Catalog No: 08274-1