Fire fighters, police, medical technicians and emergency managers from Iowa, South Dakota and Nebraska participated in the daylong event. FEMA Region VIII Director, Rick Weiland, and John Miller, FEMA Region VII Director joined Nebraska Lt. Governor, Dave Maurstad, Deputy Director of the North Central Region of the American Red Cross Jane Weathers, mayors from Sioux City, North Sioux City and South Sioux City, and other local and state dignitaries for the event. We know that tornado safe rooms work. There are people alive today in Oklahoma City because they had a safe shelter when the twisters hit earlier this year.
Safe rooms are an excellent example of that.
The public event was kicked off at noon with a cookout provided by the Siouxland Chapter of the American Red Cross. In addition to the construction of tornado safe room, the day's events included demonstration projects on public safety including fire, police and emergency medical, National Weather Service presentations and activities for families and children. The new Siouxland Chapter of the American Red Cross facility was also dedicated in a ribbon cutting ceremony. The Siouxland metropolitan area in South Dakota, Nebraska and Iowa is in an area considered at high risk for extreme winds based on NOAA storm prediction center statistics.