Mississippi Emergency Management Agency launching safe room program

The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency is launching the Individual Safe Room Program to help residents in disaster-prone areas build a safe room/ storm shelter from severe weather.

The application process is open from Aug. 1 – Oct. 31. Mitigation funds from the Backwater Flooding/ Tornado Disaster (FEMA-MS-4429) will provide reimbursements to residents who build a safe room/storm shelter during this program. These funds cannot be backdated to previous safe rooms built. Applicants could be eligible for a 75% reimbursement or up to $3,500 for the cost of installing a safe room. With $2.5 million, MEMA anticipates building over 600 safe rooms with this current grant money.

Residents in the eight federally declared counties for Individual Assistance during the Backwater Flooding Disaster Declaration are eligible for the Individual Safe Room Program: Clay, Humphreys, Issaquena, Lowndes, Monroe, Sharkey, Warren, Yazoo.

Eligible applicants can apply at my.msema.org and click Safe Room Application. MEMA will contact the applicant to confirm receipt of the application. To inquire about the Individual Safe Room Program, potential applicants can call 1-833-592-6362 (MEMA).