FEMA safe room project underway at Jasper Schools - KOAM TV 7

A FEMA safe room project offers security and much needed space for Jasper Schools.

The safe room building serves as both a cafeteria and gymnasium for the district.  It includes a weight room lost when a maintenance building was torn down to make room for the new building.  It also has a new kitchen.

75% of the building is funded with a $1 million FEMA grant.  The district created a lease purchase fund for the remainder and to turn the old cafeteria into much needed classrooms.

"We're going to put an elementary art room, music room, two special ed classrooms, then an office area for our special ed coop to house them in there, which in turn will allow us to eliminate three more of our trailers that we're leasing," says Jasper Schools Superintendent Rick Stark.

Besides eliminating trailers, which adds safety, the new safe room building sits behind the schools where breezeways will connect them all.  Eventually they will be enclosed, also adding to student safety.