Why Do I Need a Safe Room?

Having a safe room in your home can help provide near-absolute protection for you and your family from injury or death caused by the dangerous forces of extreme winds. Building owners, schools, hospitals, neighborhood associations and others responsible for public safety should consider building a community safe room if they are in areas subject to extreme-wind events.

Near-absolute protection means that the occupants of a safe room built according to FEMA guidance will have a high probability of being protected from injury or death. Our knowledge of tornadoes and hurricanes is based on numerous meteorological records as well as extensive investigations of damage to structures from extreme winds. Having a safe room can also relieve some of the anxiety created by the threat of an oncoming tornado or hurricane.

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FEMA P-320

Taking Shelter from the Storm: Building or Installing a Safe Room for Your Home

Should you consider building a safe room in your home to provide protection for you and your family during a tornado or hurricane? FEMA P-320, Taking Shelter from the Storm: Building or Installing a Safe Room for Your Home can help you determine the best course along with other free material.

Prescriptive Design Drawings for Your Home or Small Business

FEMA P-320 includes safe room designs and shows you and your builder/contractor or local design professional how to construct a safe room for your home. Design options include safe rooms located inside or outside of a new home. Guidance is also provided on how to modify an existing home to add a safe room in an existing space. The safe rooms discussed in FEMA P-320 are designed to meet or exceed the design criteria in FEMA P-361 and provide protection for you and your family from the extreme winds expected during tornadoes and hurricanes and from wind-borne debris associated with these events.

Additional Resources

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Learn more about building a community safe room:

FEMA P-361, Safe Rooms for Tornadoes and Hurricanes: Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms

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