City officials break ground for new storm shelter in Amory
AMORY, Miss. (WCBI) – Amory residents will soon have a new place to seek shelter from future storms.
City officials broke ground today for a new community tornado shelter.
The shelter will be built near Fire Station #2 in Ward 2, an area that was hard hit by the March 2023 tornado.
It is expected to cost around $1 million when complete.
Community Development Disaster Relief Block Grants are expected to pay for around 900,000 of that.
The shelter will have room for 256 people. It will be ADA compliant and have restrooms and generator-supplied power.
City leaders say the EF-3 tornado that struck two years ago changed the way residents react to severe weather.
“We have always taken tornadoes seriously, but after that tornado, it changed everything. When sirens go off now, people are looking for shelter. We had some shelters in Ward 2, but they’re limited. These shelters that are going to be put here are going to give people a sense of security, a peace of mind, and some comfort,” said Ward 2 Alderman Barry Woods, Sr.
“Still a lot left to do. We’re excited to do it. We’re happy to work alongside our citizens. They’ve done a tremendous amount, and let’s not forget our volunteers. Right? The volunteers came in: 8 Days of Hope, Red Cross, all the church organizations that came in, and our Mennonite Recovery Group,” said Amory Mayor Corey Glenn.
